Credit: Handout
Starbucks Respond After Couple Charged $4,500 For Two Cups Of Coffee
Starbucks has responded after a couple were charged $4,500 for two cups of coffee.
A couple from Oklahoma was left thousands of dollars out of pocket after a routine Starbucks run turned into a financial nightmare.
Jesse O’Dell and his wife Deedee, from Tulsa, stopped by their local Starbucks drive-thru in January 2023 for what should have been a simple coffee order – a venti iced Americano and a venti caramel frappuccino with an extra shot of espresso.
The order totaled $11.83, which seemed reasonable to the couple who typically spent around $10 per day on their Starbucks beverages.
They paid at the window, collected their drinks, and went about their day.
However, two days later, the couple discovered something had gone terribly wrong. Deedee’s credit card was declined while shopping at the mall with their four daughters, prompting Jesse to check their bank account.
To their shock, they had been charged $4,456.27 for their two coffees, with a staggering $4,444.44 gratuity had been added to their bill.
“I entered no tip,” Jesse insisted. “But somehow, there’s a massive tip on it.”
The erroneous charge had immediate and devastating consequences for the O’Dell family. They had been planning a family vacation to Chonburi, Thailand, where Deedee is originally from, but were forced to cancel their trip.
“We had planned to take a trip but had to cancel, and the tickets are non-refundable,” Jesse explained. “We didn’t want to be traveling across the planet while they had thousands of dollars hung up somewhere.”
Jesse immediately contacted Starbucks to resolve the issue. Initially, he was told it was a ‘legitimate charge,’ but the coffee giant eventually agreed to reimburse him.
The resolution process proved frustrating for the O’Dells.
When the first set of reimbursement checks arrived, they bounced, leaving the family in continued financial distress.
“We contacted their customer service helpline probably 30 to 40 times that day and just blasted every new case that we could just until we could hear from somebody,” Jesse said.
After persistent efforts, a representative from Starbucks’ Seattle office assured them that new checks would be issued.
The couple eventually received replacement checks on February 6, 2023, which they were able to successfully cash.
A Starbucks spokesperson has since addressed the incident, stating, per LADBible: “This was an unfortunate situation that took place nearly two years ago and has long been resolved.
“There was an error made regarding a customer tip at a Starbucks drive thru, and we worked to address the situation as quickly as possible. Checks were issued and cashed by the customer on Monday, February 6, 2023.”
Despite the resolution, the O’Dells say their days of visiting that particular Starbucks location may be over due to the ordeal.
The couple is now urging other Starbucks customers to carefully review their receipts and bank statements to ensure they haven’t been similarly overcharged.
“This is something that has caused huge duress in our own family, and hopefully other people don’t have to go through something like this,” Jesse said.
Related Article: Restaurant To Sue Customer After He Leaves $3,000 Tip On $13 Meal
Related Article: Waitress Fired After Receiving $4,400 Tip From Customer
Want more stuff like this?
Get the best viral stories straight into your inbox!
