A Starbucks location in Chicago has temporarily shut down after a customer alleged that her elderly mother-in-law was mocked by staff for ordering a drink associated with conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
The incident occurred at the Starbucks on Northwest Highway and Harlem Avenue. On Tuesday, Jacqueline Garretson shared the experience on X (formerly Twitter), claiming that her mother-in-law ordered a Mint Majesty tea with honey—reportedly Kirk’s favorite drink—only to find the word “LOSER :)” handwritten on her cup.
“No customer should ever be mocked or insulted because of what they order or what they believe. This is blatant bias, unprofessional, and unacceptable,” Garretson wrote, calling on Starbucks to take action.
Garretson and her husband later confronted the store’s district manager in person, pressing for immediate accountability.
“We’re looking for—not corporate bureaucracy—but immediate accountability,” her husband said during the conversation. “If not, I will have this whole intersection lined with patriots today. I’m not even joking.”
The district manager said the store was still investigating the incident, noting that multiple people had contacted the store claiming to be involved, which caused confusion.
“What’s challenging right now is that everybody is calling, saying that they were the one it happened to,” the manager explained. “So we didn’t know which one was the actual incident.”
Garretson emphasized that her mother-in-law—described as non-political—ordered the drink simply because the trend was circulating online.
“She could not be a more unpolitical person,” Garretson said. “But she has morality. She knows what happened to this man is wrong.”
🚨 This morning a family member went to Starbucks and ordered Charlie Kirk’s favorite drink — Mint Majesty with honey.
When their cup came back, it was marked with the word “loser :)” scribbled across it. pic.twitter.com/NHxZjroqCn
— Jacqueline Garretson (@jacgarretson) September 16, 2025
Garretson and her husband demanded a refund and disciplinary action against the employee responsible. They also expressed frustration that more than 24 hours had passed without any follow-up.
Later that day, the Starbucks location was temporarily closed. Garretson posted an update to X:
“We asked Starbucks for accountability by 5pm. When we arrived, the store was temporarily closed. Thank you to everyone who has called and stopped into the store over the past 48 hours. We are all Charlie now.”
Starbucks corporate later released a statement:
“There are no restrictions on customers using Charlie Kirk’s name on their order, and we are following up with our team.”
🚨 Quick update from Chicago: My MIL ordered Charlie Kirk’s favorite Starbucks drink (Mint Majesty + honey) — but the cup came back with “Loser” written on it.
Accountability is key. 👀 Video with the District Manager coming shortly. Stay tuned. @MikeDropNews#CharlieKirk pic.twitter.com/feyKZu31I5
— Jacqueline Garretson (@jacgarretson) September 17, 2025
The company’s response, however, did little to quell the backlash. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani even weighed in publicly, further fueling the controversy online.
By Thursday, Garretson reported that neither the district manager nor Starbucks corporate had reached out again, despite earlier promises.
“48+ hours into #LoserGate and still no call back from the District Manager (even though he promised),” she posted. “Corporate hasn’t reached out either despite multiple attempts. Store is closed, only the drive-thru is open — so I can’t even follow up in person.”
PART 2:🚨 Quick update from Chicago: My MIL ordered Charlie Kirk’s favorite Starbucks drink (Mint Majesty + honey) — but the cup came back with “Loser” written on it. Accountability is key. 📷 Video #3 coming shortly. Stay tuned.@MikeDropNews#CharlieKirk pic.twitter.com/dRBba5EZHx
— Jacqueline Garretson (@jacgarretson) September 18, 2025
As of now, the store remains closed to walk-in customers while the investigation continues.