“It’s offensive”: Joke by Starbucks employee leaves Hispanic customer feeling targeted
KTVT
By J.D. Miles
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Texas (KTVT) — A Hispanic woman in Irving says a joke written on her Starbucks cup left her feeling targeted and unwelcome, raising concerns about cultural sensitivity and discrimination.
Blanca Lopez visited the Starbucks inside a Target store in Irving on Monday with her two daughters, who had received Starbucks gift cards from school. After ordering her horchata latte, her daughters noticed a handwritten message on the lid of her cup.
The message read: “What do you call a sick eagle? Illegal.”
Lopez said she was stunned.
“And when I read it, I’m like, OK. Was I supposed to laugh or what do I need to do?” she said.
Personal experience makes it painful
Lopez, a Hispanic immigrant, said the joke felt especially hurtful given her recent experiences with people close to her being deported.
“Why did they call me that? Why are they asking if I have papers or no papers? Why did she write this?” Lopez said. “For me, like, it’s offensive.”
She said she immediately showed the cup to a manager.
“I showed them the cup and they said, ‘Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I apologize and I’m going to talk to the team so they don’t do it again,'” she recalled.
Waiting for a response
Lopez said she kept the cup as proof and is still waiting for a formal response from Starbucks.
“It’s basically saying that we are sick, illegal individuals that do not belong in this country,” she said.
Community response and protest planned
Carlos Quintanilla, a Hispanic immigrant advocate with Accion America, has organized a protest outside the store for Saturday, June 28.
“It’s not just inappropriate, it’s disturbing,” Quintanilla said. “Especially right now, when the narrative being thrown out in mass media is if you’re illegal, you’re a criminal, and if you’re a criminal, you’re illegal.”
Starbucks responds, Target shares statement
Starbucks told CBS News Texas it is investigating the incident and has a zero-tolerance policy for discriminatory behavior. However, the company did not say what actions, if any, would be taken.
Target sent the following response:
“We want everyone in our stores to be treated with courtesy and respect; we apologize and are actively investigating and addressing this.”
Lopez said she wants more than an apology.
“I work as a manager. If someone on my team did something like that, I would fire her immediately,” she said.
She added that words matter, especially in immigrant communities already feeling vulnerable.
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