Black Woman Orders Two Drinks at Starbucks, Then She Sees What's Written on the Cups Instead of Her Name: 'There Is No Excuse'
The woman claimed that there was an offensive word written on her cup when she visited Starbucks
Nov. 15 2026, Published 4:38 p.m. ET
A Starbucks customer claims she was subjected to a racist incident after ordering two drinks and discovering the same offensive word written on both cups instead of her name.
Margaret Shepherd shared a video of the cups in a Facebook post, saying the drinks were ordered on August 29. The footage appears to show the word "chimp" written on both cups in the space typically used for customers' names.
The post has prompted questions about what happened at the coffee shop, although the location and the person responsible for writing the word have not been identified.
What Margaret Shepherd Said About the Starbucks Incident
The Starbucks location details were not revealed in the video
In her Facebook caption, Shepherd expressed her outrage over the incident, describing the experience as racist and unacceptable.
"There is no excuse for this. It was racist, hurtful, and completely unacceptable," she wrote.
She also made clear that she did not believe such behavior should be tolerated in coffee shops or anywhere else in the community.
The customer called on Starbucks to take responsibility and do better, requesting training, accountability, and an apology. She also emphasized that everyone deserves to be treated with respect.
She shared the post using the hashtags #RacismWillNotBeTolerated and #DoBetter.
However, the video does not establish which Starbucks location prepared the drinks or whether an employee wrote the offensive word.
Why Handwritten Messages on Starbucks Cups Matter
Starbucks revealed that writing customers' names on cups became a standard practice in 2012
The incident has drawn attention to a familiar part of Starbucks' customer experience: handwritten names and messages on beverage cups.
The company brought back handwritten notes in October 2024 under its "Back to Starbucks" initiative, which focused on restoring the welcoming coffeehouse atmosphere associated with the brand.
The practice dates back further. According to Starbucks, baristas began routinely writing customers' names on cups in 2012 as part of an effort to make interactions more personal.
The company has also encouraged employees to use handwritten messages to create moments of connection with customers.
What Starbucks Says About Offensive Messages on Cups
Starbucks said that their policies does not allow political slogans and negative messages on cups
Starbucks addressed concerns about handwritten cup messages in a September 16, 2025, statement, which it updated the following day.
The company said its policies prohibit political slogans and negative messages on cups. It also explained that reports of inappropriate messages are reviewed individually.
However, Starbucks acknowledged that the markers used by baristas are accessible to other people, meaning someone could write on a cup after a drink has been handed to a customer.
The company added that a photograph alone cannot establish who wrote a particular message.
What Starbucks Found in Previous Cup Investigations
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Starbucks has not responded to the latest cups incident shared on Facebook
In its September statement, Starbucks also discussed earlier social media complaints involving allegedly offensive messages on beverage cups.
The company said it reviewed timestamped surveillance footage during its investigations. According to Starbucks, employees had not written the comments in the cases it examined. Instead, the messages appeared to have been added after the drinks were handed over.
However, Starbucks has not confirmed whether the same circumstances apply to Shepherd's complaint.
The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the August 29 incident.
For now, the video appears to show the same offensive word on both cups, but the available evidence does not establish who wrote it or when.
