Starbucks has issued an apology to a couple mistakenly charged over $4,000 for just two coffees at one of its locations.
In a shocking incident, a couple from Oklahoma faces a financial bind after a trip to Starbucks that was meant to be a simple coffee run.
Jesse and Deedee O’Dell ordered their usual drinks, expecting to pay around $10.
However, they were stunned to discover that their bill included an astronomical gratuity charge of $4,444.44.
Starbucks charged an Oklahoma couple over $4K for their two coffees.
The couple visited their local Starbucks in January 2023, ordering a venti iced americano and a venti caramel frappuccino with an extra shot of espresso.
Familiar with the typical costs, they thought nothing of the $11.83 charge for their drinks.
“I ordered the Iced Americano and my wife, always gets the Venti Caramel frappuccino with the extra shot, and it’s usually around nine to 10 bucks.
An extra shot might raise it up to like $10.75,” he said.
Two days later, Deedee realized something was wrong when her credit card was declined while she was shopping.
They discovered they lost a huge sum in credit card
After reviewing their receipt, the O’Dells were shocked to see the massive tip added to their bill.
Jesse clarified, “I entered no tip. But somehow, there’s a massive tip on it.”
Alarmed by the unexpected charge, they reached out to Starbucks customer service.
Initially, customer service told the couple that the fee was valid, which added to their confusion and frustration.
After numerous follow-ups, Starbucks finally acknowledged the error.
The organization promised the couple reimbursement, but when the checks arrived, the couple found that they bounced.
This led Jesse to express his distress, stating he felt he was “going to go insane” over the financial chaos caused by the situation.
“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, and we did,” he said.
“We got a call from one of the representatives in Seattle. They assured us that they are sending new cheques,” he revealed.
The mistake with the charge forced the couple to cancel their holiday.
Faced with the stress of their finances, the O’Dells decided to cancel their planned trip to Thailand, where they intended to take their four daughters.
“We had planned to take a trip but had to cancel, and the tickets are non-refundable,” Jesse added.
They didn’t want to travel internationally with thousands of dollars in limbo.
Eventually, after making numerous calls to customer service, the couple received new checks that they could cash.
Starbucks apologizes to the couple following the incident
Starbucks later issued a statement acknowledging the situation. A spokesperson said, “This was an unfortunate situation that has since been resolved.
The customer entered the tip in error.”
The organization confirmed that they had made a typo on the initial checks and assured the couple that they sent out new ones.
The O’Dells hope their experience will serve as a warning to other customers.
Jesse emphasized the importance of checking receipts to avoid similar mishaps in the future.
“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.”