Starbucks Fires Philly Worker Accused Of Mocking Man With Stutter

PHILADELPHIA – A worker at a University City Starbucks location has been fired after allegedly mocking a man's stutter.

The worker was fired after being accused of writing "Sssam" on the receipt of a customer named Sam who has a stutter.

The story broke when the customer's friend posted a photo of the cup and receipt on Facebook July 1. A photo of the cup is featured below.

Sam stuttered when ordering his drink at the Starbucks at 34th and Walnut streets on June 27 and the barista verbally mocked his stutter and printed it on the receipt, according to the Facebook post.

Starbucks responded to the friend's post, saying the "local leadership has reached out to Sam to better understand what took place and the specifics of his experience and apologize directly."

"We have zero tolerance for discrimination and are addressing this immediately," Starbucks wrote in the post, which has more than 850 reactions and nearly 300 shares.

Starbucks later commented back, saying the worker was no longer employed with the company.

The incident comes months after two men, Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson, were arrested inside a Center City Starbucks for refusing to leave.

The men were ultimately not charged and the incident spurred a settlement between the men and Starbucks, as well as the men and the city; Starbucks conducting racial bias training nationwide and changing its restroom policy; and the Philadelphia Police altering their trespassing policy.

Image via David Allen/Patch staff