Update 6:30am CT, April 5: The TikToker told the Daily Dot the Starbucks worker “knew it was a prank” and “gave consent.”
“Because people didn’t get to see the behind the scenes, of course they judged pretty harshly on the content. I know the staff at that Starbucks because I go daily and I was filming another tiktok and they wanted in on it so I changed up the content a bit,” she said.
Regarding her prank videos, the TikToker said she likes “to make people laugh and [gets] a kick of out peoples reactions to things.”
Original story: A TikToker’s video showing herself tipping a Starbucks Barista with a small bottle of Tito’s Handmade Vodka has sparked debate and discussion about what constitutes an acceptable tip.
In the video, poster @tswizz86 is in a Starbucks drive-thru. She holds up the vodka, saying, “This is their tip, y’all.” She then hands the barista at the window the liquor bottle.
“What you didn’t see in the video is her response when she realized I left her a bottle of Tito’s and not cash,” a text overlay on the video reads. “She said, ‘ohhhhhkayyyy.'”
Some commenters expressed concern that there is a chance the barista receiving the bottle could be in recovery from an alcohol addiction——and @tswizz86 revealed that the liquid in the bottle had in fact been replaced by water.
“The fact that (you’re) not even thinking of other (people) when you say that is so sad,” one commenter wrote. “Some (people) are in recovery young and it’s sad, but it’s (true), and you’re the problem, you think you can flaunt alcohol like it’s nothing and it’s really hard for (people) in recovery when (they) come into contact with (people) like you.”
However, @tswizz86 wasn’t having any of it.
“I’m not going to tiptoe around society because of everyone’s own issues,” she commented in response. “That’s a them issue, not a me issue.”
The poster claimed that after the video, she tipped the barista $50, although some commenters expressed that they did not believe her.
Others thought the joke was made unfairly at the expense of an employee.
“Idk maybe you could have left an actual tip instead of making a joke that no one is laughing at?” one commenter wrote.
“A good joke/prank doesn’t cause harm,” another commenter wrote. “You’ve seen all the relapse comments, but even just getting in trouble (with their) boss for the bottle being (there).”
“Cute way to get someone fired,” a commenter wrote. “No boss would believe it was just water even if it was.”
A small minority of commenters saw the humor in the situation, but others expressed that they would rather have a cash tip.
“Nah I don’t like this,” one commenter wrote. “Just tip money.”
“I don’t want alcohol, tip me with money like a normal person,” another wrote. “This ain’t it.”
“I’d be mad like just give me money I got bills!”
The Daily Dot has reached out to @tswizz86 via Instagram DM and to Starbucks directly via email regarding the video.
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