starbucks worker pumping syrup into cup (l) starbucks logo (m) worker holding up finished drink (r)

@iijonahii/Tiktok

‘No. Immediately no’: Starbucks customer asks barista for 40 pumps of classic syrup in viral TikTok

'Not 14. Four-zero.'

 

Lauren Castro

Internet Culture

Posted on Mar 14, 2022   Updated on Mar 30, 2022, 12:41 pm CDT

In a viral video, TikToker and Starbucks employee Jonah Self (@iijonahii) shares an unusual order from the drive-thru line: 40 pumps of classic syrup in coffee. In the video, Self shows viewers each pump of syrup, then adds the remaining coffee to the cup.

@iijonahii

And then he changed it from iced tea to iced coffee #coffee#barista#starbucks#fyp

♬ Classical Music – Classical Music

By Monday, the video had more than 3.9 million views. Commenters were heated over the drink order, and some found it so unlikely that it must have been a mistake.

TikTok user @_iambaby commented, “Imagine it was an online order and he mean to put 4 lmaooo.” 

But Self insisted the order was intentional. “People keep saying this, but in the drive through, [the customer] said ‘I want Forty pumps of classic. Not Fourteen, Four Zero,’” Self wrote. 

Other viewers were concerned about how much it would cost to add 40 pumps of syrup—and the health implications of the drink’s sugar content.

Forty pumps of classic syrup only add about 80 cents to the total cost of the drink, Self wrote in a TikTok comment. Regarding health concerns, each pump of Starbucks syrup contains about 20 calories and 5 grams of carbs. Forty pumps of syrup would total 800 calories and 200 grams of carbs.

Commenters on Self’s video were generally critical of Starbucks’ prices, particularly the coffee chain’s recent decision to raise prices due to supply chain disruptions and labor costs.

“Starbucks prices are rising because of the pay raise all baristas are getting due to inflation,” Self wrote in response. “Higher prices, more pay, no more paycheck to paycheck. So please stop yelling at baristas because your drink was upped 50¢.”

In a second video, Self shares that the same customer came back with the same order while also addressing Indiana-based coffeeshop Java House’s comment on the first video: “No. Immediately no.”

“My man came back and asked for it again,” Self wrote.

https://www.tiktok.com/@iijonahii/video/7072804120805051690?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id7062012672196134405

The Daily Dot reached out to Self via TikTok comment and Instagram and to Starbucks via email.


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*First Published: Mar 14, 2022, 5:15 pm CDT