Starbucks Applauds Black Barista’s Response To Unmasked Patron
By Cherranda Smith
October 21, 2020
Alex Beckom, a 19-year-old Starbucks barista, is receiving praise from the company for how she handled a customer who refused to wear a mask, yelled profane statements about Black Lives Matter, and called coronavirus safety guidelines a “hoax.”
Beckom caught the incident on video and shared them to her Facebook and TikTok accounts, captioning the posts, “This was my day at work.”
In the clips, Beckom is seen asking the customer to put the mask over her face to which the customer responded with claims that Alex discriminated against her for being a Trump supporter.
Alex friendly replied, “OK, sure.”
*** Warning: Video Contains Profanity ***
Well this was my day at work Starbucks 1) I asked her to keep her mask on and she actually did comply then took it back off and this happened 2) wtf does BLM have to do with Covid? 3) Trump got Covid, but sure it’s a hoax (Edit: people are asking for my Venmo/cash app and btw 25% of the money I’m getti is going to go back to my store! Venmo: amb102400 Cashapp: $Alexandriabeckom)
Posted by Alex Beckom on Sunday, October 18, 2020
The video goes on to show the unmasked guest requesting a straw and sugar from Beckom. She provided it along with a reminder to wear a mask inside the cafe.
In a statement to the San Diego Union-Tribune, Jory Mendes, a Starbucks spokesperson, reiterated the company’s support of Alex’s “tremendous composure.”
Support from social media has continued to pour in as Alex told NBC-TV Channel 7 that incidents like these are a “daily occurrence.”
The barista’s actions toward the customer fall within the storewide protocol set in place by Starbucks to make visits to the coffee chain safe. Additionally, San Diego County currently mandates residents to wear face coverings in public settings including shopping and waiting in line.
Photo: Getty Images