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May 04, 2023

Starbucks Sued After Cleaning Tablets Discovered in Coffee

Human error is an inevitable part of the service industry. For coffee shops, a

Human error is an inevitable part of the service industry. For coffee shops, a typical mistake is a misspelled name on a customer's cup, or perhaps the wrong combination of sugar or sweetener calls for a remaking of an order. For one unfortunate Starbucks customer in Utah, however, one mistake lead to far greater consequences and the need for immediate medical attention.

As reported by Fox 7 Austin, a woman named Deniece Lee is suing the franchise for $3 million after it was discovered that the coffee she was served had multiple cleaning tablets mixed into the brew. The incident, which occurred in the summer of 2018, came at the hands of a mis-served Venti Green Tea Frappuccino — her typical go-to drink and the same order she's done countless times.

After the initial drink was blended instead of iced, she asked for a remake, which the barista wasn't reportedly thrilled about, but obliged. Noticing the drink didn't taste normal, she brought it home and soon began experiencing symptoms of nausea and vomiting. When Lee's daughter brought the cup-in-question back over to her asking why two pills were sitting at the bottom of the cup, it was revealed that two Urnex tablets (typically used as a cleaning agent for espresso and coffee-making machines) were mixed in. Upon discovery she immediately went to the hospital.

While Lee ended up recovering from the incident, the $3 million lawsuit she has since filed is for breach of warranty, and negligence.

For related content, check out this story of a man who was accidentally served tap cleaner instead of pure beer at a casino.