Skip to Content
Featured

This Week In Starbucks Racism ~ The Case of the ‘Beaner’ Cup in La Cañada

[dropcap size=big]S[/dropcap]tarbucks has issued another apology for racist behavior by its employees, this time here in Southern California, where a man named Pedro who stopped at a Starbucks store in La Cañada Flintridge got to work on Tuesday morning and realized the word “Beaner” had been placed on his order as his customer name.

Starbucks confirmed it apologized to the man, but as of Thursday, there were no signs that the employee responsible had been fired or formally disciplined.

Pedro, who did not want to release his last name to media, said the Starbucks location offered him a $50 gift card as a form of an apology, but he declined as he saw it as an “insult overall” according to NBC4.

RELATED: New L.A. Soccer Team Already Dealing With Fans Chanting 'P*to' at Inaugural Game — Fun or Offensive?

“Beaner” is considered a racial slur aimed at Latinos, for whom beans are a dietary staple. (Urban Dictionary associates the term with "Mexicans.") Pedro told Telemundo that he was called by his name when the order was ready, so he did not believe the slur on his cup was a mistake. A coworker tweeted to Starbucks on Pedro’s behalf after the incident.

“This is not the welcoming experience we aim to provide, and we have reached out to this customer to apologize and make this right,” a representative named Ryan responded via Twitter.

His co-worker has since deleted the tweet to Starbucks, saying she deleted because they were already talking to Starbucks and confined that it was “NOT fake.”

The incident happened just days before Starbucks is preparing to shutdown thousands of stores nationwide on May 29 to train its employees on racial bias, after two black male entrepreneurs were arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks while waiting for a business meeting.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

This Weekend: Persian Mole, Belizean Lamb Chops, and ‘Black Goodess Salad’ on Slauson

Plus, Halal wagyu smash burgers and where to find free turkeys for families in need, and more in this weekend's roundup.

November 22, 2024

Here’s The First Look at Punk Rock Bowling’s 2025 Lineup, With Cock Sparrer, Social Distortion, Peter Hook, and More

"This is Punk Rock Bowling’s 25th anniversary, so it’s extra special," Shawn Stern, Presidente of the Punk Rock Bowling Festival, tells L.A. TACO.

November 22, 2024

L.A.’s Latest Great Sonoran Taco (and Hot Dog) Contender is a Taco Stand in Boyle Heights

The menu includes crispy lorenzas, papas locas loaded with asada, and bacon-wrapped "momias." This taquero keeps his homemade flour tortilla purveyor a secret, too.

November 21, 2024

In Absurd Twist, City of L.A. Serves Itself a ‘Notice of Violation’ After Installing Anti-Homeless Fence On Sidewalk

The city now finds itself in an embarrassing situation where one city department is using taxpayer dollars to erect a fence that limits people’s access to public space, while another city department uses up even more city resources to have that same fence taken down.

November 21, 2024

The 23 Best Tamales In Los Angeles

Banana leaf ones, savory pudding-like ones, sweet ones...Los Angeles really is the best city in the U.S. for tamal season. Here are our best ones from all corners of the County.

November 20, 2024
See all posts