The term DumpStarbucks, or #DumpStarbucks, was seen spiking on social media Saturday after a barista at a Tempe, Ariz., Starbucks asked local law enforcement to leave an area store on Thursday because a customer felt uncomfortable — ultimately, drawing an apology from an executive at the coffee giant.
Six police officers on the Fourth of July were urged to vacate a Starbucks at Scottsdale Road in Tempe by an employee because a customer “did not feel safe,” according to several news outlets and an account by the local police association.
In response, the Tempe Officers Association submitted the following via Twitter on July 5: “Don’t appreciate @Starbucks asking our #Tempe cops to leave your establishment on the #4thofjuly2019. Several of those cops are #veterans who fought for this country! #ZeroRespect”
In a series of subsequent tweets, the TOA said a Starbucks Corp. SBUX, +0.00%employee, “asked the officers to move out of the customer’s line of sight or to leave,” and explained the incident thusly:
