Starbucks Makes Handwritten Notes on Cups Mandatory: Employee Rights

Are Notes on Cups at Starbucks Mandatory?

Yes — Starbucks implemented a policy in 2025 that requires baristas to add handwritten notes on every cup, without exception.

The initiative, part of the coffee giant’s “Back to Starbucks” campaign, aims to improve customer experience and engagement.

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What if Staff Disobey or Make a Mistake?

Starbucks has specific rules for handwritten notes on cups and disciplinary guidelines for infractions (Business Insider).

• Minor infraction: Not writing on every customer’s cup, using a pen other than a Sharpie to write a message, writing on the lid of the cup, or marking cups in advance before the customer orders. A barista would initially receive verbal coaching — so long as the employee has completed appropriate training and hasn’t received prior corrective actions.
• Medium infraction: Putting pop culture, political, or religious references on a customer’s cup. Instead of a verbal warning, staff automatically receive a written warning.
• Serious infraction: Writing messages on beverages that don’t align with Starbucks’ “Mission or Values,” repeatedly forgetting to mark a customer’s cup, etc. Punishment at this level can include termination.

Charlie Kirk Cup Note Denial Goes Viral

In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s death, a video went viral of a barista refusing to put his name on a customer’s cup — citing corporate policy.

The individual’s decision brought scrutiny to the company’s requirement that staff write on every cup.

🔈 LISTEN: Lawyer on Employee Conduct During & After Work

ADDITIONAL COVERAGE
• Toronto Life: Kirk Commentary Leads to Suspensions, Firings in Canada
• Employment Lawyer Talks Kirk Commentary Consequences on 880 CHED

Staff Frustrated by New Cup Note Requirement

While some baristas have reportedly been fired over the new policy, others have quit — claiming the requirement makes the job too difficult.

“Now, you’ve got a manager staring you down while you’re making drinks to make sure you stop in between every single drink to write some sort of message with a Sharpie,” Michelle Eisen, a spokesperson for the Starbucks Workers United union and a 15-year barista veteran, told Business Insider.

“It’s only increasing wait times, and it’s not helping with the overall environment within these stores.”

Workplace Issue? Get Help Now

Contact Samfiru Tumarkin LLP: 1-855-821-5900 or request a consultation online.

Our employment lawyers in Ontario, Alberta, and BC have helped tens of thousands of non-unionized individuals — including Starbucks staff — enforce their rights and secure the compensation they’re legally entitled to.

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Disclaimer: The materials above are provided as general information about the rights of non-unionized employees in Canada. It is not specific to any one company and SHOULD NOT be read as suggesting any improper conduct on the part of any specific employer, or a relationship between Samfiru Tumarkin LLP and a specific employer.