An Ohio woman’s experience highlights just how far political hostility has seeped into everyday life. Autumn Perkins ordered Charlie Kirk’s go-to Starbucks drink on Sunday evening — only to find a shocking hate message scrawled across her cup.
Perkins, who visited a Kroger-operated Starbucks in Middletown, Ohio, said she was stunned when she saw the words “racist’s fav drink” written on her order. “It’s time for people to stop this nonsense,” she told Fox News Digital.
The store manager confirmed that the employee responsible admitted to writing the hateful message and was promptly fired. Perkins agreed with the decision, saying, “I would agree that people should be fired if they’re doing something like this. Actions have repercussions.”
Starbucks itself issued a statement condemning the behavior: “Writing this on a cup is unacceptable, and we have clear policies that prohibit negative messages to help preserve a welcoming environment.” Kroger, which oversees the location, added, “This behavior does not reflect Kroger’s values.”
For Perkins, however, the damage was done. “I don’t intend to spend another penny at Starbucks — and as far as I’m concerned, neither will my children or anybody else in my family who will listen to me.” She added that Charlie Kirk “stood for respect — we don’t have to agree on everything. We can disagree on a lot of things, but we respect each other. We can’t communicate and grow if we’re disrespecting each other.”
