Man 'taken aback' by message on Starbucks cup label

One customer received an unexpected comment on their Starbucks coffee cup label.

When an order for a a grande cup of white chocolate mocha came with the message, “Diabetes here I come,” one customer said he was taken aback.

“That first word just automatically brought the picture of both sisters in my head,” said the Starbucks customer.

He said the diabetes statement hits close to home because his two sisters suffer from type 1 diabetes.

The customer told WJAX he works near the coffee shop in St. Augustine, Florida, and a fellow employee picked up coffees for their staff.  His cup had the unusual message -- his name and the type of drink he ordered.

“Just the struggles they went through and all the doctor appointments they had,” the customer said. "It definitely struck a nerve, and I didn’t just want to let it go."

When store manager Kent Miller was shown pictures of the cup and was asked if this was something Starbucks condones, he said, “No, we definitely don’t condone, but let me find more about this, and I will talk to my boss.”

Miller said the only thing that should be written on the label is the drink type and the name of the customer.

The customer wrote a note on the same cup and left a message for the baristas in hopes these employees won’t judge other people. The note reads, "2 of my sisters are diabetic, so ... not funny."

“We strive to provide an inclusive and positive experience for our customers, and we're disappointed to learn of this incident," Starbucks corporate headquarters said in an email. "We are working directly with the customer to apologize for his experience, and with our partners (employees) to ensure this does not happen again."

The customer said he doesn’t need an apology. Instead, he just wants reassurance that this won’t happen to a future customer.

Cox Media Group