In February 2023, Jesse and Deedee O’Dell, long-time Starbucks customers from Oklahoma, encountered an unexpected charge of $4,456.27 for their usual coffee order, which typically costs around $10. Despite selecting the ‘No Tip’ option, they were erroneously billed a gratuity of $4,444.44. The error came to light when Deedee’s card was declined during a shopping trip with their children.
Upon discovering the mistake, Jesse contacted the Starbucks district manager and was informed that a network error with the card machine might have caused the issue. The couple was assured that refund checks totaling the incorrect gratuity amount would be sent. However, the initial checks bounced, leading to further frustration and numerous calls to customer service.
