Coffee is great, and some people rely on it to get through the day - but it's doubtful that anybody would ever spend $4,500 on two cups.
But in an astonishing turn of events, a couple from Tulsa, Oklahoma, found themselves burdened with a huge bill of $4,500 for a mere iced macchiato and a frappuccino at their local Starbucks - all because a member of staff miscalculated the gratuity fee.
Jesse O'Dell and his wife Deedee, who have been loyal Starbucks customers for the past 16 years, typically spend around $10 on their daily coffees. However, on January 7, their routine purchase took an unexpected and financially draining twist.
"I ordered the Iced Americano and my wife, she always gets the Venti Caramel frappuccino with the extra shot, and it's usually around nine to 10 bucks. An extra shot might raise it up to like $10.75," Jesse said via Fox23.
To their shock, the couple was charged a staggering $4,456.27, as the coffee chain mistakenly added a $4,444 gratuity charge on top of their order. The astronomical amount went unnoticed until Deedee's card was declined while she was shopping with their four children at the mall, according to NBC12.
Jesse promptly reached out to the Starbucks district manager, who explained that there had been a network issue contributing to the mishap. The couple eventually received two checks totalling the overcharged amount.
However, their relief was short-lived, as both checks bounced when they attempted to deposit them into their account. Frustrated, they resorted to persistent calls to Starbucks customer service in order to resolve the matter.
"We contacted their customer service helpline probably 30 to 40 times that day and just blasted every new case that we could just until we could hear from somebody, and we did. We got a call from one of the representatives in Seattle. They assured us that they are sending new checks, but as of today, we still have not received the checks," Jesse said.
Dissatisfied with the handling of the situation, Jesse and Deedee decided to file a report with the Tulsa Police Department, hoping for a thorough investigation and a fair resolution to their predicament.
The family's eagerly anticipated trip to Deedee's home country of Thailand had to be cancelled due to the strain on their budget. "We had planned to take a trip but had to cancel, and the tickets are non-refundable," Jesse explained.
With the ordeal leaving a bitter taste, Jesse expressed his apprehension about returning to Starbucks, emphasizing the distress caused to his family. He urged others to remain vigilant by diligently checking and keeping all receipts to avoid such a harrowing experience.
A representative for Starbucks explained that new checks were sent out to the couple, and it's understood that they have since received them.