TikTok has become insanely popular throughout the past year. Influencers have used the platform to start dance trends, introduce new transitions, and create new challenges. Although most of these trends and challenges are harmless, there has been one that has some serious consequences.
In a video by the gossip channel, Spill, the narrator explains that there was a TikTok challenge being discussed on Reddit in which teenagers were going to Starbucks, ordering a drink, and asking for the receipt. Normally, an employee wouldn’t think twice about this and simply print it out and tell them to have a nice day. However, Def Noodles tweeted a Reddit thread along with an email from Starbucks HQ warning employees of this challenge.
The reason the receipt is so important is that it has the employee’s partner number on it. This number is linked to the employee’s name and allows them employee perks such as a free item. Since the name and number match the employee, they are responsible for covering up their numbers using a marker or pen.
The employee serving the TikTok user is also at fault so Starbucks HQ has required them to ask the customer (and supposed employee of other location) for government ID or their partner card. Most employees don’t carry around their partner cards, forcing them to use a government ID, which poses an issue for the trans employees.
It’s very different to change someone’s name on a government-issued ID, however, Starbucks allows its employees to be themselves at work, which can make for an uncomfortable situation. Some employees posted on the Reddit thread and shared their stories of having to practically out themselves in front of strangers to simply get a well deserved free coffee. This is a horrible problem that has impacted the trans and/or nonbinary employees specifically and it could’ve been avoided if TikTok users were responsible.
There have been rumors that an employee has started this all. The employee created an “urban legend” and sent an email to corporate to complain about this TikTok, that didn’t actually exist. The email that Def Noodles tweeted was HQ’s response to this person. This person claims to have done it because employees never ask for confirmation when another Starbucks “employee” comes in with a partner number. They explained that employees were supposed to ask for the last name of the customer, but Starbuck HQ didn’t say that in their email.
Whether or not this is an urban legend or not, TikTok users read the Reddit post as well and began using the numbers in real life. Real people lost their jobs during a pandemic because a young girl wanted a free item that her parents most likely would’ve paid for.