Starbucks charges Oklahoma couple $4,444 for two cups of coffee — then, blames the customers for it

Starbucks is known for its notoriously overpriced coffee, but there are times when the brand can outdo itself. Last year, Starbucks customers Jesse and Deedee O’Dell were charged a whopping $4,000 for just two cups of coffee, when they didn't leave a tip. Although the coffee was priced at $10, a massive tip propelled the bill through the roof. The couple was even forced to cancel their trip because Starbucks failed to provide a prompt resolution, according to a Fox23 report.

The Tip of a Lifetime

The couple from Oklahoma ordered an iced Americano and a venti caramel frappuccino, which were collectively worth $10.90. However, they were handed a bill worth $4,456.27. According to Deedee, the hefty charge went unnoticed at the time and the couple put it on their credit card. It was only a couple of days later that the mom of four noticed the charge when she used the same card to make a payment at the mall, which was declined. Upon investigating, she found that Starbucks had charged them $4,444.44 in gratuity on top of their $10 coffee order. The more confusing thing was that Jesse remembered selecting the 'No Tip' option on the card machine while paying, according to NBC News. 

A 'Grande' Blunder

The O’Dells told the media that it took them a month-long struggle to get their money back. In the interview, DeeDee said she went to the Starbucks store to dispute the charge and she was initially told that it was "legitimate". After speaking to multiple managers, the customer was finally informed that the company would mail them the checks to refund the amount. “We contacted their customer service helpline probably 30 to 40 times that day,” Jesse told Fox. The two checks that arrived at the O'Dells' home bounced when they tried to cash out.

Dedee added that they had to cancel a family trip to Thailand as they didn't have the money at the time due to the error. “I didn’t want to be traveling across the planet while we had thousands of dollars hung up somewhere,” he said. The couple then went to the Tulsa police and filed a complaint regarding the false charge. A spokesperson with the Tulsa police told NBC that in the investigation, they did not find any intent of fraud on the part of the employees. 

Furthermore, a spokesperson for Starbucks stated that the checks had bounced due to a typo and the company had sent fresh checks to resolve the issue. Ultimately, the complaint was withdrawn after the couple received the new checks and encashed them. However, they were still up in arms against the company as the spokesperson blamed the overcharge on Jesse. They stated that it was Jesse who had mistakenly typed in 4,444 in the tip option on the machine.

But, Jesse denied the accusation and claimed that a district manager had previously told him the error was caused by a network issue. “I know how to press buttons. I didn’t press that button,” he told McClatchy News in a phone interview, the New York Post reported.” He even warned other customers to watch out for any surprise charges in their receipts as well.