Man Banned From Starbucks For Asking 16-Year-Old Barista On Date Claims Ageism
SPOKANE, Wash. (KDKA) -- A 37-year-old Washington man is lashing out after he says he was banned from a Starbucks for asking a 16-year-old barista on a date.
CBS affiliate KREM reports the man, who is not identified because he has not been charged with a crime, said he was at Starbucks in Spokane last week and wrote a note asking out a barista.
"I was flirted with by a barista. For some reason she thought I was funny. Said I was funny. So I gave her a note to see if she'd be interested in dinner," the man wrote in a Facebook post.
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But, when he came back the next day, he was met by a police officer who told him he was banned from the store.
While police say businesses are allowed to refuse service, the man claims he is facing discrimination due to his age.
"I know the female Starbucks barista was of legal age to date," the man said. "I broke no laws. I merely took a chance with my heart. I'm tired of hearing the word 'creep' as any black person or gay person is tired of hearing certain words. I have a whole webpage dedicated to age gap love."
While some felt the ban was a bit harsh, most have praised Starbucks for their actions.
"I have never been so proud to be a Starbucks customer!" one user wrote. "As a teen I had to deal with similar issues working in a restaurant as a hostess. It is an uncomfortable position no girl want to be put in. Thank you so much for supporting your employees."
A Starbucks spokesperson said, "We have no tolerance for any such inappropriate behavior or harassment, and we will continue to support our store partners and local authorities investigating the situation."