Amy McIlroy, 14, from Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, (pic in an undated image) said she was ‘disgusted’ when her act of kindness
A schoolgirl has shamed Starbucks after a barista told her not to buy a sandwich for a homeless 16-year-old teenager shivering outside because she should ‘let nature take its course’.
Amy McIlroy, 14, from Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, said she was ‘disgusted’ and ‘taken aback’ when her act of kindness by the Starbucks in Exchange Place, Glasgow, received such as heartless response.
Undaunted, Amy went ahead and bought the sandwich to give to the boy, and complained to the coffee giant on Twitter.
She wrote: ‘So f****** disgusted. @StarbucksUK went in to one of your Glasgow branches to get some food for a 16-year-old homeless boy who was physically shaking from the cold and was told off a worker that I’d be better ‘saving my money and letting nature take its course’. I’m at a loss for words.’
Speaking today, Amy said: ‘I was really taken aback when the barista said that because I’ve never experienced that type of hatred or ignorance towards a stranger who hasn’t done anything to merit such vile behaviour.
‘I didn’t get his name but the young boy looked around 16 or 17 and didn’t seem as if he had been on the streets for that long.’
The callous comment was made by a customer at the Starbucks store in Exchange Place, Glasgow
Undaunted, Amy went ahead and bought the sandwich to give to the boy, and complained to the coffee giant on Twitter
She added: ‘My friend was with me at the time and she was saying that the barista was not worth responding to but I told him that it was a disgusting thing to say and that I hoped he didn’t speak for Glasgow.
‘There are a million circumstances that could lead to someone becoming homeless. Starbucks should be held accountable for clearly not training their staff well enough in customer service.’
Starbucks are now on the receiving end of a customer backlash.
Marianne Gallagher tweeted: ‘I bought a young boy (likely the same one) a coffee from that Starbucks on Friday. I’ll take my money elsewhere in future.’
Speaking today, Amy (pic in an undated Facebook photo) said: ‘I was really taken aback when the barista said that because I’ve never experienced that type of hatred or ignorance towards a stranger’
Bethany Scott added: ‘Wow. Bye Starbucks. I’ll spend my money at Pret instead.’
Another Twitter user added: ‘What kind of heartless b****** could say this about any human? Hear so many horror stories about Starbucks, you wonder what their teaching/training process is.’
Amy’s mother has praised her daughter for her handling of the situation and thoughtfulness.
Mr McIlroy, 52, said: ‘She’s very soft-hearted and has never had that boy out off her head since.
‘I’m proud of her. She’s that sort of person who is always thinking of others.’
There has been mounting concern for the plight of the homeless during the spells of extreme cold weather this month.
A homeless veteran died in Edinburgh a week before Christmas while sleeping rough.
Darren Greenfield, 47, who sat at the top of the Waverley Steps on Princes Street, died after he was admitted to hospital.
Undaunted, Amy went ahead and bought the sandwich to give to the boy, and complained to the coffee giant on Twitter. She is pictured in an undated social media image
Dozens of people hit out at the barista’s behaviour with one Twitter user vowing to take their money elsewhere
A spokeswoman for Starbucks UK said today: ‘We’re urgently investigating what has happened here and have been in touch with the customer directly to apologise.
‘We believe in creating a place that is welcoming for all and we are disappointed that this incident does not represent the values we expect in our stores.’
Starbucks have regularly been the subject of tax avoidance allegations and in 2015 were ordered to pay back Euro 30m in Holland.
Last year it was reported that their UK profits had dropped by 60%, although they still turned over £13.4m. They blamed the drop on Brexit and a slowing economy.
Starbucks vowed to ‘fully investigate’ the incident and said they had contacted Amy directly to apologise