Rescued cat now becomes internet sensation as a barista!

Coffee giant Starbucks has released its autumn menu, but this furry chef has not been able to keep quiet! Waffle the Barista, an adorable orange tabby cat hailing from Santa Clara, California, has become an Internet sensation thanks to her eye-catching outfits! Her parents, Kathy Guo and Sam Xie, often share pictures of her dressed in Starbucks-themed outfits and aprons.

The couple set up her Instagram handle in 2016, and since then it has only grown from strength to strength.

"We began dressing Waffle up when she was really young (2016)... We just did it for fun and giggles back then," Sam told Fox New Digital. As her popularity skyrocketed, people began asking about buying the outfits. Seizing this opportunity, Xie started selling aprons online. They soon made a fortune from them.


To market their products, the couple invested more than $20,000 (about Rs 16 lakh) in dressing up Waffle. They spent money on props, coffee, aprons, and even a custom-made Starbucks-themed cat tree valued at $2,000 (roughly Rs 1 lakh).

The concept of ‘Waffle The Barista’ came to the duo as an ingenious attempt to market their aprons. “To help market my aprons on Instagram, that's when ‘Waffle The Barista’ was born. A lot of people out there love coffee, and we thought, ‘Why don't we use Waffle's paws to do it so it looks like she is the one making the coffee?" Sam told the digital portal.

Sam revealed that their beloved cat was a loyal patron of a Starbucks cafe near their home, and she had even received employee-only pins from the staff.

Waffle, along with her siblings, was discovered abandoned on the streets. A rescue organization named 4 Paws Strong took them in. Kathy and Sam came across Waffle's photo online, felt an instant connection, and decided to meet her. They immediately adopted her and welcomed her into their home. Rather than simply lounging around, Waffle took on various activities to support the family and developed a fondness for coffee. Now, this cat enjoys "working" at a café called Meowbucks.

Waffles commands over 28K followers on Instagram.

What Does Waffle Order From Starbucks?

Sam revealed, "If Waffle were to order a drink from Starbucks, it would be the Brown Sugar Oat milk Iced Shaken Espresso. Something about this drink makes Waffle curious—maybe the smell."

Starbucks revealed the comeback of the popular Pumpkin Spice Latte on August 21, with the drink becoming available the next day. Also making a return to the 2024 fall menu are the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai, and Apple Crisp Oat milk Macchiato. This year, the company introduced several new offerings, such as the Iced Apple Crisp Non Dairy. Cream Chai, Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte, and Iced Honey Apple Almond milk Flat White, according to Starbucks.