'World's most expensive coffee': US couple charged ₹3.6 lakh for Starbucks coffee

An American couple, Jesse and Deedee O'Dell, had to pay nearly Rs 3.6 lakh ($4,456.27) for two cups of Starbucks coffee, reports have revealed. The Oklahoma couple, whose regular coffee run included an iced americano and caramel frappuccino for around Rs 820 ($10) for the previous 16 years, received the shock of their lives when the credit card of Deedee declined at a shop unexpectedly.

Jesse contacted the coffee chain's district manager after discovering that they had been incorrectly charged a gratuity amount of $4,444.44 at their local Starbucks in Tulsa, resulting in an insufficient balance in their account. He was reportedly informed that they were having network issues and were given two checks totalling $4,444.44 to compensate for the blunder. However, due to a typo, both cheques bounced. Due to the mix-up, the family of six was forced to cancel a non-refundable trip to Deedee's hometown in Thailand.

According to the New York Post, the couple apparently had to contact customer service 30 - 40 times to resolve the issue. A Starbucks representative blamed the couple, claiming that Jesse had placed the large tip. They denied the claim saying he selected the 'no tip' option and called it a 'network issue'.


A police complaint was later withdrawn after the couple cashed a new set of cheques delivered by Starbucks. Jesse also warned other Starbucks customers to keep an eye out for 'network errors' in their bills.

Starbucks is known for its exorbitantly priced coffee. Last year, the world’s largest coffee chain revamped its menu to include items, such as masala chai and filter coffee to woo more Indian customers.

FAQs

Q1. Which country owns Starbucks?
Starbucks is an American company. Its headquarters are in Seattle, Washington.

Q2. Which Starbucks outlet was the first to be established in India?
Starbucks opened its first store in India in Mumbai's Horniman Circle in 2012.