Starbucks has terminated an employee at its Norwalk, California, location after a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputy was served a coffee cup featuring a hand-drawn pig. The firing followed a swift internal investigation into the January 9 incident.
Deputy Brandon Longoria received the cup while working an exhausting 16-hour shift. He described the gesture as "discouraging and disrespectful" on social media.
The drawing reportedly depicted "John Pork," a popular internet meme of a human-pig hybrid. Starbucks claimed the barista drew it earlier in the day to "uplift partners" behind the bar.
Company officials apologized to the deputy and the Sheriff’s Department for the "unacceptable" delivery of the cup. They maintained the drawing was never intended for a customer.
The incident sparked a formal complaint from Sheriff Robert Luna to Starbucks corporate security. Law enforcement unions expressed "deep disappointment" over the perceived slight.
The controversy occurs as Starbucks faces a wave of unrelated legal and labor pressures. This includes a discrimination lawsuit from the Florida Attorney General regarding diversity hiring.
Incoming NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has also called for a nationwide boycott of the chain. He cited solidarity with union workers currently on strike for fair contracts.
The DOJ and federal labor regulators continue to monitor the company's handling of various worker disputes. Despite the internal "meme" explanation, the company took decisive action to protect its brand.