Starbucks customers "disgusted" after barista refuses to let homeless man eat at their tables

10 October 2019, 17:07

A video has emerged of a homeless man being asked to leave a Starbucks store after a Good Samaritan bought him an £8.45 meal.

Starbucks customers have expressed their outrage after a video emerged on social media showing a barista and a security guard telling a homeless man he cannot eat lunch at their tables.

Good Samaritan Sajid Kahlon had purchased the meal at a Starbucks in Southend-on-Sea after saw the the man looking "hungry" and "searching for food."

However, footage shows Starbucks employees telling the homeless man he could not eat the sandwich and chocolate cake in the seating area outside the coffee shop.

In the footage, Mr Kahlon can be heard confronting staff, who tell him the homeless man needs to leave due to "a policy of the company."

Mr Kahlon tells the barista "I paid for that, if the food is being bought and he is eating that food."

He continues: "I spent like £8, and he is eating the food. Why can't he have a seat, is he not human?"

"Let him eat the food and he can leave, whats the problem?", Mr Kahlon asks in the clip.

Mr Kahlon said he had bought that meal for the man because he looked "hungry and weak."

He said: 'It was painful to see that someone had to search for food like that. I asked him if he was hungry and if he would like me to buy him some food? He replied yes in a very weak voice.

"But as he was sitting there eating his paid-for lunch, one of the staff members went over to him with a security officer and told him to leave."

He stated: "I understand the point of view of Starbucks, but I still feel this type of situation needed to be dealt with more respect and empathy. We are all human and we all get hungry."

Furious customers have taken to social media to show their "disgust" at the actions of Starbucks.

Others have called for a boycott of the coffee chain.

One customer wrote on Twitter: "Shameful behaviour from Starbucks UK staff".

Another said: "Absolutely disgraceful turfing out a homeless person front our store in Southend."

One of Starbucks' company values pledges to "treat customers with respect and dignity."

A Starbucks spokesman said: "The interaction on video is not indicative of the environment we strive to create.

"We are looking into the circumstances surrounding this customer’s experience and will take appropriate action to ensure that our stores remain welcoming places for everyone.

"We want every customer to have a positive experience, and we apologise that we did not meet that expectation in this instance."