Starbucks Says Custom Drinks Will Remain Despite Annoyance to Workers | Eater
"A major coffeehouse chain became the center of a viral debate after a now‑deleted tweet (and accompanying TikTok) from a self‑identified barista showed a venti Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino loaded with 13 additions — including extra ice, five “banana” modifiers, and seven pumps of dark caramel sauce — that customers have nicknamed the “Edward.” The post encouraged more people to order the elaborate, off‑menu combination and sparked discussion about whether app‑based ordering removes face‑to‑face awkwardness and thus encourages extreme customizations. Many baristas say such highly specific, time‑consuming requests increase stress, slow service, and inconvenience other customers, while the company defended customization as central to the customer experience in a statement to Fox News, calling most modifications reasonable. The episode highlights broader questions about service‑work limits, customer etiquette, and how far personalization should go." - Jaya Saxena
