Although Christmas is a worldwide holiday and is often seen as the one day a year that everyone can spend with their loved ones, there are many businesses and occupations that don’t stop for the holidays.
Among those still at work on Saturday were certain service industry employees – but one woman on Reddit has said she was slammed by her friend for bothering the baristas at a local Starbucks with a Christmas Day order.
The woman, from the US, said her coffee machine had broken down and her family was “disappointed” that they couldn’t have a fancy coffee on Christmas morning.
Instead, the woman decided to drive to her local Starbucks and place a $30 (£22) order – as well as leaving a $100 (£75) tip in honour of the festive season.
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She wrote: “On Christmas morning, our coffee machine was down. It wasn’t working because we needed to change the filter, so every cup of coffee we tried to make was gross.
“Obviously, the family was completely disappointed. I offered to go get everyone a Starbucks since I knew it was open, which isn’t normal for me because usually on Christmas Day I stay in the house all day. My partner’s mum was so happy and thanked me, and so was his grandma.
“I ordered about $30 worth of Starbucks, explained to them I was sorry to be one of those people to come on Christmas Day and tipped $100.”
But a few days later, the woman was talking about the special Starbucks trip with her friend – who called her “entitled” for expecting the baristas to cater to her needs during a special holiday.
She added: “My friend found out today and started lecturing me about what an entitled a**hole I was and how me and my partner’s family could have gone one day without coffee.
“She said we ruined the employee’s Christmas by going there and said we are disgusting for using people on a holiday.
“She has now decided I’m a bad person and doesn’t want anything to do with us.”
Commenters on the Reddit post were left confused by the friend’s outburst, with one person pointing out that the woman didn’t ask Starbucks to open just for her.
They wrote: “They didn't open and call people into work just for you? Not everyone celebrates Christmas, and the world doesn't stop for one holiday. Plus, as someone who's worked in a cafe, $100 tip would literally make me cry.”
And the woman responded: “That’s what I thought! I had gotten a reasonable Christmas bonus and thought $100 would be a good try as an apology because normally I would not be there.
“I don’t know who celebrates what but in my mind it was Christmas and I was just grateful I could get my family coffee.”
While other commenters reassured the woman that her generous tip “probably made their Christmas”.
One person said: “They were open and working whether you went there or not, plus you tipped them very generously.”
As another added: “You are an awesome person, and all you did was visit a store while it was open. That $100 tip probably made their Christmas.”
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
