Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Starbucks Barista Risks Job Over "Skinny" Newspeak
By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 4, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Jan 4, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The non-official Starbucks Gossip Blog posted a letter Wednesday that one disgruntled New York employee fired off to the company’s top brass. The barista wrote not to protest Starbucks’s aggressive ubiquity, their resistance to fair trade coffee, or their union busting tactics. No sir, she’s up in arms about the new company policy instructing employees to refer to drinks made with sugar-free syrup, non-fat milk, and no whipped cream as “Skinny.”
The unidentified author acknowledges that her objections place her at “risk of being reprimanded for insubordination” but she has decided that her conscience will not allow her to follow this “new method for ‘calling and marking’”. It’s a long, strident letter, so we’ve culled the most impassioned pull-quotes:
Imagine going to work for several hours at a time, and hearing the term "skinny" being called out countless times. It will undoubtedly have a negative affect on a person's self-esteem that may already be low from living in a society that is generally not accepting of people who do not fit the mold of a "beautiful" person.
It creates an environment that people will not want to be in. It will exacerbate self-image issues that partners of ANY size may have. Why would ANYONE want to go into a store where they will hear potentially hurtful terms called out repeatedly with no regard as to how they may affect people?
What’s more, the well-caffeinated Cassandra thinks the company is making a catastrophic mistake!
Whether the corporation cares to recognize the fact or not, Starbucks is a target by society and there are a lot of people who would love to bring it down. This is just giving them the means to do so.
Hmm… Does Reverend Billy know about the new call and mark method yet? Maybe a flash-mob of activists loudly demanding “Skinny” drinks is just what his anti-Starbucks crusade needs. And here’s where her letter makes Starbucks sound like some creepy coffee cult:
On a deeper level, this in essence goes against every one of our six guiding principles in one way or another.
Indeed, sister, Starbucks’s noble Six Guiding Principles serve as a guiding light to all Starbucks employees – er, “partners”. At least until Starbucks enters the sinister Phase Two of their long-range plan.
But what about other hurtful phrases? Like non-fat milk? And heavy cream? When will the insensitivity end?
Photo by Holster.
Tagged
employee gossip
fair trade
gossip
new york
reverend billy
starbucks
Starbucks skinny
Wednesday
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .