Man Has a Hack to Avoid Getting His Partner’s Starbucks Order Wrong, Sparks Criticism

It’s undeniable that Starbucks is one of the top coffee chains worldwide. However, the Seattle-bred cafe has its quirks, especially regarding how its employees handle in-store or drive-thru orders.

When Starbucks employees (some, not all!) aren’t ruining someone’s name (i.e., writing “Sandra” on the cup when the person’s name is “Sarah”), many people admittedly get overwhelmed by the store’s exhausting list of coffee add-ons.

The add-ons understandably make it easier for those ordering Starbucks for someone other than themselves to slip up on at least one crucial part of the order.

While many of us have fumbled someone else’s Starbucks order, one dedicated man found a solution to avoid being on his partner’s naughty list and shared the hack on TikTok. Keep reading to see the man’s brilliant answer.

They say if you want something done right, you must do it yourself. However, the phrase is a bit problematic, considering that people take it to the extreme and refuse to ask for help. But if you’re in the same predicament as TikToker Cam (@cmrndny) and his partner, you might benefit from a hybrid of ordering your coffee over the phone and having someone get the item for you.

In November 2023, Cam shared a “relationship hack” he and his partner enjoy using at Starbucks. Cam’s partner, who seemingly identifies as a woman, is a Starbucks girlie. She’s also a crafty Starbucks girlie since she’s discovered a way to get her coffee without leaving her home or office.

In the TikTok, Cam has his partner on speakerphone while sitting in a Starbucks drive-thru. As one of the Starbucks drive-thru employees says, “Welcome to Starbucks; how can I help you?” Cam moved his phone closer to the drive-thru speaker. He then proceeds not to say a word and lets his partner do all of the talking over the phone.

“Can I please get a Venti Blonde Vanilla latte with three pumps of vanilla syrup, two packets of stevia in the raw, and two scoops of vanilla bean powder?” Cam’s partner asks the Starbucks employee.

Cam explained in the video’s layered text that his and his partner’s Starbucks order method has done wonders for their relationship, as he wrote, “Relationship Hack: How to get her Starbucks order right every time.”

Cam and his partner’s solution to getting her Starbucks order right resonated with me. I love a drive-thru more than the next girl, but if I could avoid them all together AND be sure my wife didn’t mess up my Starbucks order — I’d choose that method every time!

While I enjoyed Cam’s “relationship hack,” I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention there is a better solution that saves him AND his partner some time.

Rather than taking the energy to call his partner, move the phone to the speaker, and have his woman read off a laundry list of ingredients, the couple likely would’ve benefitted from using Starbucks’s mobile app or another mobile delivery service. In doing so, they would’ve avoided a muffled phone call and Starbucks’s disastrous drive-thru lines.

Cam’s commenters also felt mobile orders were the real “relationship hack” he and his partner could follow.

Underneath his TikTok, he received three comments, one of which came from someone who noted that mobile orders could also “be picked up through the drive-thru,” suggesting Cam try that method next time. However, Cam might prefer his way better, which is perfectly OK!