Starbucks barista praised for nine-word note on coffee cup as man approached girl

The coffee chain staff member went above and beyond to try and help the 18-year-old in need, as pointed out in a viral X post, which showed a picture of the Starbucks cup and the message scrawled across it

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A Starbucks barista has been praised after scribbling a few words on a teen girl's cup to check if she was okay when a stranger approached while she was studying.

The coffee chain employee did what he could to help the 18-year-old, which he shared in a viral X post in January last year. James Herring shared an image of the coffee cup with the message scrawled across it.

Trying to resist creating a scene, he used a hot chocolate cup that someone had forgotten to collect, writing on it: "Are you ok? Do you want us to intervene?" "If you do, take the lid off the cup," the barista added.

X user James posted alongside the photo: "Kudos to the Starbucks' barista who checked in on a teenage girl by writing a discreet message on her cup. The teen was observed being approached by a stranger so the staff member passed her 'hot chocolate someone forgot to pick up'."

Others on X were quick to praise the barista for her efforts to help the teen, with one writing: "Deserves employee of the year award." Another added: "All credit to the staff. What a dreadful state this country is now in".

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Brandy Roberson explained that her daughter, who wishes to remain anonymous, was studying by herself at a Starbucks in Corpus Christi, Texas, on a Saturday night, reports TODAY Food. Once she came home after studying, she told her mum about what had happened.

"She was holding the cup and knew that I would love that someone did that for her," the mum told the outlet in 2022. "It made me feel so grateful that the Starbucks employees were watching out for her.

"As a mom, that is my worst fear that something would happen to my child and nobody would be there to help."

Meanwhile, the Daily Star previously reported that a mum-of-three heralded Pizza Hut with saving her life after she was "held hostage at knifepoint by her boyfriend who was high on crack cocaine".

Petrified Cheryl Treadway said she was being held against her will by boyfriend Ethan Nickerson who also refused to let her use her phone, with Nickerson even said to be sharpening a knife as they argued.

Cheryl said Nickerson finally let her order some food because he wouldn't let her leave, which gave the 26-year-old mum a chance to use her mobile phone to make the Pizza Hut order.

Using Pizza Hut’s online app she ordered a pepperoni pizza and wrote in the delivery instructions: "Please help. Get 911 to me." She wrote further down: "911 hostage help!"