Starbucks is everyone’s favorite hangout because of its delicious drinks, cozy ambiance, and friendly staff. It’s the perfect place to unwind and relax with friends, and not find a foreign object in one’s drink. But that’s what happened when “Jessa” found a rat in her drink.
Following a viral post that went around social media, the Health and Sanitation Office of Mandaluyong City inspected the Starbucks branch in Addition Hills and found no discrepancies.
A cellphone video was shown to the media showing a barista preparing the drink “Jessa” ordered. Based on this video, health officials said it is impossible for a rat or any kind of insect to be included in the drink.
They also inspected the branch’s kitchen and storage room, and found no irregularities.
According to Dr. Pecos Camarines, a health official:
Base doon sa nakita namin, sa inspeksiyon namin, ‘yung Starbucks, as of now, as of this time of inspection, is malinis, maayos na nagawa ang lahat ng mga requirements. Ang responsibility lang namin diyan is to check ‘yung nirereklamong area, ‘yung lugar, which we already did.
[Based on what we saw, at the time of inspection, the Starbucks branch is clean and has met all the requirements. Our only responsibility is to check the area, which we did.]
According to “Jessa,” she didn’t finish her drink and decided to bring it home. At home, she noticed something hard in her drink. According to her, “Pagka-stir ko, ‘dun ko nakita ‘yung daga. Then when I saw that, ‘Oh my gosh,’ as in hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko pero buti na lang hindi ko siya nabitawan bigla. Nanginginig na ako nun that time. Nagsusuka na ako.” [When I stirred the drink, I saw the rat. Then when I saw that, ‘Oh my gosh,’ I didn’t know what to do. It was a good thing that I didn’t drop th drink. I was shaking and I wanted to vomit.]
She then went back to the store to complain, but the manager said the rat didn’t come from them.
“Jessa” then went to a doctor to have herself checked, and tests showed that she has symptoms of of acute gastroenteritis and leptospirosis, a disease contracted from rats. She is under observation for five days.
Starbucks released a statement, saying:
At Starbucks, we want every customer who visits our stores to have a positive experience. The safety of our customers is of the utmost importance, and we take our obligation to provide safe products seriously.
We are taking our customer’s concerns seriously and are actively investigating her claim.
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