A delivery driver has been awarded $50M in damages after a Starbucks drink left him seriously burned after spilling on his lap.
Back in February 2020, Postmates driver Michael Garcia picked up three venti-sized hot teas through the drive-thru to deliver the order to a customer.
After taking possession of the order, one of the hot drinks fell out of the drink carrier and spilled onto his lap, causing third-degree burns, nerve damage, and other injuries to his lap.
Garcia filed a lawsuit against the company soon after the incident, alleging that the barista failed to properly secure the drink inside of the carrier. Now, over five years later, Garcia has been awarded $50M from the company.
Customer wins lawsuit against Starbucks
According to CBS News, the lawsuit decision came on March 14, 2025, after jurors deliberated for just 40 minutes.
The publication says that Starbucks initially offered Garcia $3M before the lawsuit went to trial, and later upped that offer to $30,000,000. Garcia agreed to the latter amount, but under the condition that they apologize, change their policies, and issue a memo to stores telling them to double-check their hot drinks before handing them to customers.
Starbucks allegedly declined those terms, which led to the lawsuit going to trial and Garcia receiving his $50M settlement.
“Michael Garcia’s life has been forever changed,” said Garcia’s attorney Nicholas Rowley. “No amount of money can undo the permanent catastrophic harm he has suffered, but this jury verdict is a critical step in holding Starbucks accountable for flagrant disregard for customer safety and failure to accept responsibility.”
Starbucks issued a statement as well saying they disagree with the jury’s decision and plan to appeal the massive settlement.
“We plan to appeal. We have always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores, including the handling of hot drinks,” they said.
Starbucks isn’t the only restaurant to face a lawsuit from a customer in recent years. Back in 2024, Dunkin Donuts faced a class action lawsuit after the company allegedly began charging extra for people to switch from cow’s milk to a lactose-free alternative.
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