Barista Smashes Customer’s Car Windshield After He Throws Coffee Over Price Dispute

A regular day at a cafe took a dramatic turn recently when a customer threw his drink at a barista in Seattle, USA. The act of the customer didn’t go down well with Emma Lee, a worker at A Taste of Heaven Espresso, who was later captured on CCTV smashing the customer’s car windshield with a hammer. The incident happened after the man, a regular customer, ordered a cup of coffee, along with a glass of water and the total bill was $22 (approximately Rs 1,835). Recounting the incident, the barista claimed that he insisted on paying less, claiming that he was unaware of the prices and accused the cafe of trying to scam him. A heated argument turned ugly, as the man threw all his beverage at the pick-up counter of the drive-through.

The footage captures the intense argument between the two, where Emma took more drastic action, as she damaged the windshield of his vehicle. According to Fox News, the situation escalated when the man said, “Nobody is gonna miss you,” while the barista responded by asking, “Do you want me to throw this on you?” He replied, “Give it to me.” After receiving his order, instead of leaving, he expressed his anger by opening the lid of the water and coffee and throwing everything at her. He then returned to his car, while Emma used a hammer to break his windshield before he exited the parking lot.

Reacting to the video, a user wrote, “He physically assaulted her. She just property assaults him.”

Another shared, “I’m on her side.”

“I’m sorta shocked that he drove away at the end,” a comment read.

An individual shared, “He deserved it.”

“He got what he deserved,” a user quipped.

Reportedly, Emma Lee explained that the customer ordered a 32-ounce coffee and a 24-ounce water, for which she usually charges him $20 (approximately Rs 1,668). However, this time, she asked for $22 (approximately Rs 1,835), but the customer was not willing to pay more.

The barista shared said, “Why should this kind of interaction be expected because of the environment? It’s disgusting. It’s okay for him to be outraged, but it’s not appropriate for me to respond?”

The barista has filed a complaint against the charges and the customer has been banned from the cafe.