‘Are you okay’? Starbucks barista comes to teenager’s aid by scrawling message on coffee cup

Mother says more businesses should train staff on how to intervene to help threatened customers

“Are you okay?” A Starbucks barista offered too help a teenage customer after they were approached by an aggressive male (Facebook)

A quick-thinking Starbucks barista is being praised for offering to come to the aid of a teenage customer who was approached by a man at a Texas store.

Brandy Roberson said her daughter was studying alone at night at a Starbucks cafe in Corpus Christi last week when an “animated man” began talking to her.

A barista handed her a cup explaining it was “an extra hot chocolate someone forgot to pick up” with a scrawled note offering to help if she felt in danger.

The note read: “Are you okay? Do you want us to intervene? If you do, take the lid off the cup.”

Ms Roberson said her daughter did not feel in danger, but was grateful for the staff’s concern.

“I guess he was very loud and animated, you know. She wasn’t intimidated by it,” Ms Roberson told News4 San Antonio.

“She looked up, and all of the employees were all just staring at her, just ready to help. She was so touched by that,” Ms Roberson said.

The man left her alone after he realised she was in communication with staff, Ms Roberson said.

She said she would like to see more businesses train staff on how to safely intervene when customers might be in danger.

Ms Roberson’s Facebook post has received 89,000 reactions and 75,000 shares since it was posted on 18 February.