Starbucks customers have pledged to buy $40,000 in gift cards if the coffee giant ditches Donald Trump
machu./FlickrMany Starbucks customers aren't pleased the coffee giant has a location inside Trump Tower. So, they're taking action.
More than 1,000 people have pledged to buy roughly $40,000 in Starbucks gift cards if Starbucks terminates its lease in Trump Tower in New York City, as of Friday at 2:15 p.m.
"The money Starbucks gives Trump every month is used to fund the bigotry and racism that he broadcasts across the country," reads the pledge. "Macy's, NBC-Universal, ESPN, Apple, and NASCAR have all cut ties with Trump, but Starbucks continues to hold out, forcing us to unwillingly fund Donald Trump's hate with every latte bought."
The movement was started by Ivan Pardo, the CEO of Buyout, an app that flags products that go against users' values, reports BuzzFeed. The pledge is hosted by Payola, a new project by Pardo intended to put direct financial consequences behind people's opposition to Starbucks' involvement with Trump.
Associated Press/Mark Lennihan
"Just signing petitions hasn't been enough to persuade Starbucks, so we've developed a new tactic to get their attention," reads the Payola pledge. "Make a pledge to buy a Starbucks gift card if Starbucks terminates their lease at Trump Towers, and we'll leverage our collective buying power to negotiate with Starbucks."
The pledge is aiming for $50,000 pledged towards gift cards. If Starbucks is convinced to terminate its lease in the Trump Towers, people who pledge money will be charged, in a similar set up to Kickstarter. If the Starbucks location stays open, they will not be charged.
This isn't the first time Trump has clashed with quick-service chains. In June, Cook Out, a regional fast-food chain, fired an employee who was unwilling to serve Trump supporters.