Starbucks Barista Fired Over "Unacceptable" Coffee Art, Corporate Claims It Was Just A Meme

A quick coffee run in Los Angeles turned ugly after a Starbucks barista made an unacceptable drawing on the coffee cup. While coffee connoisseurs often appreciate the creative touches barista add to make their drink more unique and personalized. But in this instance, such was not the case. As per reports from the local media, the incident took place on January 9, 2026. A deputy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff decided to take a coffee break from his “16-hour shift.” But it soon turned disrespectful when the employee of a Norwalk Starbucks served him a cup of coffee with an image of a hand-drawn pig on it.

It’s a meme https://t.co/0Qf2zYTurV

— friedflamingo (@honestlygfy) January 13, 2026

The report mentioned that he had shared a post on his Instagram, claiming the act felt “discouraging and disrespectful, especially after a long day of serving the community.” He emphasized that he wanted some caffeine to continue his shift but was left feeling “uneasy.”

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Facebook page posted a public statement calling out the insulting incident. The department claimed that the image of a pig is “commonly used to demean law enforcement.” It criticized the act, calling it “extremely offensive, inappropriate, and unacceptable.” The department said it had reported the incident to the store’s manager, who assured officials that it would be investigated.

I'm not on the "cops are pigs" crowd but if you get mad at a john pork meme beautifully drawn im a cup in like 50 seconds you should not he on the force dawg

— GCos2k2 (@GCos2k2) January 13, 2026

The spokesperson of Starbucks gave a statement (via CBS LA) where they confirmed that the employee who gave the cup with the pig drawing has been terminated and has approached the deputy and the sheriff’s department to apologize. They said,

“We have a deep appreciation and respect for law enforcement, who are dedicated to keeping our communities safe.”

The spokesperson continued that the drawing was not meant to derogate the law official, and it referred to John Pork, “a popular meme” on TikTok. They once again apologized for how the pig drawing should have never gone to a cop or “any customer.” The spokesperson said,

"The drawing, a popular meme with no connection to law enforcement, was never intended to be delivered to any customer — and it should not have been."

The renowned press site also reported that the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, a police union for LASD deputies, shared a collective statement from their President Richard Pippin. It read,

"We hope this was an isolated incident and not reflective of the community values upon which Starbucks was founded, and that it is addressed appropriately and with a sincere apology to the community."

The John Pork meme has taken over social media, featuring a cartoon pig often used in satirical posts. The meme became so infectiously popular that it was featured in an episode of Jeopardy! and the host, Ken Jennings, was clueless about it.