A STARBUCKS customer was left red-faced after staff misread his surname and announced that a drink for “Hitler” was ready.
Alastair Hilton had stopped at the chain’s branch at Liverpool Street Station in London for a morning coffee yesterday.
He gave his surname for the order, which was initially misspelled on the cup, reading “Hilter” – which was, in turn, misread again in the worst possible fashion once his drink was ready.
The photographer was then met with the barista rather embarrassingly calling out the Nazi dictator’s name to the busy coffee shop.
Alastair admitted he wouldn’t usually frequent Starbucks but was left with little option in a train station full of coffee chains.
The printed label on his white cup details his drink as an Americano to sit in, with the almost controversial misprint in capital letters above.
Alastair shared the snap to social media yesterday with the caption: “My name’s Hilton.
“I spelt it out. ‘Hilter’ isn’t the furthest from Hilton they’ve ever got, but it did make this morning more interesting when my coffee was ready and in a packed coffee shop, she just shouted out my name…
“‘Hitler’.”
It has since received over 3,600 likes and more than 320 comments from social media users left howling at the coffee chain’s gaffe.
One asked: “Why did you not just say Alastair?”
Alastair replied: “What hope do you think there was of them getting that right?”
A second commented: “I go by ‘Dave’ in a coffee shop. It’s easier.”
Another wrote: “I hope you didn’t raise your arm to indicate your presence.”
A fourth joked: “Come on, be honest, you shouted your order at him in German whilst gesticulating wildly, didn’t you?”
Another said: “Your first initial wouldn’t have helped in this situation either.”
Another, who has the same surname, added: “I haven’t experienced the Hilton to Hitler progression, but do you also get the grins, comments and questions about your relatedness to Paris when you check into a certain hotel chain?”
Alastair responded: “I do. I tell them she’s my cousin. We rarely talk though.”
Starbucks itself reached out with: “Oh no. That’s not good. Can you direct message us so we can follow up?”
Starbucks has been contacted for comment.
