KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 — Starbucks Malaysia has fired a barista after a video went viral showing her muttering “bodoh” (stupid) at a foreign tourist at its KLIA Terminal 2 outlet.
The dismissal comes after the video of the encounter was widely shared on social media, sparking public criticism.
In the clip, a Chinese tourist is seen attempting to order drinks in English with the help of an AI translation tool, when the barista can be heard making the remark under her breath.
In a public statement, the coffee giant expressed deep regret over the barista’s conduct, stating that it does not reflect the company’s core values.
“Following a thorough internal review, the barista was dismissed effective September 21, 2025,” the statement read.
“In addition, we are reinforcing our training programs to ensure all employees understand the importance of cultural sensitivity, respectful communication, and our standards of customer service.”
Starbucks also pledged to take all necessary measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The incident comes during a difficult time for the coffee chain, which has been facing significant boycott movement locally.
For the financial year ending June 2025, the group reported a record net loss of RM292 million, a sharp increase from the previous year’s RM91 million loss.
Revenue also dropped 36.5 per cent year-on-year to RM477 million.
As part of a downsizing effort, the number of Starbucks outlets in Malaysia has been reduced from 408 to 320, resulting in impairment charges on stores and equipment totalling RM152.8 million.
