Starbucks Barista Gets Over $100,000 in Tips Due to Mask Rule

To wear a mask or not to wear a mask? The question we all hear every day during the coronavirus pandemic.  A Starbucks barista in San Diego, Lenin Gutierrez, has received a tip that keeps growing. Right now he has received over $100,000 in donations.

As of May 1, San Diego County has required residents to wear face coverings in most public settings, including picking up food at restaurants. According to MSN.com, Gutierrez was working his shift at Starbucks when he refused to serve a customer because she wasn’t wearing a mask. Amber Lynn Gilles, the customer not wearing a face mask, took a photo of Lenin and posted it on her Facebook page saying, “Meet Lenin from Starbucks who refused to serve me cause I’m not wearing a mask. Next time I will wait for cops and bring a medical exemption.” That post was shared so many times it began to go viral.

Matt Cowan decided to create a GoFundMe for Lenin Gutierrez. Cowan says on the GoFundMe description page, “Raising money for Lenin for his honorable effort standing his ground when faced with a Karen in the wild. All donations to the page are considered personal gifts to Gutierrez.” He also put a screenshot of Gilles Facebook post. Cowan said he has been shocked to see how many people are donating. As he set the fundraising goal at $1,000. He said he thought even $1,000 was a reach.

Everyone is backing Gutierrez and donating because he was just doing the right thing. He was doing what he was supposed to do. This is definitely a situation where the good totally outweighs the bad.

Guitierrez posted a video on his Facebook page thanking all the donors. He says in the video that his dream is to become a dancer and that he’ll use the funds donated to make that dream a reality.