A Los Angeles County jury has ordered Starbucks to pay $50 million to a customer who suffered severe burns after a botched drive-through handoff caused scalding hot tea to spill onto his lap.
The verdict, delivered on Friday, found the coffee giant liable for negligence in the 2020 incident, which left then-25-year-old Michael Garcia with life-altering injuries, including permanent disfigurement and lasting pain.
A painful mistake
Garcia, a Postmates delivery driver, was picking up three Venti hot teas from a Starbucks on February 8, 2020, when the incident occurred. As a barista passed him a cardboard drink carrier, he testified that he immediately noticed one of the drinks was sitting askew, its lid seemingly unsecured. Moments later, the tray "caved in on itself," causing two of the teas to tip over, spilling scalding liquid onto his lap, the Los Angeles Times reported.
According to court records, Garcia suffered third-degree burns that required multiple surgeries, including two skin grafts. He also reported ongoing pain, sexual dysfunction, and permanent scarring.
During the trial, security footage from the store was presented as evidence, appearing to show the improperly positioned drink before the spill. Jurors sided with Garcia, concluding that Starbucks was responsible for the injuries due to the mishandling of his order.
Starbucks to appeal
In response to the decision, Starbucks announced it would appeal the ruling, arguing that the $50 million judgment was excessive.
“We sympathize with Mr. Garcia, but we disagree with the jury’s decision that we were at fault for this incident,” said Starbucks spokesperson Jaci Anderson in a statement. “We have always been committed to the highest safety standards in our stores, including the handling of hot drinks.”
Before the trial, Starbucks offered Garcia $3 million, then later increased the offer to $30 million to settle the case. However, Garcia declined unless the company issued an apology and revised its policies to require baristas to double-check drink security before handing them to customers. Starbucks refused, leading to the trial.
Echoes of the McDonald’s Coffee Lawsuit
The case has drawn comparisons to the 1994 McDonald’s hot coffee lawsuit, where a jury awarded $3 million to Stella Liebeck, an Albuquerque woman who suffered third-degree burns after spilling McDonald’s coffee on herself. That case led to increased scrutiny of hot beverage safety in the fast-food industry.
Starbucks now faces mounting legal challenges related to hot drink safety.
Another scalding case is pending in Southern California. In 2024, South Los Angeles resident Muriel Evans filed a similar burn injury lawsuit against Starbucks, alleging that a barista mishandled a cup of coffee, spilling it on her lap and causing severe nerve damage and disfigurement.
Her case, set to go to trial in February 2026, could further impact Starbucks’ liability in such incidents.