For many people, a daily coffee run isn’t just a habit; it’s a ritual. It’s a reliable pick-me-up to start or survive the day. But for one woman, that routine was ruined when she made a disturbing discovery in her Starbucks drink.
On March 23, 2026, TikToker Janna (@jannawaugh) found mold in her usual coffee order from Starbucks, which is a Venti iced vanilla latte with blonde espresso, sugar-free vanilla syrup, oat milk, and cold foam.
She was sipping her coffee when she suddenly felt something hairy on her tongue. It also tasted horrible, and she thought it was a caterpillar at first. But it turned out she had ingested black mold.
She opened up the cup and noticed a visible substance clinging to the lid. There were even bits and pieces gathered at the bottom of the cup.
To test what she was seeing, she poured some of the drink into her sink, and the sink strainer caught the small chunks. She tried running water over them, but they did not dissolve.
The situation escalated beyond just disgust. Janna felt physically ill and ended up having to seek medical attention at urgent care, where she reported symptoms including elevated blood pressure, hives, and nausea.
She was prescribed Benadryl and an antihistamine allergy medication for the next seven days.
While the physical reaction was concerning, the experience affected Janna in another way, too. She was upset and disappointed that Starbucks had dropped the ball so severely.
The incident marked the end of her long-standing loyalty to the brand.
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“Even though that was not super fun, my heart is hurt the most,” Janna declared. “But I will say, today was my last day going to Starbucks.”
In the comments section, many people agreed that this never should have happened to Janna, especially since Starbucks has very strict cleaning protocols. They advised her to contact Starbucks corporate and the health department.
“Starbucks is extremely clean. I used to work there for a while, and cleanliness is literally one of the biggest things they preach. That location needs a check,” commented one user.
“As a Starbucks barista, this is so disgusting. At my location, we clean the ice bins daily. I’m so sorry this happened to you! I would definitely contact corporate,” stated another.
“As someone who was a supervisor at Starbucks, they’re probably not cleaning the ice bins, which is so nasty. When I worked there, we cleaned them every night. I’ve never known a location in my area not to clean them every night. So nasty,” added a third.
“Starbucks made me have cystic acne. The moment I stopped, my acne went away. It’s so bad for us. And you should sue,” chimed in someone else.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
