Starbucks Appreciation Day is going great guns. We’re getting reports from around the country that gun rights supporters are supporting Starbucks’ support for Americans’ Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. Once again, we thank the coffee seller for standing firm on principle and respecting local, state and federal gun laws. (Starbucks allows gun owners to carry in their stores where it is otherwise legal to do so.) We remind the Seattle suits to check with their local branches to see how many $2 bills appeared in the tills and tip jars. There’s a growing movement to use $2 bills more widely to promote 2A. More on that later. For now, tell us how it went at your local Starbucks.

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78 COMMENTS

  1. Just picked up my 2A dollar bills this morning. Heading to starbucks tonight after dinner with the wife.

  2. Bought coffee and hot chocolate for myself and cooworkers; spent $12 at my local Starbucks. Paid in $2 bills and left a 2 in the tip jar.

  3. I bought lunch today at Starbucks using $2 bills – a grande Blonde Roast and a Turkey & Swiss sandwich. Plus $4 in the tip jar. Had a hard time finding $2 bills, though – the two banks I went to had a grand total of $16 worth.

  4. I forked over three $2 bills to pay for a grande decaf mocha this morning. The girl at my register looked at the girl next to her and said, “More two dollar bills! What’s going on today? I never get these.” I told her and dropped another TJ in each tip jar.

    I’d call it a success. Around here, anyway.

    • I was a lone crusader lol. Mine was the only $2 in the tip jar. The closest one to my ‘home to work’ commute is a small branch inside a Macy’s so I wouldn’t imagine it gets a lot of traffic from folks like us…

  5. My buddy and I went in and spent $16 in two dollar bills. We tipped a total of $8 and paid with a total of $8. Bedford, Indiana store is covered :). The barista said people have been coming in all week and promoting it. She said not one person has made any opposition.

    • What do you know, people going about their business and nothing out of the ordinary happened! It’s almost like the guns are just inanimate objects or something.

  9. My bank (Chase) doesn’t stock $2 bills. They only have them if a customer brings them in, which no one has as of this morning.

    So I had to go to Starbucks with $1 coins. The barista at this Beaverton store wasn’t aware of any boycott or countervailing support. Will try again later today.

      • After lunch I took my wife to another Starbucks. This one gets a lot more traffic than the last one – and is right next to a bank. I hit the bank and they had almost $200 in $2 bills, so I stocked up.

        When I paid for my grande latte and coffee cake with my $2 bills, the barista said, “wow, there are some more of those $2 bills!” I asked her if she knew why she was seeing them this week and she didn’t. I brought her up to speed.

        Success!

  10. Went yesterday in the morning and plan another visit this afternoon here in NorCal (probably won’t even be noticed :-))!

  11. Two grandes, I had a hot chocolate and ordered some kinda white chocolate mocha for my granny. I’m not a coffee drinker and have only been in a Starbucks once before so I didn’t know the terms. I told the cashier that I was paying with $2 bills, she said “neat” when she saw them. I told her it was in appreciation for SB allowing patrons to carry concealed weapons where it is otherwise legal and I was using $2 bills to show my support for the 2nd Amendment. She said “neat”. She seemed a bit confused as where to put the bills in the register and called the manager. He looked at the Jeffersons, then at me and put them under the till and left. I asked if she had had any other $2 bills today. She said no. I told here it was Starbucks Appreciation Day, and left a $2 tip. Hopefully since this morning others have been paying with the $2’s and commenting on support for SB’s following the law gun policy.

        • “So did I!”

          CarlosT,

          We’re spending too much time hanging out with each other on the Internet. Soon, you’ll be transforming into a hardcore committed MRA (men’s rights activist) too.

          • Yeah, don’t see that happening. But hey, if Starbucks wanted to make the whole “guns and coffee” thing literal, and become an FFL, I’m all for it.

            “I’ll take a quad tall soy 120 degree latte, the XDm 45 Compact, and a case of ammo, please.”

  12. Paid 8 bucks in 2 dollar bills for me and a guest here in PA. The cashier took them in stride, so I suppose that might mean others had come in earlier. I didn’t see any Jefffersons in the tip jar, so I gladly added one. I know others around here had organized a meet and greet at a few Starbucks, so the spirit is strong here.

  14. Made 2 runs so far today. First was my men’s group; 3 guys OCing (we’re in AZ), put a $2 in the till and another in the tip jar. Barista had already seen a couple. We had a good time for an hour sitting there.

    Second was a different location with my wife around 11AM. I was the first to bring in a $2 bill, put one in the till and another in the tip jar. 2 guys there OCing but they forgot their bills. 🙂 Introduced myself to them too and to the manager.

    At both locations I explained what I was doing and why the $2 bill was used. They were all appreciative.

    Wore my G17 with a spare mag weak side today.

  15. Couldnt get my hands on any $2 bills unfortunately, but bought my whole shop coffee on my way into work this morning

  16. I’m not a normal Starbucks customer (due to my dislike of coffee), but I’ve been twice today for hot chocolate.
    Morning: I paid with $2 bills and the cashier remarked that she had already seen more $2 bills that morning than the rest of her life combined
    Afternoon: I again paid with $2 bills (so did my boss after I gave him some) and noticed the stack of them under the cash drawer when they put mine away

    Now I’ve had too much hot chocolate and am a little jittery…

  17. Couldn’t get any $2 bills. I’m still holding to my promise of buying three drinks today: one for me, one to thank Starbucks, and one on Mikeb’s behalf (since he said he wouldn’t buy from them today).

    • You could probably skip buying one on MikeB’s behalf. Like usual, he is not really sacrificing anything himself. He has already explained that he is not a normal Starbuck’s customer. Therefore, a boycott of them by him is quite an empty gesture.

      • Well, I’m not a normal Starbucks customer either, but I did explicitly say to him, “for that cup you don’t drink, I’m gonna drink 3.” The way I grew up, unless you have a damn good reason not to, you stick to your word.

        Besides, I didn’t get much sleep last night.

  18. 2 TJs + 1 in the tip jar at a drive thru place near my work first thing this morning. 5 more +1 meeting my wife at a different place mid day. Taking the whole family to a 3rd place after work.

  19. Just got back from local SB (San Diego County) paid for small coffee or what ever they call them with $2 and left $2 tip.
    No other $2 in tip jar, explained to clerk about supporting SB for supporting local gun rights (not that we have many in CA), he thanked me for the info.
    Pike medium roast, tasty.

  20. Not so good, here. I’m on Kaua’i. In the state with the lowest gun ownership in the country and where concealed carry is legally “may issue” but is really “no way in hell, we’ll issue”. So I went in and paid with a pair of $2’s. Response…. “Oh wow”. She had never seen a $2 before in here life, much less seen any today at Starbucks… ah, well….

    • Just got back from supporting my local Starbucks. As soon as I walked up to the counter (open carrying) the lady behind the counter asked her coworker, “Have you seen one of those people with the guns on their hips today? I was wanting to see one.” The guy looked at her and said, “There’s one standing right in front of you.” I just laughed and explained why we were using $2 bills when she asked. Overall it was a good trip that allowed me to show that not all people with guns are bad.

  22. The clerk at Starbucks asked why I paid for coffee with $2 bills, and I told him. He said he hadn’t seen any other $2 bills though.

  24. Went out at 6:15 this morning and got two Hot Chocolates, bringing one home to my wife. We’re not coffee-drinkers. The place was empty except for 3 guys at a table having a Bible study. I told the barista (?spelling) that I was paying with $2 bills today. She just smiled. Gave her 3 of them and left the fourth in the tip jar, arranged so the back could be seen by anyone coming up to the counter. No one was harmed during the transaction – just like every other day of the year. 🙂

  25. I’m in NYC, specifically lower Manhattan, so no time to stop and chat with the baristas because of the huge line in a tiny space, but I did hand over $6 in two dollar bills for a small tea (most of that went in the tip jar), since I’m not a coffee drinker. Not a huge fan of the tea they serve either, actually. It also took me 5 banks to get the bills. Large Chase branches seem to be the best bet.

    The girl at the counter remarked she hadn’t seen $2 bills before, so I’m guessing not too many folks here in the godless North are participating. I knew there’d be an issue with holding up the line, so instead of proselytizing, I came prepared with greeting cards in tow. One for her in appreciation of working at Starbucks and one for corporate spelling out the whole thanks for respecting the Second Amendment spiel. 🙂 Getting a card made her smile, but I couldn’t stick around to watch her open either of them, as it was really crowded, nowhere to stand. This was all totally random, as I tend not to go to coffee shops more than a couple of times a year.

  26. I went to one Starbucks, spent $4 in two dollar bills, they had not noticed anthing unusual. My Son in Law went to another (a couple of hours later), he said they asked him why they were getting so many $2 bills, and he told them.

  27. There’s a couple of baristas around Van city wondering why a random customer payed and tipped in toonies.

  28. Did my part here in South Florida. The barista said that she had heard many variations of reasons why she was getting $2 bills. I made sure that she had the full scoop.

  29. Dropped a couple of $2 bills for a Tall coffee today…and I’m not a coffee drinker at all. The barista took the $2 bills but she seemed to tense up, and her body language made it clear that she had no interest in talking about it. Oh well. I’m glad to have participated.

    I hope that we’ll get some sort of acknowledgement from Starbucks re: the amount of $2 bills that are spent today…but I won’t hold my breath.

  30. Starbucks in Colorado.

    Employees mentioned they had seen a lot of $2 this week. Nobody seemed to take notice of the FN on my hip.

  31. Big time fail for a SB n00b, bought a frapuccino (ice drink) when it was sleeting outside… looked like a tool all the way back to the car.

  32. The barista acknowledged that I paid using 2 Jeffersons and gave me a look of mutual understanding. And then he gave me a coffee. The blonde roast was fantastic.

  34. Just picked up my Hot Chocolate at my local Starbucks. Cashier showed no suprise, but she did have a place for them on the far side of the register drawer (one of the spaces normally used for big bills) and it looked to be full of Jefferson’s. 🙂

  35. Just went back to the same Starbucks that I visited earlier, this time with my daughter. We each spent a $2 bill and I asked about them. The barrista said, funny, tthere are quite a few $2 bills today. Someone just paid with one before you!

    I explained what it was about, and they were mildly appreciative.

    I wonder if Starbucks is making a couple of extra million from this effort.

  36. Went to starbucks today! I also emailed the company last night to tell them thank you for supporting each states laws and their patrons right to carry. I actually got a response from them

    Dear Derek,

    Thank you for contacting Starbucks.

    Thank you for your feedback regarding Starbucks’ policy on open carry laws.

    At Starbucks, we deeply respect the views of our customers and recognize that there is significant and genuine passion surrounding the issue of open carry weapons laws. We comply with local laws and statutes in the communities we serve. Our long-standing approach to this issue remains unchanged and we abide by the laws that permit open carry in 43 U.S. states. Where these laws don’t exist, openly carrying weapons in our stores is prohibited.

    As the public debate around this issue continues, we encourage customers and advocacy groups from both sides to share their input with their public officials. We are extremely sensitive to the issue of gun violence in our society and believe that supporting local laws is the right way for us to ensure a safe environment for both partners and customers.

    Sincerely,

    Matthew

    customer service

    Starbucks

  39. Well, I just got a mocha latte and it was as terrible as I thought it was going to be, worse actually. I will never understand people who drink coffee. I guess I was born with some whacky taste buds or something cause that stuff is terrible. Throw all the milk and sugar on it you want, it still tastes like burnt water.

    The oatmeal cookie, however, was excellent. I didn’t notice any 2 dollar bills in the tip thing, and I didn’t ask the cashier(call yourself a “barista” all you like, all you do is burn water) if she had seen any Jefferson’s.

    • I love coffee. Oh, man, do I love coffee.

      A while back, my drink from Starbucks was six shots of espresso in a short cup. I’d put a little half and half in that, plus a couple packets of sweetener. I’m getting the warm fuzzies just thinking about it.

      And yeah, the oatmeal cookies at Starbucks are pretty good.

  40. Went twice today. Never go to Starbucks as I am not a coffee drinker. Took the wife and kids – had each of us choose their own dessert and pay separately (so there were 5 separate transactions) each with 3 Jeffs in payment. Buycotts are a beautiful thing.

  41. Went to two Starbucks in Longview, TX today. Paid with regular cash & tipped with a $2 (40% tip), explained why to each cashier. The second store cashier around 3:45pm did not recall seeing other $2 bills, but was happy to get one as a tip.

    This is Texas, though. No open carry, and concealed carry is so ubiquitous that it doesn’t really bear mentioning.

  43. I bought two coffees at our neighborhood Starbucks. Paid with two dollar bills. The guy noted the odd denominations and I explained, put one in the drawer and gave the other to the tip jar.

  44. I bought a medium (grande) frapichino at the starbucks in cherrygrove (513) Paid with 2 $2 bills, the lady at the registar said she was going to buy them out of the drawer for her kids so I am assuming I was the first to go through.

  45. Got a message from one of the scientists that I do work for this morning. He and a few colleagues went to the SB near work and dropped a few bucks each.

    I went to the SB on Memorial Drive, next to the Trader Joe’s and got a bottled water, a Blueberry/Struessel Muffin and a banana to start my day. The Barista at the till was positively giddy at the $2’s. Left a $2 tip. I told her she might see a few more today. She seemed happy in a sort of I don’t exactly get what’s going on but I like it sort of way.

    Later, I took the guys in my class to the same SB. The same barista said a couple of other customers paid/tipped with $2’s. The is the People’s Republic of Cambridge we’re talking about here. Pretty neat.

    A dear friend of our family who’s pretty liberal picked up my daughter and her two daughters after school today and took them to SB for cocoa and pastries. She was totally cool with the concept. My daughter treated and paid in $2’s. All is right in the world tonight.

    I’ve got a few Jefferson’s left over and I’ll be stopping by the Mem. Dr. SB for a recap. I hope the same barista is working the morning shift tomorrow so that I can get a better picture of the activity at that location. I’ll report back on that.

    I’d love to know how many $2’s changed hands today.

    Keep up the good work all and keep paying for small transactions with $2’s.

  46. Got off the train a stop early this morning to show my support. Guy behind the counter knew why he got a wad of deucess, but I must have been first since that was the moment they all learned that Jefferson is on the $2. Some @hole behind me traded out my tip for singles. Hopefully he showed his friends at work which struck up a dialogue.

    There were three more Starbucks between me and work, but alas, the twofairy was out of twos and out of time.

  47. I don’t like coffee, so I bought an IZZE. The cashier remarked that “today is really the day for two-dollar bills”—she said she had received about fifteen of them (this is in the suburbs of Cincinnati—not an anti-gun neighborhood, but most people here have never had any contact with firearms, so I was quite pleased). I explained to her the significance, and she said she wasn’t even aware there was supposed to be a boycott today. That’s VERY good news. Then she said that she actually had a CHL, but that she wasn’t allowed to carry at work per company policy. Bad news, but not surprising—I work at a carryout restaurant and weapons are not banned in the store but are prohibited in the employee handbook. My wife and I left four two-dollar bills in the tip jar so each cashier could take one home.

  48. I’ll stick with Dunkin Donuts because I’d don’t like Starbucks coffee, but I hope things go well for them.

  49. stopped off after work with my TJ’s asked the cashier if they have been getting any more of the TJ’s through out the day the reply was “oh ya” threw a TJ in the tip jar and walked away with a smirk on my face…. MSNBC had a small write up on this ….the stock was neutral today in trading…

  50. My wife and I hit three starbucks, tipping and paying witth two dollar bills.

    The casheers were all supportive when we explained the reason for the bills.

    One other customer, however, thought the effort was wasted.
    He was open carrying.

    An interesting discussion opened about the merits of open carry v.s. concealed,
    and the normilization of open carry and firearms in general.

    The baristas joined in.

    Mission accomplished. 🙂

  51. Stopped at two different Starbucks today, spent a total of $28 in $2 bills buying coffee for myself and friends. Tipped in $2 bills too. First Barista had heard of the issue, the second one hadn’t. Also stopped by Starbuck’s Facebook page and posted a thank you on there and mention of my stops at their local stores. Noticed a lot of others doing that and only one or two negative anti-2nd amendment comments. May not change the world, but it darn well got the word out today.

  52. Went to a location in Downtown Chicago on Michigan Ave. Seriously doubt they saw any other $2 bills, but I was happy to give them my money.

    Also went yesterday and plan to go again tomorrow.

  53. After Action Report.
    In the true spirit of participation and making a personal sacrifice in driving past a Dunkin Donuts to get there, I stopped at one of the local Starbucks.
    Upon exiting my vehicle, I noticed a small group of individuals exuding the general countenance associated with new-age libtards lurking near the entrance.
    I cautiously maneuvered my way around them and fortunately succeeded in entering the premises unscathed but not entirely unaffected.
    I was momentarily acutely reminded that their existence and proliferation is one of the many unintended consequences of an evolved society and the simple truth that ultimately, there’s really no one to blame but conservatives. )
    I placed my order, paid for the coffee with a ’TJ’ and put another one in the tip jar.
    While doing so, I inquired of the young ladies behind the counter if they’d received any other $2.00 bills today and they responded with ‘a few’.
    I then asked if they were aware that a group had called for a boycott of Starbucks today and they were not.
    I explained that I was among those who were opposed to the boycott, and my purchase and other purchases made today with $2.00 bills were done so in symbolic support of their fine company.
    Needless to say they were elated to have been so informed.
    As I began ingesting the liquid, a childhood memory of chewing notebook paper mysteriously came to the fore.
    Fortunately, the assault on the palate was only temporary and became wholly displaced by the warm fuzzy I received from participation in a cause so much greater than myself…further heightened into a tingly crescendo upon discovery from reading the printing on the external surface of the cup that the container was made with 10% post-consumer recycled fiber.
    As a non-pertinent aside, the logo appears to be dimensionally suitable for use at the 100m range, so all is most certainly not for naught.
    As a final non-pertinent aside, don’t forget to download their Cup Magic mobile app and scan your cup to see if it comes to life. Or Not.

  54. I went to Starbucks today for a hot chocolate at 21:30 in Orange County, CA. The worker there told me I was the first person to pay with two-dollar bills.

  55. Hit 5 stores in Vegas. OC’d in 3, last 2 wher on my way to work so nothing visable. First 2 SB’s didn’t know what was going on, I informed them, got a chai at each, paid with $2’s and tipped with $2’s they where excited to get them. I asked that they leave the 2’s in the tip jar all day. They would probably get more if others saw them. 3 rd and 4 th SB knew what was going on. Had someone yelling at me outside the third because I was scaring her with my gun. She started yelling the second I stepped out of my truck. When I went in, the berista told me the lady had been there for about 1 1/2 hours making a seen. This SB was down the street from one of our ranges and got lots of traffic from OC and CC. They had to have $100 in $2 bills in there jar. Last one I went to was the first one I went to. Asked how it was going, my $2 was still there with 3 more. They said they had more but had a shift change and one of the guys leaving seeded there bucket with one of the bills. Over all I would say good showing in Las Vegas.

  56. Went to 5 stores in Vegas. OC’d in 3, last 2 where on my way to work so nothing visible. First 2 SB’s didn’t know what was going on, I informed them, got a chai at each, paid with $2’s and tipped with $2’s they where excited to get them. I asked that they leave the 2’s in the tip jar all day. They would probably get more if others saw them. 3 rd and 4 th SB knew what was going on. Had someone yelling at me outside the third because I was scaring her with my gun. She started yelling the second I stepped out of my truck. When I went in, the berista told me the lady had been there for about 1 1/2 hours making a seen. This SB was down the street from one of our ranges and got lots of traffic from OC and CC. They had to have $100 in $2 bills in there jar. Last one I went to was the first one I went to. Asked how it was going, my $2 was still there with 3 more. They said they had more but had a shift change and one of the guys leaving seeded there bucket with one of the bills. Over all I would say good showing in Las Vegas.

  57. Just found out about this yesterday (Tuesday the 14th) so i didn’t have time to pick up any $2 bills, but i made a point of stopping by our local starbucks and buying coffees for me, my wife, and a friend.

  58. Hit up three Starbucks in Chicago. Two near my Apt and one at the auto show didn’t see any more two’s in the tip jars but didn’t really expect to around here. After explaining to the 1st Barista though he thought it was cool, 2nd looked at me like I was crazy and 3rd was waaaayyy too tired to think much of anything.

  59. Went to a Starbucks in La Mirada, CA at 6:30 AM on Tuesday (LA county). Didn’t use $2 bills, but bought about $15 worth of danish, muffins, etc., for a training class I was giving.

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