Starbucks takes down controversial ‘Taylor Swift menu’

Unapproved drinks list appeared at just one outlet of the popular chain

A controversial sign in a branch of Starbucks that drew the ire of Taylor Swift fans has been “erased”.

Seen in only one branch of the popular coffee shop chain, the advertisement had not been approved by the franchise.

“Which Taylor Swift ex are you?” asked the sign, under which usual Starbucks menu was segmented into different drinks named after – and supposedly comparable to – Swift’s ex-boyfriends.

Customers could order a range of drinks including a “Joe Alwyn” (hot chai with oat milk), a “Harry Styles” (hot vanilla latte), a “Jake Gyllenhaal” (decaf Americano), or a “Calvin Harris” (vanilla bean frappe). Other names on the menu included Taylor Lautner, Tom Hiddleston and Joe Jonas.

The advert was quick to cause backlash online, with many defending the singer, 33, who allegedly split from her boyfriend Joe Alwyn, 32, earlier this week. According to sources, Alwyn struggled with her level of fame.

Fans voiced outrage on social media, with somone writing: “@Starbucks used @TaylorSwift13’s exes for their Marketing campaign and advantage – any thoughts?”

One Swiftie said: “Sexist… because if this was a man we were talking about nobody would care but because it’s taylor swift they feel the need to do this.”

Another fan replied: “I have so many thoughts and none of them are nice ones.”

Others came to the franchise’s defence. “I think that starbucks’ are franchises and baristas are encouraged to get creative with recommended drink boards (employee faves, drinks that fit tv show vibes etc) and even though this was in bad taste, it does not reflect the company as a whole,” one person wrote.

On Twitter, the official Starbucks account wrote: “Thank you for bringing this to our attention! The content of this sign was not approved and has since been erased.”

Taylor Swift pictured in March 2023 (Getty Images for iHeartRadio)

Taylor Swift has previously addressed the scrutiny she faces over past romances. In 2015, she claimed jibes about her “long list of ex-lovers” amounted to unfair public humiliation.

Swift has been travelling the US on her “Eras” tour since mid-March. She will continue her US leg of the tour until she reaches Los Angeles, California in early August.

Last week, fans noticed that Swift changed the setlist on her tour. She had added break-up song “The 1” to her setlist mid-run amid her reported split from her boyfriend. The singer had been performing “Invisible String” during early tour dates, but swapped it on 31 March.