In 2012, Starbucks baristas began wearing name tags on their green aprons. They also “started asking customers for THEIR names and writing them on cups.” The company’s history page calls this “On a First-Name Basis.” It says: “Barista and customer were once again on a first-name basis.”
During the COVID-19 surge of 2020, the company stopped handwriting on cups. In October 2024, CEO Brian Niccol promised to bring back handwritten notes on cups: “We’re tracking down the Sharpies.”