Starbucks has released its 2024 fall menu, featuring the return of the popular Pumpkin Spice Latte. In Santa Clara, California, an 8-year-old orange tabby cat named Waffle has become a social media sensation for her adorable outfits. Waffle’s owners, Kathy Guo and Sam Xie, started an Instagram account for her, where they have been posting pictures of her in various costumes for years. Waffle has gained over 28,000 followers on Instagram, with many fans asking where they can purchase the outfits she wears.
Waffle’s owners have spent as much as $20,000 on her journey to becoming a barista, including on props, coffee, aprons, merchandise, and a custom Starbucks Cat Tree. With Waffle’s popularity growing, Xie began selling aprons online and created the persona “Waffle The Barista” to market them. Waffle is a frequent customer at a Starbucks location near her home and has even received employee-only pins from workers. If Waffle were to order a drink from Starbucks, Xie says it would be the Brown Sugar Oatmilk Iced Shaken Espresso.
Starbucks’ 2024 fall menu includes returning favorites like the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai, and Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato. The company has also introduced new items this year, such as the Iced Apple Crisp Nondairy Cream Chai, Iced Caramel Apple Cream Latte, and Iced Honey Apple Almondmilk Flat White. The Pumpkin Spice Latte, which retails for $6.25 in Texas to $7.25 in New York City for a grand size, was released on August 21 and quickly became a fan favorite.
Waffle’s journey to becoming a barista started when her owners began dressing her up in costumes for fun in 2016. The outfits started with simple collars and bandanas, eventually progressing to more elaborate costumes that involved Waffle’s paws going through them. Xie and Guo have dedicated a significant amount of time and money to Waffle’s costume journey, with Xie even creating and selling aprons online for other pets.
Waffle’s popularity on social media led to the creation of her persona “Waffle The Barista” to help market the aprons Xie was selling. Waffle’s followers on Instagram love seeing her in the coffee-themed outfits, as she looks like she is the one making the coffee. Waffle has become a beloved figure not just in her local community but also online, with fans eager to see her in new costumes and outfits. Xie and Guo have enjoyed sharing Waffle’s journey with their followers and are grateful for the support they have received.
Overall, Waffle has become a social media sensation for her adorable costumes and coffee-themed outfits. Her owners, Xie and Guo, have dedicated time and money to Waffle’s journey to becoming a barista, with Xie creating and selling aprons online. Waffle is a beloved figure both in her local community and on social media, where she has gained a significant following. With the return of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte and other fall menu items, Waffle’s popularity is likely to continue to grow as she delights fans with her cute and creative outfits.
