Customer calls out Starbucks employee for refusing service over a mask — then the internet steps in with a $22K payday

A Starbucks employee in San Diego was called out by an angry customer who was refused service over her lack of a mask, but the internet stepped in to reward him for sticking to the rules.

"Meet lenen from Starbucks who refused to serve me cause I'm not wearing a mask. Next time I will wait for cops and bring a medical exemption," wrote Amber Lynn Gilles in a Facebook post. She included a photograph of the barista, who was later identified as Lenin Gutierrez.

That post was shared more than 46,000 times but it might have inspired the opposite sentiment that Gilles expected.

Those sympathetic to Gutierrez sticking to the rules gave more than $22K to a GoFundMe donation page for the young man.

San Diego County has ordered that all residents wear a mask since May 1, even when just picking up food from a restaurant. The county has also left it to each businesses' discretion as to whether to respect medical exemptions.

Gutierrez posted a video to a Facebook thanking his donors. He said that he will use the money to pursue his dream of becoming a professional dancer.

"Masks are stupid and so are the people wearing them," said Gilles in a comment to her original post.

Here's a local news video about the incident:

Woman Refused Service At Starbucks For Not Wearing Face Maskwww.youtube.com