British man accidentally asked out a Starbucks barista and the internet is rooting for their love story

Remember Ross from F.R.I.E.N.D.S., who would end up “accidentally” proposing and getting married? Here is someone who brought the character off the screen and into real life. A 39-year-old British man — who goes by u/jarvis2032 on Reddit — shared his hilarious (and awkward) Starbucks story and the reason why it panned out the way it did. The Internet didn’t miss a chance to turn it quirkier.

u/jarvis2032 shared a story about when he took a trip to Chicago the previous year and out of curiosity, ended up at a Starbucks, despite not being a coffee lover — he just wanted to know what the hype was all about. He walked into an outlet near his hotel, where he found a cute barista with a nice smile and friendly nature, likely in her late 20s, at the counter. After noticing his accent, she started small talk, and to add to it, he asked her what time she got off work — he usually asked the same question to people in the UK as a friendly gesture. But this time, in Chicago, the barista gave him a strange look, like he had said something unusual, but told him she would be free by 3 PM.

Here’s where it gets funnier — after he told her “see you later,” which means “goodbye” in his country, she smiled and said it back. Later that day, he spoke to his cousin who lives in North Carolina, and told him all about the incident at Starbucks — he laughed his lungs out and told him he'd “accidentally” asked her out on a date. Asking women what time they got off work was a clear indication of asking someone out in America, he said. Embarrassed by his action, he avoided the coffee place for the rest of his trip.

Even though the story ended right there, the Internet cannot stop obsessing over the possibility of a fairy-tale romance that may have developed from the happy accident. u/sakprosa commented, “So you stood the poor woman up?” And the thread that followed made it even funnier. u/shadho added, “Go back and tell her that. Have a laugh. Then say, ‘Okay, let's try this again. What time to you get off work? This time I know what I'm asking!’” to which Jarvis replied, “This is so smooth! Sadly, I’m a year too late. I think if I did this now, she’d probably freak out.” u/sakprosa advised, “One year after, same date, 3 PM. If she protests, say you don't know what she is talking about, you asked her out this morning."

Storypick shared a similar incident that happened with James Robbert, where he would often bump into a girl who worked at a checkout counter at a store where he would go grocery shopping. She would joke and he would laugh, because she was funny, not because he was into her. In one of his tweets, he wrote, “Now for an important detail: this supermarket has a loyalty scheme and if you're a member you can get a free hot beverage,” which they stop serving after 7 PM. After shopping that day, he remembered about the drink at 9 PM and asked her, "Sorry if this is awkward, but is it too late to get a drink?" He later realized what he said sounded like he was asking her out, and she told him instantly that she had a boyfriend, with a pitiful smile. Now, Robbert has sworn off dating, citing heavy embarrassment.