‘Which Taylor Swift Ex Are You?’ Row over Starbucks menu, explained

The news surrounding Taylor Swift's recent split from Joe Alwyn has taken over the internet.However, Swifties are criticising several brands for cashing in on the couple's breakup.One of the Starbucks outlets has come under fire after it posted a sign comparing the singer's ex-partners to various drinks.The coffee giant replied to the criticism by taking down the board after images of the notice were extensively circulated on social media.The controversial sign boardThe Starbucks sign said, "Which Taylor Swift ex are you?" in the image that was posted to Twitter.The singer's ex-boyfriends' names were put below this, and each one was compared to a Starbucks beverage.Calvin Harris was described as a "vanilla bean frappe," Joe Alwyn as a "hot chai with oat milk," and Harry Styles to a "hot vanilla latte."Joe Jonas, Tom Huddleston, John Mayer, Taylor Lautner, and Jake Gyllenhaal were also included on the menu.The Starbucks sign drew a lot of attention.Backlash that followedAs the sign circulated online, users had mixed reactions to it; some called it "unprofessional," while others thought it was "not that serious."“This was clearly written by a swiftie (hence John's drink having grounds in it)… I think it wasn't intended to make fun of the number of exes. It's just like choosing your favourite ex joke? It doesn't read as sexist to me personally,” a user wrote.Another one commented, “This is gross but y'all do realise this is store specific and not like a company choice right."“Literally just looks like something the store supervisor wanted to do, not Starbucks,” one of the comments read.“I don't think Taylor was the punchline of any jokes here. If anything John and Jake were the punchline!” a netizen chipped in.Starbucks’ responseLater, Starbucks said via its official Twitter account that the sign had been taken down because it went against its values.“Thank you for bringing this to our attention. This certainly doesn't uphold our mission and values, and the sign has been taken down by the store,” the tweet read.Duolingo also comes under fireLikewise, Duolingo tweeted a video of the Duolingo bird at Cornelia Street along with the statement, "making my final pilgrimage to Cornelia Street to offer my condolences."Taylor's song Cornelia Street, from the album Lover, is thought by many fans to have been written about Joe.Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn breakupAccording to multiple reports, after six years of dating, Taylor Swift and Joe Alwyn have broken up.The couple, who began dating in 2016, has largely kept their romance out of the public eye.As part of her Eras Tour, the 33-year-old singer is now performing across the United States. Since she started performing on 18 March, Alwyn has not been seen at any of her performances.A source told Entertainment Tonight, which broke the news of the split, that it was "not dramatic."Instead, the "relationship had just run its course," the source addedUnder the pseudonym William Bowery, Alwyn has previously been listed as a songwriter for a number of Swift songs, including songs from the albums Folklore, Evermore, and Midnights.With inputs from agenciesRead all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.