The last time Danica Patrick had to reassure herself that “Everything will be f*cking okay” was probably when she had to swap the java junkie in her for a tea buff three years ago. It was a podcast stint where she challenged to starve herself of caffeine for five whole weeks in order to go through a whole health investigation journey. She may occasionally prefer a cup of roasted dandelion tea, pistachio milk, nutmeg, and stevia but all roads lead back to her routine coffee dosage.

The first beverage that comes to mind when the 2008 Indy Japan 300 winner was asked which drink she would prefer if no one else is looking at her? Coffee! That too, “a lot” of it. “I’m not a secretive person, so even if I had a secret drink, I’d probably still tell you if you asked. Honestly, I pretty much only drink three things: lots of coffee, water, and wine.” Wine, sure. After all, her love for wine is why she started her own brand, Somnium, and purchased her own vineyard in Napa Valley years ago. But coffee? She turned to the go-to Starbucks joint but apparently had a bad run-in, and visuals can give you the creeps!

Danica Patrick ordered hot water for her coffee and ended up spilling it on her leg. Do not mistake this for a random coffee spill and stain story, as Patrick’s spill burned right through her skin. Patrick couldn’t have expected the usual reception she would get at her hometown’s local favorite joint, Meg’s Daily Grind, where her parents and former co-owners, T.J. and Bev Patrick, used to serve all of 6,200 residents! We wonder if the mishap at Starbucks reminded her Meg’s special coffee on the menu, “Danica’s Lucky Charm,” which used to a type of latte with vanilla and creme de menthe.

She posted her dire predicament on Instagram, flipping the bird at Starbucks via emoji. Patrick wrote, “Day 1 coffee burn…Starbucks🖕🏻, I mean – 1…Me – 0 ☠️.” She even opened a poll for her followers to vote,

“Anyone else think their hot water is way the h*ll too hot?” Patrick’s gory situation did not turn better on the second day either. She posted an update of her bruised thigh and it did not look good. The burn was intense, and so, the bright red spot still looked fresh, per her IG stories.

As for Starbucks, the brand’s reputation has taken a downturn. According to a BBC report, the company’s global sales tumbled by 7% between July and September. The impact was dramatic in China, where sales fell 14% for the same period. The brand’s former chief executive Laxman Narasimhan wanted to revitalize the menu with new items such as boba drinks and an egg sandwich with pesto. However, he was ousted earlier this summer. Now, the new boss Brian Niccol is working for the company to “fundamentally change.” And Danica Patrick’s latest post may further hit the brand’s reputation.

Ironically, the former NASCAR Cup Series driver encountered her obsession with fitness while having a coffee.

A trip to a coffee shop in England that changed Danica’s lifestyle forever

Danica Patrick is part of a small group of NASCAR drivers who are fitness freaks. For example, 7-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson completed the 26.2-mile Boston Marathon in 3 hours, 9 minutes, and 7 seconds in 2019. Similarly, Patrick is not just fast on the racetrack, as she invests heavily in her fitness regime. But the origin of this love for health began on a trip to a coffee shop in England. That contrasts her present beef with coffee. Going to a coffee shop that was attached to a bookstore, she stumbled into a plethora of books on health and wellness. “I’d sit down and drink my coffee and flip through them. I have always been drawn to wellness.”

According to her newfound interest, she invested in ‘beam’, a CBD wellness company, in 2020. Patrick was part of a $5 million seed investment in beam, a brand that contrasted her former racing partner ‘GoDaddy!’. She reflected on how she always wanted her brand to align with her health interests in a conversation with Forbes Magazine in 2020. “I’m not rebranding myself. I’m branding myself for the first time. This is my brand. This was always my brand. During my racing career, I had some say so with my personal partnerships, but there were some sponsors for the cars that didn’t perfectly align with my brand. That was just part sponsorship necessities that were required as part of racing.”

Evidently, Starbucks ticked off the wrong person. Danica Patrick’s hallowed status as a healthy racer may spell a blow to the coffee giant.