NYC woman is bewildered after Dunkin’ hands her a ‘toilet plunger’ with her drink. When she asked what it was, they just said, ‘just take it’

A New York woman said she was left confused after a Dunkin‘ employee handed her an object she compared to a toilet plunger along with her drink order. Casey Cheng, who posts under the handle @caseycheng_, shared the moment in a TikTok video that has drawn attention online.

In the video, Cheng said she had just returned from Dunkin’ and questioned why she had been given the item. She said she asked an employee what it was, but the worker reportedly told her to “just take it” without explaining further. Cheng captioned the post “I’m confused” and included the hashtags #dunkindonuts and #dunkin.

In the video, Cheng held up a clear plastic bag containing a white and orange object marked with the Dunkin’ logo, and said, “I just got back from Dunkin’. Why didn’t they give me a toilet plunger with my drink?”

Video shows her holding plunger with Dunkin’ branding

Cheng then removed the item from the bag on camera. The object appeared to be a white plastic cup holder featuring an orange and white diamond pattern, with a long, thin stake attached to the bottom. She went on to describe her exchange with the employee, saying, “Like, I don’t even know what this is, and I tried to ask, and she was like, ‘Just take it, just take it.’ I was like, ‘But what is it?’ And she was like, ‘Just take it.'” Other Dunkin’ customers have described tense interactions with store employees in separate incidents shared online. 

Cheng also turned the object toward the camera to show that it was hollow. She said, “Why do I have this, and what does it do? There’s nothing inside of it.” The video ended with her looking at the camera with a confused expression.

The item shown in Cheng’s video matches a product Dunkin’ described as the “Tee Cup Holder” in a post on its official blog. According to Dunkin’, the item is a limited-edition, golf-themed accessory featuring a custom Dunkin’ argyle design.

Dunkin’ said in the post that the cup holder was offered free with the purchase of any beverage at participating locations starting June 18 at 10 a.m., while supplies lasted. The company said the offer applied to any beverage purchase and was not limited to specific drinks.

Dunkin’ described the cup holder as being “inspired by the 18th hole” and said it was designed to keep a beverage secure “from the first swing to the final putt.” Based on the design described by Dunkin’, the stake at the bottom of the holder appears intended to be pushed into the ground, allowing the cup to stay upright during outdoor activities such as golfing.

The company also promoted two limited-time drinks alongside the giveaway, called Peach “Tee” Dunkin’ Zero and Raspberry “Tee” Lemonade, which it said were inspired by classic golf beverages. Dunkin’ has rolled out other unusual drink lineups in recent months, including a menu that one customer ranked from best to worst after trying each option.

According to Dunkin’, a related golf-themed event took place in Westhampton Beach, New York, at a location on Montauk Highway, running through June 21. Dunkin’ noted in its post that the cup holder giveaway was limited to one free item per purchase and that participation could vary by location. The company said the offer excluded delivery platforms and could not be combined with other promotions.

It remains unclear from the video whether the employee who served Cheng explained the promotional nature of the item before handing it to her. Dunkin’ has not issued a public statement responding to Cheng’s video specifically.

Cheng’s video has since drawn hundreds of comments on TikTok, with many users offering their own guesses about what the item was for. One user wrote, “it looks like u stick in the sand & put ur cup in it,” to which Cheng replied, “Yk what cait u may be onto something.” Another commenter offered a different theory, writing, “How do you not see it’s a donut holder? Like paper towels 🧻 you thread the holes with it.”

One user explained, “It’s for the golf course, you’re supposed to put it in the grass so you don’t knock over your drink. So unnecessary, no idea why they would make those.” Another wrote, “It’s to hold your drinks while you golf not for the beach we are also selling golf balls,” with a reply confirming, “This is the correct answer. That’s why it has the gold pants argyle pattern.. Golf**” One commenter suggested an alternate use, writing, “Wait you could put it between couch cushions too put ur drink in if you don’t have a table.”