UT Austin student heads for a ‘free matcha’ sign near campus. Then she sees whose building it is and covers her mouth

A University of Texas at Austin student nearly went inside a building on Guadalupe Street in Texas for free matcha. She changed her mind when she realized the building belonged to the Church of Scientology. TikTok creator Addison Koll shared the moment in a nine-second clip captioned, “i almost fell for scientology matcha 😭”

The video has since racked up more than 4.7 million views and opens on the building’s exterior, where a woman stands near the door. She walks toward the sign before turning away. The clip then cuts to Koll smiling, covering her mouth and pulling an exaggerated face. The video doesn’t show her going inside, taking a drink or speaking with staff.

In an interview with Subplot News, Koll said she was excited to see the sign because she was a “huge matcha fan.” She also said the church’s outreach to students had been a topic of discussion on campus.

Why she hesitated

Koll also raised concerns about the church’s use of surveys and food offers. “I do know they have had surveys and offer food inside, which could possibly steer others in,” she told the outlet. The building also houses a cafe and bookstore, and the church describes its cafe as a place for visitors touring the premises and people attending events.

She said she made the video mostly for laughs, but added that it was “a little concerning that other people would genuinely go in there for those free benefits.” Scientology centers have also turned up on TikTok before, including a Hollywood location that tried to stop viral raids.

The church has drawn public scrutiny for years, and its famous members and former members have helped keep it in the spotlight. One commenter wrote, “Damn who’s on their marketing team cause this lowkey smart as f—.” Koll replied, “no bc it almost worked on me.” Another user said they nearly went in for a different reason, writing, “its ok queen i almost walked in bcs the were offering a personality test and im a SUCKER FOR SURVEYS.”

A third commenter said they received snacks instead of matcha. “No matcha. Just free chips or snack bars,” they wrote, adding that staff “kept following me and TALKING.” Koll replied, “they’re just playing in our faces omg.” Subplot News said it reached out to the Church of Scientology for more information.