A California resident is suing Starbucks after a local store failed to give him his $1.70 remaining balance on a gift card back in cash.

Robert Paskey has filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court seeking class action status and compensatory and punitive damages. Paskey claims that a Starbucks’ employee at a Santa Monica Boulevard coffee shop denied his request for the cash redemption, telling him the sales software system did not provide for cash redemptions on card balances less than $10. According to news reports, the writing on the back of the company’s cards indicates that the gift cards are not redeemable for cash “unless otherwise required by law.” Starbucks' website states that cash redemptions for cards with less than a $10 balance can be obtained online, but a request must be made, and a wait of seven to 10 days is required.

Consumers should not have to undertake "independent online research projects" to determine their rights regarding Starbucks gift cards, according to the suit.

—Source: fox5sandiego.com