--- title: "Starbucks Uncle" Memes, Viral Hong Kong Flood PHOTOS description: A typhoon raging in Hong Kong brought on intense flash flooding—but that didn't seem to bother this man, who's gone viral on social media. canonical: https://time.com/4538874/starbucks-uncle-memes/ author: Raisa Bruner article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-10-20T18:18:36.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:37:50.049Z og:title: What Flood? Internet Can't Get Enough of 'Starbucks Uncle' og:description: See the best memes of the viral Hong Kong man too calm for flash floods og:url: https://time.com/4538874/starbucks-uncle-memes/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: What Flood? Internet Can't Get Enough of 'Starbucks Uncle' twitter:description: See the best memes of the viral Hong Kong man too calm for flash floods twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # The Internet Can't Get Enough of This Guy Who Refused to Let a Flood Interrupt His Coffee Routine > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. 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Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically.  by [Raisa Bruner](https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Oct 20, 2016 6:18 PM UTC  by [Raisa Bruner](https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Oct 20, 2016 6:18 PM UTC A Hong Kong man, affectionately dubbed “Starbucks Uncle” [by social media](http://hongkong.coconuts.co/2016/10/20/unflappable-starbucks-uncle-goes-viral-hero-we-all-need), had one strategy when the coffee shop began to flood: keep calm and hang out. As it became flooded with standing water, he sat reading his newspaper, unperturbed by the typhoon raging outside, leading swirling waters to infiltrate his caffeine sanctuary. This week, Hong Kong has been dealing with torrential rainstorms and [gale-force winds from Super Typhoon Haima](http://time.com/4536297/philippines-typhoon-haima-lawin-super-weather-category-5/?iid=sr-link1), leading to [flash flooding across the city](http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2031413/observatory-issues-amber-rainstorm-warning-hong). One shopping center in the central district was [completely deluged](https://www.facebook.com/tvmosthk/photos/a.1625961874318810.1073741828.1625935910988073/1782512821997047/?type=3&theater), filling up with inches of muddy water. But for this unperturbed senior, the newspaper seemed a far more compelling read than the tiny problem of exiting the submerged mall where he was [stationed at a Starbucks outlet](http://time.com/4258950/starbucks-cherry-blossom-frappuccino/?iid=sr-link2) with his reading material. Here’s the original image from local medical worker [Kristy Chan](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-37711677), which made the front page of [online forum Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/WTF/comments/58e1x3/when%5Fthe%5Fmall%5Fis%5Fflooded%5Fbut%5Fyou%5Fstill%5Fneed%5Fyour/?st=iuimbny9&sh=845f1a22): “It was quite funny. Maybe he already has that many life experiences so the flood didn’t bother him at all,” Chan told BBC. Naturally, the internet had a field day with the wildly meme-able (and utterly unbothered) man, taking to Photoshop to show us just how relaxed “Starbucks Uncle” truly is. Apparently, he was also joined by a pal. Looks like the Starbucks tables are great places to keep one’s feet dry. 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