If you want to hang out or use the toilet At Starbucks, you have to buy something.
Starbucks said on Monday. withdraw policy It invited everyone to its store. The new code of conduct, which will be posted at all of the company’s stores in North America, also prohibits discrimination and harassment, outdoor consumption of alcohol, smoking, vaping, drug use and begging.
Starbucks spokeswoman Jaycee Anderson said the new rules are designed to prioritize paying customers. Anderson said most other retailers already have similar rules in place.
“We want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable in our store,” Anderson said. “By setting clear expectations for behavior and use of space, you can create a better environment for everyone.”
The code of conduct warns that violators will be asked to leave the store, and the store may contact the police if necessary. Starbucks said its employees would receive training Regarding enforcement of the new policy.
The new rules reverse an open-door policy introduced in 2018 after two black men were arrested at a Starbucks in Philadelphia while attending a business meeting. The private store had a policy of asking customers who did not pay to leave the store, so the men did not buy anything. However, the arrest was captured on video and was a major embarrassment for the company.
The chairman of Starbucks at the time was howard schultz He said he didn’t want people to feel “less than” if they were denied access.
“We don’t want to be a public restroom, but 100 percent of the time we’re going to make the right decision and hand people the keys,” Schultz said.
But since then, employees and customers have suffered from unruly and even dangerous behavior inside the stores. In 2022, Starbucks closes 16 stores He has been arrested across the country for repeated safety issues, including drug use and other disruptive behavior that threatened staff, including six in Los Angeles and six in his hometown of Seattle.
The new rules were introduced as part of a push by Starbucks’ new chairman and CEO. brian nicolto activate the chain Sluggish sales. Nicol said he wants Starbucks to regain that status. Community coffee shop atmosphere Previously, drive-thru lines, mobile order backups and other issues made visits even more of a hassle.
