HomeTop StoriesStarbucks is rolling back its open-door policy

Starbucks is rolling back its open-door policy

Would you like to stop by the largest coffee chain in America to use the toilet on the way? You’ll have to buy something first.

Starbucks is rolling back its open-door policy, which allowed anyone to lounge in its cafes or use the restrooms without making a purchase. Spokesperson Jaci Anderson told the AP on Jan. 13 that the company’s new guidelines prioritize paying customers and that most other retailers have similar policies.

“We want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable in our stores,” Anderson said. “By setting clear expectations for the behavior and use of our spaces, we can create a better environment for everyone.”

A Starbucks store in Manhattan on January 30, 2024 in New York City.

Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TODAY.com.

But the policy change is also posted on Starbucks’ website, which says it aims to create a “welcoming environment” with “respect” for its customers and employees.

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“We want to ensure that our spaces are prioritized for use by our customers,” Starbucks wrote. “Our Coffeehouse Code of Conduct is something that most retailers have and is designed to provide clarity that our spaces – including our cafes, patios and toilets – are for use by customers and partners.”

Starbucks will also post the code of conduct in stores to “remind customers of the role they play” in the coffee chain’s goal of returning to a “community coffeehouse that is inviting and welcoming.”

Prohibited activities in the chain’s cafes include abuse or disruption of the spaces, discrimination or harassment, violence or threatening language, smoking or drug use and more.

“We will ask anyone who does not follow this code of conduct to leave the store and may request assistance from the police,” the company’s code of conduct states.

The coffee giant’s open-door policy was introduced in 2018 after two black men waiting for a friend were arrested for trespassing at a Starbucks in Philadelphia. The incident was caught on camera, prompting public outrage and a statement from the city’s mayor, Jim Kenney, who said it “seems to be an example of what racial discrimination looks like in 2018.”

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However, in the years since, Starbucks has closed several stores, citing safety issues reported by employees and reflected in an open letter written by Starbucks senior vice presidents of U.S. operations Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelson.

It is in the midst of a major reshuffle led by new chairman and CEO Brian Niccol, who highlighted the company’s goals in a Jan. 9 message.

Since Niccol took over, Starbucks has made policy changes such as halting increases in non-dairy milk costs and scaling back discounts and promotions to focus on its “communal coffeehouse” roots.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com

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