[Maru]

Starbucks' new policy: Buy something or get out
S: https://www.fox26houston.com/news/st...r-leave-policy

The Brief

• Starbucks now requires customers to make a purchase to stay in its stores or use its restrooms.
• The updated policy bans disruptive behavior, smoking, vaping, and panhandling.
• The new rules reverse the open-door policy introduced in 2018 after a high-profile incident.

LOS ANGELES - Starbucks has announced a major policy change, requiring customers to buy something if they wish to stay in its stores or use restrooms. The new rules, which Starbucks says will be posted in all company-owned stores in North America, also aim to prevent disruptive behavior and ensure safety for staff and paying customers.

The Associated Press reports that the change reverses the company’s 2018 open-door policy, which was implemented following backlash over the arrest of two Black men at a Philadelphia store. Starbucks says the updated code of conduct is part of its effort to create a more comfortable environment for everyone.

Why did Starbucks reverse its open-door policy?

The backstory:

Starbucks introduced its open-door policy in 2018 after a high-profile incident in which two Black men were arrested at a Philadelphia location while waiting for a business meeting. The incident, caught on video, sparked widespread criticism and prompted then-Chairman Howard Schultz to implement the policy to make stores more inclusive.

However, the policy led to safety concerns for employees, with reports of drug use and other disruptive behaviors. In 2022, Starbucks closed 16 stores in response to repeated safety issues, citing incidents that endangered staff and customers.

Not surprising either that after Trump has been reelected that all these companies are suddenly doing a reversal.