Starbucks Closes Doors On Open Bathrooms And Lounging: New Policy Restricts Access

On July 11, 2023, Starbucks announced a new policy that restricts access to its bathrooms and seating areas to paying customers only. This policy has been met with mixed reactions from customers, employees, and community members.

The New Policy

The new policy states that "customers must make a purchase before using the restrooms or seating areas." This policy applies to all Starbucks locations in the United States and Canada. Starbucks says that the policy is necessary to address the issue of non-customers using its bathrooms and seating areas as a place to loiter or do work.

Customer Reactions

Customers have reacted to the new policy with a mix of support and opposition. Some customers support the policy, saying that it is necessary to keep the bathrooms and seating areas clean and safe. Others oppose the policy, saying that it is discriminatory and will discourage people from visiting Starbucks.

One customer who supports the policy said, "I think it's a good idea. I've seen people come in and use the bathroom and then leave without buying anything. It's not fair to the people who are paying customers."

Another customer who opposes the policy said, "I think it's discriminatory. Starbucks is a public space, and everyone should be able to use the bathroom, regardless of whether or not they're buying something."

Employee Reactions

Starbucks employees have also reacted to the new policy with a mix of support and opposition. Some employees support the policy, saying that it will make their jobs easier. Others oppose the policy, saying that it will make it more difficult to serve customers.

One employee who supports the policy said, "I think it's a good idea. It will make my job easier because I won't have to deal with people who are just using the bathroom or seating areas to loiter or do work."

Another employee who opposes the policy said, "I think it's going to make it more difficult to serve customers. People are going to be angry when they're told they can't use the bathroom or seating areas without making a purchase."

Community Reactions

Community members have also reacted to the new policy with a mix of support and opposition. Some community members support the policy, saying that it will make their community safer. Others oppose the policy, saying that it will discourage people from visiting their community.

One community member who supports the policy said, "I think it's a good idea. It will make my community safer because it will discourage people from loitering in Starbucks."

Another community member who opposes the policy said, "I think it's going to discourage people from visiting my community. Starbucks is a popular destination for tourists, and they're going to be less likely to visit if they can't use the bathroom or seating areas without making a purchase."

Conclusion

The new Starbucks policy restricting access to its bathrooms and seating areas to paying customers only has been met with mixed reactions. Some customers, employees, and community members support the policy, while others oppose it. The policy is likely to have a significant impact on the way that people use Starbucks, and it is important to consider all of the different perspectives on the issue before forming an opinion.

Implications of the Policy

The new Starbucks policy has a number of implications, including:

• It will make it more difficult for people who are not customers to use Starbucks' bathrooms and seating areas.
• It will likely lead to an increase in the number of people who loiter outside of Starbucks.
• It could discourage people from visiting Starbucks, especially if they are not planning to make a purchase.
• It could lead to increased tensions between Starbucks employees and customers.

It is important to consider all of these implications before forming an opinion on the new policy.