cnn
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Starbucks no longer wants to be America’s public bathroom.
Starbucks is eliminating a policy that allowed anyone to hang out in its cafes or use the restrooms without making a purchase. The new rules are part of a broader effort to improve the experience at Starbucks coffee shops and discourage homeless and non-paying customers who have come to use Starbucks solely for shelter and bathroom access, but they reverse a policy which was launched after one of the company’s biggest public relations disasters.
The new code of conduct, announced in stores on Monday, is part of chief executive Brian Niccol’s strategy to re-engage customers, boost sagging sales and improve worker relations. It applies to all North American locations and will be displayed on store doors.
The changes are a “practical step that helps us prioritize our paying customers who want to sit and enjoy our coffees or need to use the restroom during their visit,” a Starbucks spokesperson said in a statement. “By setting clear expectations about behavior and use of our spaces, we can create a better environment for everyone.”
Other changes include a ban on panhandling, discrimination, third-party drinking and vaping, according to the policy posted online. Employees will receive training on the new policy.
Starbucks is also trying to encourage customers to stay in its cafes instead of ordering to-go by offering benefits for in-store orders. Starting January 27, all customers can get a free refill of hot or iced coffee served in their ceramic mugs or reusable tumblers. Previously, the benefit only applied to members of the Starbucks loyalty program.
Starbucks’ move marks a change from its on-again, off-again relationship of offering restroom access to the general public.
Limiting access to bathrooms comes at a time when many cities and suburbs in the United States lack adequate public access to them. That has forced private companies like Starbucks, McDonald’s and other chains to fill the void.
Opening restrooms and cafeterias to the general public has helped Starbucks position itself as a “third place” between work and home and attract potential customers. However, the policy has created challenges for both employees and customers.
The open-door policy began in 2018 after two Black men were arrested at a Philadelphia location while waiting for a friend. One of the men said he asked to use the bathroom shortly after entering and was told it was for paying customers only. The incident was caught on camera and became a public relations disaster for Starbucks.
In 2022, former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said he may not be able to keep his bathrooms open, blaming a growing mental health issue that poses a threat to his staff and customers. That same year, Starbucks closed more than a dozen locations, located primarily in downtown locations, citing safety concerns.
“This is another example of the complications caused by the lack of public bathrooms in the United States, and how Starbucks is changing its tune, sometimes benefiting from the lack of public infrastructure and being harmed by the same things,” said Bryant Simon, a Temple University historian who wrote a book about Starbucks and is currently working on one about public bathrooms in the United States.
