By South China Morning Post | Created at 2025-01-15 04:06:32 | Updated at 2025-01-15 08:34:17
4 hours ago
Starbucks has stirred the coffee pot by reversing a policy that allowed anyone to use its bathrooms, with the US public warned they’ll need to buy something or get out.
In a new code of conduct issued Monday for all company-owned North American stores, the hot drink behemoth said it wanted “to ensure our spaces are prioritised for use by our customers”.
That includes the chain’s cafes, patios and restrooms, according to the policy, which Starbucks noted is something most retailers enforce.
US retailers like Starbucks that bill themselves as a so-called “third space” – a gathering place outside the home or office – face a dilemma in a country where public restrooms are sparse.
The question of bathroom access has been a fraught one for Starbucks, with the issue thrust into the spotlight in 2018 when two black men were refused access to a branch bathroom while they waited for a friend.
