Introduction
Starbucks is one of the most popular coffee chains in the world, and it looks like they may soon be making a major policy change. According to reports, the company is considering a shift in their policy that would allow customers to bring their own food into their stores. This could have a major impact on the way people enjoy their coffee and snacks at Starbucks, and it could also have an effect on the food industry as a whole. In this article, we’ll take a look at what this potential policy change could mean for Starbucks customers and the food industry.
Starbucks May Soon Change This Major Policy
Starbucks is considering a major policy change that could have a big impact on customers. According to reports, the coffee giant is considering eliminating its policy of allowing customers to bring their own cups and containers into stores.
The policy change would mean that customers would no longer be able to bring their own reusable cups or containers into Starbucks stores. Instead, they would have to purchase a cup or container from the store.
The potential policy change is being considered as part of Starbucks’ efforts to reduce waste and increase sustainability. The company has already implemented a number of initiatives to reduce its environmental impact, including switching to paper straws and offering discounts for customers who bring their own reusable cups.
It’s unclear when or if the policy change will be implemented, but it could have a major impact on customers who rely on reusable cups and containers. If the policy is implemented, customers will need to purchase a cup or container from Starbucks in order to enjoy their favorite drinks.
It’s important to note that the policy change is still in the early stages of consideration and may not be implemented at all. However, it’s worth keeping an eye on as it could have a major impact on customers.
Starbucks has seen a lot of scrutiny in the past year. From its employees unionizing to the backlash to its price increases–the coffee chain has had no shortage of controversy to deal with.
But one major controversial incident from 2018 brought about a significant change in the chain’s bathroom use policy, which the company is now said to be reconsidering, according to Starbucks’ chief executive Howard Schultz.
The coffee chain had instated the open-to-all bathroom policy in 2018, after the arrest of two Black men in one of its Philadelphia stores who were trying to use the bathroom without making a purchase. The change was a big one for the company at the time, stemming from the public backlash to the incident.
The response eventually led Starbucks to close over 8,000 company-owned U.S. stores for a half day of racial bias education and training for all of its employees.
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However, Schultz said the new policy is now putting its baristas in jeopardy. A new rule the chain is considering would attempt to limit the number of non-customers who come into Starbucks locations.
Schultz called the open-to-all bathroom policy an “issue of just safety,” pointing to a growing mental health problem that makes it difficult for Starbucks managers to safely do their jobs.
“We have to harden our stores and provide safety for our people,” Schultz said at The New York Times‘ DealBook D.C. policy forum. “I don’t know if we can keep our bathrooms open.”
In April of 2018, two black men walked into a Starbucks in downtown Philadelphia to use the bathroom. An employee refused the request and asked them to leave, eventually calling the police, which led to their arrest on the grounds of trespassing. A video was taken of the incident and shared on Twitter. The public outcry was swift and pegged the manager’s actions as discriminatory.
Kevin R. Johnson, the company’s chief executive at the time, called the incident at the Philadelphia store a “reprehensible outcome” in a public apology letter issued shortly afterward. The manager involved was fired.
This is the first time Schultz has addressed the company’s bathroom policies since rejoining the company as its interim chief executive in April. He originally left the role 13 years ago. Currently, the company is facing allegations of intimidation and retaliation against employees unionizing within the company.
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Amber Lake