If you’re an avid Starbucks drinker (guilty as charged), you’ve probably heard about the company’s “new and improved” bathroom policy. Basically, Starbucks doesn’t ever want to be mistaken as a raaaaaaaaacist company ever again, so it will no longer require people to purchase something in exchange for bathroom use.
I don’t like that policy at all. I think it’s a huge mistake. It’s going to backfire and ruin customer experience. It’s an open door for shenanigans.
I guess Starbucks is already starting to notice the glaring problem with its new policy, so it released a clarification of sorts on Monday.
The Seattle-based retailer on Saturday had said it would allow all guests in its U.S. company-owned stores to use its cafes, including its restrooms, whether or not they make a purchase. That announcement, which attracted some support, also drew complaints that cafes wouldn’t have enough seats for paying customers and would turn into homeless shelters and drug havens.
On Monday, Starbucks revealed more about the policy, telling The Wall Street Journal that employees now have detailed instructions on what to do if someone is behaving in a disruptive manner, such as smoking, using drugs or alcohol, using restrooms improperly or sleeping.
Oooooookkkk…so there’s some sort of employee protocol now? If there’s a hoard of druggies or a belligerent drunks interrupting customers, they’ll know how to handle that in a way that won’t result in the internet calling them “racist” or “sexist” or “anti-homeless”? Just checking.
Under the procedures for handling disruptive guests, Starbucks said Monday, managers and baristas should first ask a fellow employee to verify that a certain behavior is disruptive and if it is, respectfully request that the customer stop.
Other examples of disruptive behavior include talking too loudly, playing loud music and viewing inappropriate content. The company provided employees with examples of when they should call 911, which includes when a customer is using or selling drugs.
Why do I feel like we’re back to square one? I can see it now– some group of non-paying customers talking loudly or listening to music, being asked to quiet down and then making a video to prove that they were discriminated against.
Sorry Starbucks. I don’t see how your new guidelines make anything better.
By the way– Starbucks still plans on closing 8,000 U.S. company-owned stores next week (May 29th) for racial bias training. Just FYI.