‘Third spaces’ take another blow as Starbucks abandons open door policy

After years of many people using Starbucks as a place to rest, work or use the restroom. — a typical “third place” — the coffee giant has decided to change its rules.

Its “open door policy” is now being changed, apparently to “deter homeless and non-paying customers who have come to use Starbucks solely for lodging and restroom access,” according to CNN’s Jordan Valinsky and Nathaniel Meyersohn. You must now be a paying customer to use the space.

The new rules, announced earlier this week, aim to “boost flagging sales and improve worker relations,” according to Valsinky and Meyersohn. A Starbucks spokesperson said the new changes are “a practical measure that helps us prioritize our paying customers who want to sit down and enjoy our coffees or who need to use the restroom during their visit … By setting clear expectations for behavior and use of our cafes. spaces, we can create a better environment for everyone.

Added to this are rule changes regarding “begging, discrimination, outdoor drinking and vaping”. The new code of conduct also adds “no misuse or disruption of our spaces, no discrimination or harassment, (and) no violence or abusive/threatening language.”

Additionally, the store is looking to reduce takeout orders by encouraging more in-store consumption; all customers who want to sit and stay in the cafe will be able to get free refills of hot or iced coffee in Starbucks ceramic mugs or reusable glasses, CNN reports. — which was once a privilege reserved for loyal Starbucks members.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story stated that all customers would be offered a single top-up, not multiple top-ups.