Home › Forums › West Seattle Rants & Raves › New Starbucks Policy
- This topic has 16 replies, 13 voices, and was last updated 8 years ago by clulessinws.
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April 6, 2016 at 12:59 pm #839578
dianefieldsParticipantAs I sat for a few minutes at the Starbucks in the Junction last evening, I was asked to leave as I was not planning on purchasing a beverage. I was told that this was a new corporate policy which came as quite a surprise. The lobby is only for paying customers. Hmm. Not seeing that this morning in my building where there is a Starbucks. Has anyone else had this experience?
- This topic was modified 8 years ago by dianefields.
April 6, 2016 at 1:17 pm #839581
SueParticipantNo, but to be honest I don’t believe I’ve ever sat in a Starbucks when I hadn’t purchased something. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to reserve seating for paying customers as it’s private property. I know that if I had purchased something and there were no seats available because people were just hanging out, that would be frustrating to me.
April 6, 2016 at 1:56 pm #839585
JanSParticipantSue…I agree..you wouldn’t go into, say, Jak’s to just sit and pass the time, to not order anything while sitting at a table. They would ask you to leave for a paying customer. Starbucks is a private business, not a public lobby. You can do that at..say, the Starbucks location at Admiral Safeway, where it’s open to the store..but not at a stand alone like in the Junction.
April 6, 2016 at 1:58 pm #839586
JanSParticipantI don’t think that’s a new policy…it’s a smart one. Paying customers in a standalone place like the enhanced Starbucks in the Junction get priority.. Have a cup of tea, and you would be fine.
April 6, 2016 at 2:00 pm #839587
JanSParticipantalso, Diane..a question. Is the one in the lobby in your building open air? Just open to the lobby? Then, yes, sit at a table…but pay attention. If a paying customer is looking for a place to sit, and tables are full, be courteous and let them have your table. That would be the right thing to do.
April 6, 2016 at 3:07 pm #839607
jasoninwestwoodParticipantGood for them. It’s not a park bench. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in there and not been able to find a seat because people are in there reading books or mooching wi-fi. Buy something or leave.
April 6, 2016 at 3:13 pm #839609
dianefieldsParticipantThere was plenty of seating available at 6:15pm.
April 6, 2016 at 4:04 pm #839622
jissyParticipantSorry Ms. Fields but I think you’re missing the point. Starbucks (like any other smart business) looks at every single person who walks through their door as “overhead” so to speak meaning you are going to cost them $X.00 to host you. And they have established that they need every customer to buy $Y.00 in food or beverage in order to be profitable — if you’re not doing that then they need to move you out the door for someone who is or they have to close there doors.
I would do the same thing as them b/c think about it, you stay long enough and you’re maybe going to sneeze, so you get up and get a napkin, that just cost them $0.02. Oh, then you stay even a little longer and you have to use the bathroom… now I know a couple squares of TP and a squirt of soap isn’t that much but over time it sure is and oh, BTW you’ve also used electricity b/c the occupancy sensor light went on and water, sewer and garbage are involved (unless you ate your paper towel after using it). Enough customers like you over the course of days, weeks, months add up to WAY too much overhead and places go out of business.
It’s common courtesy IMO and something I’m trying to teach my children. Seriously, EVERY TIME we leave the house I ask them to use the bathroom but inevitably, every once in a while someone has to go while we’re out or en route somewhere, even if I were to have to pop into a Burger King to use the potty, a place we don’t ever even patronize b/c we don’t eat fast food, I stand at the counter afterward and buy a bottled water or something. How would you feel if you had your front door open b/c it was a beautiful day and a neighbor just plopped down to
R & R a moment in your living room then decided to help themselves to a glass of water and your bathroom?Yeah, I’m being a bit literal and ridiculous but I cannot even fathom that this bothered you, it’s just smart business.
April 6, 2016 at 7:25 pm #839642
22bladesParticipantIf I peered through the window and saw a pretty full shop, it would dissuade me from even going in and “shopping” there. If that’s because of a non-paying person occupying a seat or table, that’s even more lost revenue. I agree with the others that say “it’s a business”.
And then there’s bandwidth… Folks, it’s not your office to be downloading your client’s spreadsheet or whatever.
April 6, 2016 at 7:49 pm #839646
aaParticipantShe didn’t ask everyone to give an opinion of whether it was justified, she simply asked if it had happened to anyone else. Sheesh.
April 6, 2016 at 9:08 pm #839648
JoBParticipantaa.. i know she didn’t ask for anyone’s opinion
but i am still puzzled as to why the op thought it was ok to walk into a business and use any of their facilities without making a purchase…
color me old fashioned…. but i was tickled to hear from the mom that is teaching her kids to pay for the use of a businesses facilities by making a purchase
that’s how we keep local businesses that maintain facilities in businessApril 7, 2016 at 8:53 am #839719
goofymeerkatParticipantaa, anyone who didn’t discover the internet yesterday should know that posting anything in a public place is an invitation to get others’ opinions. That’s just how it works.
April 7, 2016 at 12:54 pm #839751
JanSParticipantalso…it’s fairly common knowledge that posting on the forum will get you a deluge of opinions at times. It’s the nature of the forum….I guess if I answered the way aa wanted, I would say “no, that’s never happened to me, because I’ve never done that” gives an opinion without giving one, I suppose…
everybody …out in the sunshine…it be gone soon enough :)
also…that particular Starbucks is NOT a lobby of the apartment building. It’s a stand alone restaurant that serves food and alcohol in the evenings…gotta remember that. If you want to just sit and rest, I suppose you could go across the street to Cupcake Royale… but they may want to make you get something, too. Or, on a nice evening like last night…there’s a nice little park with benches just down the street
- This reply was modified 8 years ago by JanS.
April 11, 2016 at 8:50 am #840114
Junction JoeParticipantShame on Starbucks. They should have offered you a free drink and free WIFI just for being you.
April 11, 2016 at 12:04 pm #840161
seaopgalParticipantThem saying “It’s a new corporate policy” is like you saying “OK, thanks. I’ve been waiting for a friend to order, but I guess they’re not coming.” Social niceties to handle awkward situations.
April 12, 2016 at 9:25 pm #840293
JayDeeParticipantI remember bootleging Cupcake Royales Wi-fi signal when I rode the bus with a iPod Touch in 2009. You just had to agree your weren’t pirating music and you could do so. Ditto Sbux. Just sit outside.
April 19, 2016 at 12:56 pm #840949
clulessinwsParticipantProbably not a new policy but like seagopal says, it’s a way to approach the subject with a non paying customer. I wish Starbucks enforced this region wide but they don’t and I guess I don’t blame them as people will bite your head off if you ask nicely.
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