Move comes after company was accused of bias when two black men were arrested for sitting without ordering anythingNew Starbucks policy allows nonpaying guests to sit in cafes and use restroomsStarbucks has told its employees to allow all guests to use store facilities, including restrooms, regardless of their spending. The new policy was announced on Saturday in a company-wide letter that stated: “Any person who enters our spaces, including patios, cafes and restrooms, regardless of whether they make a purchase, is considered a customer.”Previously, Starbucks employees had been free to exercise judgment about nonpaying guests. The company said the new policy would apply to its more than 8,000 company-operated US cafes. Under the new policy, customers will be able to stay in stores unless they’re “behaving in a disruptive manner”. Starbucks employees should call 911 if a situation presents an immediate danger or threat to employee or customer safety, the company said.

Source: The Guardian May 20, 2018 19:30 UTC