Starbucks Corp (NASDAQ:SBUX, ETR:SRB) has rolled out a new code of conduct that includes a new requirement that customers must make a purchase in order to sit at a table or use the toilets.
Reversing the open-door policy that has been in place since 2018, the coffee shop chain confirmed the changes to staff on Monday as part of new chief executive Brian Niccol’s plans to improve sales and relations with employees.
The new policy states that "Starbucks spaces are for use by our partners and customers – this includes our cafes, patios and restrooms."
Coffee store staff have apparently found the open-door policy challenging.
The new code of conduct is a "practical step that helps us prioritize our paying customers who want to sit and enjoy our cafes or need to use the restroom during their visit," a spokesperson for the Seattle-based group said in a statement.
"By setting clear expectations for behavior and use of our spaces, we can create a better environment for everyone."
Talks between the Starbucks Workers United union and management have also broken down this week, as the two sides look to find an agreement following increasing numbers of stores becoming unionised.
The company called the union’s proposals "not sustainable" and the worker organisations have criticized the company’s proposals, including Niccol's $113 million pay package.
Starbucks workers launched strikes at more than 300 US outlets in December and more have been threatened following a recent proposal that one worker told media was "almost laughable."
"The company should be concerned because this is just the beginning," Michelle Eisen, a barista in New York and a member of the union's bargaining team, told ABC News.
The union has filed over 30 unfair labor practice charges over the past two months, alleging that the company "refused to bargain and engaged in bad faith bargaining over economic issues."