Gone are the days of sitting in Starbucks working, people watching or just hanging out without buying a thing.
The cafe chain is doing away with the open-door policy that would allow people to hang out at a Starbucks or use the business’ bathrooms without making a purchase, CNN reported.
The company announced its new code of conduct on Monday in an effort to bring customers back and increase slow sales.
It was 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 company spokesperson said in a statement. “By setting clear expectations for behavior and use of our spaces, we can create a better environment for everyone.”
In addition to having to buy something, there will be a ban on panhandling, discrimination, vaping, drug use and drinking alcohol brought into the cafe.
If the code is violated, people will be asked to leave and, in some cases, law enforcement may be called in to assist, the company said.
The new policy, called “Our Coffeehouse Code of Conduct,” can be found here.
Spokesperson Jaci Anderson said the rules will prioritize paying customers, adding that most retailers have similar policies, The Associated Press reported.
The open-door policy was put into effect in 2018 after two Black men were arrested at a Philadelphia location where they were holding a business meeting. The location had a required-purchase policy, but the two men had not purchased anything. The men’s arrest went viral. The two men settled with Starbucks and Philadelphia, CNN reported that same year.
© 2025 Cox Media Group
Sign Up
