The 16,482 Starbucks in America announced a major policy change that not everyone is happy about.

Your coffee and muffin, or latte and bagel at any of the 677 Illinois Starbucks will still taste the same.  The policy change isn't about the product.  It's about making sure you buy the product when you are in the store.

New Starbucks Policy Upsetting Long-Time Customers

Mysterious "Dumb Starbucks" Coffee Shop Parodies Famed Seattle Chain
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Starbucks had an "open door" policy which meant that you could just come into any Starbucks to use the WiFi, the bathroom, or have a 3-hour meeting with somebody and never purchase a drop of coffee.

The new policy will force folks to purchase something to use the facility in any capacity.

In a statement sent from the company, “There is a need to reset expectations for how our spaces should be used, and who uses them,” Starbucks North America President Sara Trilling said.

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“We want to ensure our spaces are prioritized for use by our customers. Our Coffeehouse Code of Conduct is something most retailers have and is designed to provide clarity that our spaces – including our cafes, patios, and restrooms – are for use by customers and partners,” the company shared in a statement.

The "open door" policy has been in effect since 2018.

Thoughts on the end of the open-door policy have been mixed with some applauding the move.

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While others think it's going to somehow cause death.

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And others are complaining that the business is no longer just a place to use the bathroom.

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And this pleases other folks.

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If you need to use something at a Starbucks get ready to buy something.  If you don't like the policy change then you are free to find a different coffee shop in your neighborhood.  You know, a locally owned one since you care about the community.

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