Business · Companies · 1 hr ago
Starbucks China to require purchases before customers can sit in cafes
Starbucks China will require a purchase before customers sit in its cafes nationwide, starting Thursday.
The company said it will put up signs explaining the rule in its stores.
It will prioritise visitors who need assistance, including pregnant women and people with limited mobility.
Starbucks says it still wants its cafes to serve as places where people can spend time beyond simply buying coffee.
The rule comes as competition intensifies in China's fast-growing coffee market, which has more than 550 million coffee drinkers.
The company introduced a similar policy at its North American stores last year, and the new rule will now apply across China.
Starbucks China will require customers to make a purchase before sitting in its cafes nationwide starting Thursday.
The company said it would put signs explaining the rule in its stores.
Starbucks said it would prioritise helping visitors in need, including pregnant women and people with limited mobility.
The policy follows a similar rule introduced at Starbucks stores in North America last year.
The change has prompted online discussion, with some commenters calling it reasonable and saying it should have come earlier.
- Who
- Starbucks China.
- What
- It will require customers to make a purchase before sitting in its cafes.
- When
- Nationwide starting Thursday, according to an announcement on Wednesday.
- Where
- Starbucks stores in China.
- Why
- The move is part of a push to revive Starbucks’ fortunes in the competitive mainland market.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Starbucks introduced a similar policy at its North America stores.
Starbucks China announced that it would roll out the purchase-before-seating rule nationwide.
Starbucks China is set to begin applying the rule nationwide, with signs put in stores.
- Rollout
- Nationwide
- Start
- Thursday
- Priority visitors
- Pregnant women and people with limited mobility
- North America policy
- Similar rule introduced last year
- China coffee drinkers
- Over 550 million
3 sources
What people are saying
purchase before seating