Reformed Starbucks cup policy
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
In the past month, Starbucks has begun implementing numerous policy reforms that have many mixed opinions with both employees and customers.
Starbucks is traditionally known for its green siren logo. Now, the corporation will also be known as the first United States coffee chain to allow customers to use their own personalized cups when placing mobile orders.
In the past month, Starbucks has begun implementing three policy reforms. Customers of the chain will now have the opportunity to use their cups as long as they are clean when ordering in-store, in the drive-thru, or on mobile ordering. This policy change applies to all licensed United States and Canada cafes.
The goal and motivation behind the reformed policy is to reduce Starbucks' waste by 50 percent by 2030. The Starbucks Chief Sustainability Officer, Michael Kobori, said, “At Starbucks, we envision a future where every beverage can be served in a reusable cup…Offering customers more options to use a personal cup when they visit Starbucks marks tangible progress towards the future.” Starbucks has decided to steer its brand mission down a more sustainable route.
Customers participating in the new policy will receive a 10-cent discount on their drink. US Starbucks Rewards members will additionally receive 25 stars on their mobile app to increase the incentive to use this program.
Furthermore, when customers dine in, there will be the option to request a reused glass for their drink. The available options include assorted glassware for cold drinks and a ceramic mug for hot drinks. Free refills will be available in-store for certain beverages as well. While this information is known, the specific details for these certain policies have yet to be released.
A second policy change was also made around the same time— personalized Sharpie messages will be written onto the recyclable cups. This will include names and possibly a message as well. Starbucks used to write customers' names directly onto the cups, adding a nice personalized touch, but in 2016, stickers took over that procedure.
This agenda has been greeted with a mixed response. Some agree that the messages and handwritten names make customers feel more included and welcome. Others disagree and argue that Starbucks has a long history of discriminatory practices. For instance, just last month, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody alleged that Starbucks violated the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992, where it is illegal to make hiring decisions based on race.
Moody filed this complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations, yet after further investigation, they determined that there was “no reasonable cause,” according to CBS News. These investigations and claims may have increased Starbucks prices rapidly, and the stores’ maintenance decreased due to understaffing issues.
Additionally, many Starbucks baristas are not in favor of the new Sharpie policy. They argue that it takes more time, is too repetitive, and can be ill-received by customers. Some workers have said that customers mistakenly took their comments as flirtatious behavior, and confusion is rising as many workers use hearts in the spirit of the upcoming Valentine's Day.
Lastly, Starbucks is opting to bring back its self-serve stations. The corporation used to have stations where customers could add different kinds of milk, sugars, spices, and syrups into their beverages, which they took away when mobile ordering became a large aspect of the company. The CEO has stated that he will bring these stations back, which many customers are excited about.
More information has yet to come out about the new Starbucks policies, yet the ones that have come out have already caused a bit of controversy due to Starbucks’ recent scrutiny.