The coffee giant said that bathrooms at its North America locations will only be available for paying customers, in the chain’s new code of conduct released Monday. Starbucks first allowed anyone to use its bathrooms “100% of the time” in May 2018, after two Black men were arrested while waiting for a friend at a Starbucks store in Philadelphia.
“Starbucks spaces are for use by our partners and customers – this includes our cafes, patios and restrooms,” the company said. The code of conduct will be displayed inside the chain’s more than 15,000 U.S. locations.
The changes come as newly minted CEO Brian Niccol looks to turn around the company’s recent laggard performance. During its most recent quarter, Starbucks saw a 6% decline in U.S. sales and a 14% drop in China, its second-largest market.
Niccol, known for turning fast-casual chain Chipotle $CMG into a powerhouse, plans to get Starbucks back on track by focusing on a number of key areas, including improving its morning rush performance and revitalizing Starbucks’ in-store experience.
Niccol told investors during the company earnings call in October that the goal is for in-store orders to be completed in four minutes or less. This, along with self-service brewing stations, increased hiring efforts, and redesigned store layouts, is expected to reduce wait times, especially during peak hours.
Starbucks also plans to bring back condiment bars, a move aimed at reducing barista workload.
But such a turnaround won’t be easy. Dr. Rebecca Homkes, faculty at Duke $DUK Corporate Executive Education, previously told Quartz, “it’s not just about reverting to old strategies, but also about navigating the tension between nostalgia and innovation.”
— Francisco Velasquez contributed to this article.