Buy something or leave, Starbucks says

They should bring back comfy seating in their stores. They changed to uncomfy seating to discourage lingering. The best thing about Starbucks at its peak was having a place to meet friends or professionals to chat without having to pay for a full meal. The vibe was intellectual and calm. Now the inside of a Starbucks feels like the inside of a McDonald's, which is to say, plastic seats adjacent to a smelly bathroom.

I was in the city a few months ago and needed to use the bathroom. I visited 3 starbucks and they all had their bathrooms closed. Not just 'you need the code' but full on closed. What kind of coffee shop that's trying to encourage people to hang out more closes their bathrooms?

And this is why I don't buy starbucks anymore; they think only of themselves and nothing of the customer experience.

Seems like this is targeted at removing homeless people more than it is at improving sales. Lots of locations have stripped out seating already. There tend to be more delivery drivers inside the store than actual customers. I wouldn't be surprised if they switch to a fully drive-through system to maximize the assembly-line nature of its operations.

> The world's biggest coffee chain says its new code of conduct - which also addresses harassment and bans smoking and outside alcohol - aims to make its stores more welcoming.

Wait, smoking and outside alcohol weren't banned already? I could've been enjoying a cigar and whiskey with my shitty overpriced coffee this whole time?

As always, this is related to real estate.

Back when rent was low, shops could afford policies that increase customer happiness at the expense of revenue per area, like comfortable seating, quiet corners, and generously overlooking if 4 friends meet but only 3 buy a drink.

Add a few rounds of capitalism and now a higher rent necessitates a higher revenue per area. So just like with budget airplanes, offers get streamlined, seats get smaller and less comfy, density and noise level increase.

And then once meeting at a bus stop is more pleasant than meeting at Starbucks, they wonder why revenue tanks seemingly over night.