Starbucks' new policy: you can use the bathroom without spending, but you may not be able to get in.

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Starbucks recently announced a new official policy that allows everyone, whether they are customers or not, to use Starbucks coffee shop space, including toilets. However, the new policy is limited to 8000 coffee shops operating in the United States.

"We are committed to creating a sense of warmth and belonging so that everyone is welcome," Starbucks said in a statement.

The move is the latest development after a controversial incident at Starbucks last month.

A month ago, the manager of a Starbucks coffee shop in Philadelphia refused to allow two African-American men who did not spend money to use the bathroom and accused them of refusing to leave, so they were locked up and taken away by police, which caused a flurry of criticism and protest after the incident was exposed. and tarnished the company's image.

Starbucks has long had guidelines on how to deal with "no consumers", but a company management said there was a grey area, which was exposed by the Philadelphia Starbucks incident.

Starbucks said at the time that there were different guidelines in his 20, 8000 coffee shops around the world, depending on the market. As for the new policy, it applies to the 8000 coffee shops operating in the United States, in other words, those outside the United States are still not subject to the new policy.

Starbucks made it clear in a letter to employees that "anyone who enters our store, including terraces, cafes and bathrooms, should be treated as customers, regardless of whether they spend it or not."

A spokesman for the company said that under the new policy, if customers engage in "destructive behavior", employees should follow the company's procedures, which are also included in the new guidelines. However, Starbucks did not specify the content of the program, nor did it specify the definition of "destructive behavior", saying only that if the situation endangered or threatened the safety of employees or customers, they should call 911.

Starbucks also said that customers should also use coffee shop space as expected, take care of others, and take responsibility for their own actions.

"We don't want Starbucks to be a public bathroom, but we will make a 100% decision at the right time to give the keys to those who need them," Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz said of corporate responsibility at a Washington think-tank earlier this month.