Why is what is Starbucks coffee known for changing in stores?

A customer at a Starbucks store heard a loud noise while queuing for the restroom, then watched a man flee; inside, the toilet had cracked and separated from the sewage pipe, shifting more than ten centimeters. The incident revived a wider discussion: new Starbucks stores increasingly omit public restrooms, and older stores lock them citing malfunctions.

Earlier years saw most stores open restrooms to the public, a convenience that brought employees filth, long occupation, and even people showering or washing vegetables inside. While what is Starbucks coffee is a beverage question for most customers, is coffee a beverage is beside the point here: the practical result is that restroom access in stores is narrowing, and staff say keeping them clean had become unmanageable.

Recently, a customer encountered a bizarre scene at a Starbucks store: while queuing for the restroom, they suddenly heard a loud noise, and then a man hastily fled from the bathroom. Upon entering, they found that the toilet had been cracked by being stepped on and had separated from the sewage pipe, shifting more than ten centimeters. This bizarre incident quickly sparked heated discussions among netizens and unexpectedly unveiled the topic of Starbucks restrooms gradually disappearing. Many netizens were surprised that Starbucks even had restrooms, while regular customers recalled that in earlier years, most stores had restrooms open to the public, but this convenience measure brought endless troubles to employees—filth, long-term occupation, and even people taking showers or washing vegetables inside. Now, new Starbucks stores are gradually no longer including restrooms, and old stores often lock them citing malfunctions. This article takes you through the incident and the helpless reality behind it.

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Recently, a customer posted their bizarre experience at a Starbucks store on social media, quickly attracting a large number of netizens to watch and discuss.

According to the poster, after making a purchase at Starbucks that day, they were queuing for the restroom when they suddenly heard a loud noise from the other side of the door. Immediately after, a man rushed out of the bathroom in a panic and disappeared in a flash.

When the customer walked to the bathroom door and looked inside, the scene left her stunned—the toilet had not only been completely cracked by the previous user but had also separated from the sewage pipe, shifting more than ten centimeters overall.

After seeing the photos taken by the customer, netizens turned into detectives, speculating that the toilet was so severely damaged most likely because someone had directly stepped on it to use it, causing it to collapse under the weight and eventually tip over and detach from its position. Some also suggested that the store check the surveillance footage to identify the culprit who damaged the toilet and make them compensate for the store's losses.

However, while marveling at this unimaginable accident, Starbucks' restrooms themselves also became a focus of discussion—"You can actually go to Starbucks to use the restroom?" Many users commented that they had been to many Starbucks stores but had hardly ever seen restrooms inside.

In response, some regular customers recalled that in the past, Starbucks stores, as long as they were not particularly small, basically all had restrooms. Whether customers buying drinks or passersby, anyone in need could enter and use them.

However, this convenience measure brought a lot of trouble to Starbucks employees. Under some posts related to Starbucks restrooms, workers often complain about the chaotic conditions of store restrooms: tissues all over the floor, cigarette butts thrown everywhere, footprints on toilet seats, and so on, making regular cleaning of restrooms a nightmare for Starbucks staff.

In addition to the unbearable filth, some customers would also occupy the restroom for long periods to handle personal matters, such as taking showers inside, washing vegetables, or gutting fish in the sink. These bizarre experiences left Starbucks employees exclaiming that the world is full of wonders, while also feeling helpless, admitting that the misuse of store restrooms seriously affects the store's image.

Because of this, in recent years, when opening new stores, Starbucks has gradually stopped including restrooms. In some old stores that originally had restrooms, employees might post a notice on the door saying that internal equipment is out of order and temporarily unavailable, or simply lock them and no longer open them to the public.

Regarding this practice by the brand, some customers who used to work or study in the store for long periods once called it unfriendly and said it affected the user experience. But now, seeing this toilet that was stepped on and collapsed, onlookers have expressed sympathy for the workers who complain endlessly about restrooms and quite understand Starbucks' decision to no longer include restrooms.

The restroom issue has always been one of the biggest headaches for food and beverage operators, including cafes, and there is currently no perfect solution that satisfies both sides. Many food and beverage stores, out of consideration for customers, set up restrooms inside, but often have to compromise due to various unexpected real-world usage situations, ultimately canceling this convenience measure.

Image source: Xiaohongshu

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.