Starbucks China tells customers to buy something before they sit down, as it invests $45 million in the store experience
Source: Fortune ·
The rule change comes as Starbucks China spends 300 millon yuan on staffing and store upgrades.
From the source
Want a seat at your nearest Starbucks in China? Make sure you order something first. Starbucks China now asks customers to buy something before they can sit down in its cafés, a rule that covers its roughly 8,000 stores across mainland China. (Some customers, like pregnant women and people with mobility issues, will still get “priority support,” the company said in the announcement on Oct. 21) Social media reaction to the move was largely positive. “Starbucks is in the business of selling beverages, not operating as a free study room,” wrote one user on Weibo, a platform similar to X. “Seats are resources provided to customers, not something that can be occupied without any conditions.” Starbucks China also said it will invest over 300 million yuan ($44.9 million) to upgrade the store experience as part of a broader “Third Place Initiative”. The investment includes greater staffing for locations during peak hours. The change comes as Starbucks faces increasing competition in China.…