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Starbucks is ending a longstanding policy that allows people to hang out in its coffee shops or use the bathrooms.

Starting Jan. 27, the Seattle-based coffee giant will require individuals to make a purchase off the menu in order to use the café, patio or restrooms at its more than 10,000 company-owned North American locations.

Starbuck will post the new code of conduct at all stores. The list also bans discrimination, harassment, panhandling, drug use, smoking, vaping and consumption of outside alcohol.

It is unclear how many of the 260-plus Starbucks outposts in New Jersey are corporate-run.

In a statement to NJBIZ, a Starbucks spokesperson said, “We want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable in our stores. Implementing a Coffeehouse Code of Conduct is something most retailers already have and is a practical step that helps us prioritize our paying customers who want to sit and enjoy our cafes or need to use the restroom during their visit. This means our cafés, patios, and restrooms are for customers and partners.”

“By setting clear expectations for behavior and use of our spaces, we can create a better environment for everyone. These updates are part of a broader set of changes we are making to enhance the café experience as we work to get back to Starbucks,” the media representative said.

According to a spokesperson, the chain is OK with customers using the restroom or logging into Wi-Fi before approaching the counter.

“Our code of conduct is simply about prioritizing our spaces for our customers during their visits and being clear about what is expected of individuals in our stores,” they said.

‘Opportunities … to do better’

Employees will receive training to enforce the code and, if necessary, involve law enforcement when violations occur, Starbucks said. The rollout comes as part of a larger “Back to Starbucks” initiative.

The program aims to create “a welcoming environment” and win back customers.

Other changes coming this month include unlimited free refills of hot or iced coffee for customers who buy it to drink at the same Starbucks location.

The updates come nearly seven years after a store manager called police on two Black men when they didn’t order food or drinks at a Starbucks in Philadelphia. The pair was reportedly having a business meeting at the shop.

Caught on video, the arrest sparked backlash against Starbucks. In the wake, the company wound up issuing an apology and settling with the men for an undisclosed sum, USA Today reported.

A former Chipotle Mexican Grill CEO, Brian Niccol took the helm of Starbucks last fall.

Niccol has said he wants to make locations “inviting places to linger” and reestablish the struggling chain as the nation’s “community coffeehouse.”

“Our stores have always been more than a place to get a drink. They’ve been a gathering space, a community center where conversations are sparked, friendships form, and everyone is greeted by a welcoming barista. A visit to Starbucks is about connection and joy, and of course great coffee,” he said in September 2024.

“Many of our customers still experience this magic every day, but in some places — especially in the U.S. — we aren’t always delivering. It can feel transactional, menus can feel overwhelming, product is inconsistent, the wait too long or the handoff too hectic. These moments are opportunities for us to do better,” he said.

Editor’s note: This story was updated at 12:45 p.m. ET Jan. 15, 2025, after a company spokesperson clarified that upcoming changes include unlimited coffee refills — not just one — for customers who buy it to drink at the same Starbucks location.

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• Another New Jersey Starbucks votes to unionize
• Former Bank of America cleared for new Starbucks in Union Beach