Starbucks cracks down on freeloading laptop lurkers who won't leave

[Retro]

It's rare that I side with a big corporation over the little guy, but this is one of those exceptions. It's not right that people sit there with laptops for hours on end without buying anything, or just the very cheapest drink and nothing more. Now Starbucks are cracking down on the practice and I agree with them.

Starbucks (SBUX) is to install panic buttons for staff as it cracks down on customers who sit in its shops or try to use its lavatories without buying anything.

US workers have been given new guidelines on how to eject customers who stay in the stores for a “prolonged” amount of time, attempt to use lavatories or fill up water bottles without making a purchase, as first reported by Business Insider.

The company is also training workers in conflict de-escalation. According to reports, panic buttons have even been installed in a handful of stores in a trial of how best to keep them secure.

As well as preventing shops from making money by turning tables, so-called laptop lurkers have also been criticised for dampening the environment of bars and coffee shops and turning them into less social spaces.

Starbucks staff given ‘panic button’ for laptop lurkers who won’t leave

Starbucks is to install panic buttons for staff as it cracks down on customers who sit in its shops or try to use its lavatories without buying anything.

uk.finance.yahoo.com

 

[Tiffany]

When I've met friends at Starbucks, it's always busy and lacks good seating. If you're a lurker for hours and sitting in the corner consumed by your computer work (sure you are), I'll add that I find that potentially "odd" behavior. Go work at home. I usually don't feel very comfortable when I perceive my conversations might be listened too, also.

 

[live627]

Simply the next step in Starbux trying to shake their roots of trying to be a French-style café

 

[Mars]

Starbucks stance in this instance is justified.
The Lurkers waste space, limit the choice for bonafide customers, and are a general pain in the butt.

Starbucks is a business, and it is there to make a profit, not to provide its amenities for free.
Who likes freeloaders anyway? Good luck to Starbucks!

 

[Retro]

Can you believe that people are brazen enough to set up temporary offices at Starbucks in South Korea? No wonder they're cracking down.

Starbucks customers in South Korea have been asked to stop bringing "bulky items" into cafes to do their office work, after some brought printers and desktop computers.

Others had brought in partitions and more than one computer to mark their office territory.

As many people choose to work from home, cafes like Starbucks have been trying to strike the balance between being a casual coffee place and welcoming customers choosing to work there.

Starbucks said laptops, iPads, and mobile phones are still welcome but not items that "impact the shared space" and limit seating.

Starbucks tells customers in South Korea not to bring printers or PCs

Customers have been bringing in printers and multiple computers as they work from cafes.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Mort]

Think they should give a wireless key on the receipt - and only give it out when a reasonable purchase is made, together with a max of 60-90 mins time before it expires.
I know one Subway in manchester I went to, only gave the toilet code out on receipts.

 

[Mort]

Oh - and swarms of brats at mcd's, subway, costa and others is also a big problem.

 

[Geffers]

Odd how companies just blow with the wind as to what they feel is good at the time, few years later all change.

Starbucks reverses six-year rule — and it’s going to cost you

The new rules reverse the policy put in place in 2018 after two men were arrested

www.independent.co.uk

Geffers

 

[Retro]

Starbucks are not "blowing with the wind" as you put it. If you read the article you'll see that this is happening due to abuse.

 

[Geffers]

Starbucks are not "blowing with the wind" as you put it. If you read the article you'll see that this is happening due to abuse.

They thought the original use of their premises back in 2018 was abuse, hence they called the police, they then changed policy due to bad publicity. Sounds like blowing with the wind to me.