A Wren Says

Years ago, Starbucks had a PR problem. A group of Black cyclists had come into one of the cafes, were profiled. The brand then committed to an open door policies, saying that their stores (specifically the bathrooms) were for everyone. No one was to be kicked out. Years later now, in 2025, the brand did a reversal. Scratch that, our cafes prioritize paying customers. You gotta buy something first before you use the toilet. What changed?

While there still may be legitimate issues of bad behavior by people enter the cafes, I think this is more about an identity issue.

Starbucks popularized the idea of a third space, somewhere you could go in your community and stay a while. The high-priced drinks came with an ambience. Stores had highly local posters, letting the community know about events in the area. There was an option to use a mug if you were staying in the café to enjoy your drink. The barista wrote your drink on the cup by hand, even if it were misspelled. It was a personal touch in a place that was supposed to be part of the community. The idea was that you would get your stuff, your coffee and pastry, and then linger.

Over the years, Starbucks seemed to prioritize efficiency over community, erring towards becoming a  fast food chain. You can get your mobile order and get out of the door quickly. You can grab your coffee and cake pop and go. The idea then shifted to “Get your coffee and leave, as quickly as possible, because we have more people to serve.” To go with that, I noticed as I visited more locations, the sitting space decreased as the stores were being renovated. Music was played so loudly that it was unreasonable to have a conversation or study. And the beloved handwritten name was replaced by a printed sticker. While this helped with efficiency, it hurt the brand.

As Starbucks made its changes, it lost its differentiation. Beyond the color scheme, what would set it apart from a Dunkin or Caribou, or any other coffee chain. Now the new CEO Brian Nichol is set to change that.

Nichol is still fairly new in his role and has already set about making changes to what the brand does. That will certainly trickle down to how it is perceived. Will it be enough for Starbucks to reclaim its identity as a third space, or will it continue to blend in with all the rest?