Jazzy music and the smell of fresh coffee is the expectation from Starbucks for many students at Claremont High School. Coffee shops in Claremont have become the place where students flock; sipping caramel macchiatos and eating cake pops never ceases to be a delicious treat. However, Starbucks has changed some of its most important policies in a new wave of executive decisions.
The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally reshaped the way coffee shops operated, and Starbucks is no different. A variety of its previous services disappeared out of fear of the virus. The most notable may be the condiment bar. Featuring a variety of sugars, sweeteners, and creamers, the condiment bar allows customers to customize their drinks after they have been served. This in effect allows those same customers to change a drink they may not be fully satisfied with, or put their own spin on Starbucks’ basic drinks. Julianna Cuellar, an avid Starbucks coffee drinker shares her opinion,
“It was convenient, especially if they forgot to give me something,” Cuellar said. “It was nice to be able to grab sugar, spoons, or forks. All that good stuff.”
After practical matters, the desire to rekindle the lost feeling of cozy coffee shop vibes prompted Starbucks to resume handwriting the names of customers on their cups with Sharpie. The CEO of the company publicly stated that it would make the employees feel more personable, and foster a more welcoming atmosphere in the shops. For the most dedicated of customers, Starbucks has also promised to resume its supply of glass cups for free refills. This policy originally rewarded individuals for remaining in the shop to work or converse with their friends, and was a staple policy which reminded customers that they are an important piece of the Starbucks community. Gyuwon Lee, another Claremont High School Starbucks enthusiast, had opinions on both new policies.
“I like that employees are writing names again.” Lee said. “It’s more fun and personal when they mess up your name in their own handwriting. They might lose a lot of money giving free refills, especially in America.”
However, in stark contrast to these more friendly policies, the company has also moved to rescind the ability of people to use restrooms or work in the shop without purchasing items at the cashier. The leader of this decision stated that cleanliness and quality assurance are the highest priorities of the shop and that without a requirement of purchase those goals become more difficult to achieve. This decision was received partially negatively, with some regular customers disapproving or even protesting.
Starbucks coffee continued to grow throughout 2024, standing at a market growth of 7% from the most recent figures. As a result, it is finally ready to reinstate some of its most famous or infamous policies. In either scenario, they are here to stay as the most popular coffee shop in the world. Whether or not they create the welcoming environment they desire remains to be seen.
