Starbucks is changing its open-door policy

Stopping into America’s largest coffee chain to use the bathroom while on the go? You have to buy something first.

Starbucks is changing its open-door policy, which allowed anyone to relax in its cafes or use its restrooms without making a purchase. Spokesman Jaci Anderson told the AP on Jan. 13 that the company’s new guidelines prioritize paying customers and that most other retailers have similar policies.

“We want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable in our stores,” Anderson said. “By setting clear expectations for behavior and use of our space, we can create a better environment for everyone.”

Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TODAY.com.

But the policy change has also been put on hold Starbucks websitewhich says it aims to create a “welcoming environment” with “respect” for its customers and employees.

“We want to ensure that our space is prioritized for use by our customers,” Starbucks wrote. “Our Coffeehouse Code of Conduct is something that most retailers have and is designed to provide clarity that our premises – including our cafes, terraces and toilets – are for the use of customers and partners.”

Starbucks will also display the code of conduct in stores to “remind customers of the role they play” in the coffee chain’s goal of returning to a “community coffeehouse that is inviting and welcoming.”

Prohibited activities inside the chain’s cafes include abuse or disruption of its space, discrimination or harassment, violence or threatening language, smoking or drug use and much more.

“We will ask anyone who does not follow this code of conduct to leave the store and may seek the assistance of law enforcement,” the company’s code of conduct reads.

The coffee giant’s open-door policy was instituted in 2018 after two black men who were waiting for a friend were arrested for trespassing at a Philadelphia Starbucks. The incident was caught on camera, leading to public outcry as well as a declaration from the city’s mayor, Jim Kenney, who said it “seems to exemplify what racial discrimination looks like in 2018.”

In the years since, however, Starbucks has closed several stores citing safety concerns reported by employees, which were reflected in an open letter written by Starbucks senior vice presidents of U.S. operations Debbie Stroud and Denise Nelson.

It is in the midst of a major overhaul under its new chairman and CEO Brian Niccol, who emphasized the company’s goals in a message on January 9.

Since Niccol has taken the helm, Starbucks has made policy changes such as to stop charging for non-dairy milk and reduce discounts and promotions to focus on its “community coffee house” roots.