Starbucks India retains welcome mat, no plans to restrict restroom and facility access amid global changes

Starbucks is unlikely to implement any policy in India to restrict restroom use or access to its facilities without a purchase, the American coffeehouse chain told Moneycontrol in an emailed statement.

Starbucks this week reversed a policy it introduced in 2018 that allowed people to hang out in its coffee shops even if they had not bought something. The recent policy shift occurred in North America, where Starbucks announced that customers must make a purchase to use its amenities, a significant departure from its earlier inclusive policy.

"The Coffeehouse Code of Conduct impacts company-owned stores in the US and Canada (North America) only. There is no plan to implement similar changes in other parts of the world at this time," said a spokesperson for Starbucks' global operations.  Starbucks India operates as a 50:50 joint venture between Starbucks Corporation and Tata Consumer Products, under the brand name Tata Starbucks Private Limited. Established in 2012, the coffee chain has more than 450 outlets in the country.

However, despite being the largest such chain in India, the company is adjusting its expansion plans , as fewer customers are walking into its cafes, Tata Consumer CEO Sunil D'Souza told Reuters in December last year.  Indian consumers are scaling back on discretionary spending as persistent inflation puts pressure on middle-class budgets. Products like premium coffee and café treats are increasingly being perceived as indulgences rather than everyday essentials.