Starbucks to Close 8,000 U.S. Stores for Racial-Bias Training After Arrests

[OneHungLo]

Starbucks said on Tuesday that it would close its more than 8,000 stores in the United States for one day to conduct anti-bias training after two African-American men were arrested at one of its stores last week, prompting outrage.

Starbucks will close the stores May 29 to offer the training to 175,000 employees.

“I’ve spent the last few days in Philadelphia with my leadership team listening to the community, learning what we did wrong and the steps we need to take to fix it,” Kevin R. Johnson, the company’s chief executive, said in a statement announcing the training.

The two men were arrested after asking to use the restroom at a Starbucks in Philadelphia. An employee refused the request because the men had not bought anything, according to officials. The men sat down and were asked to leave, and an employee eventually called the police.

The ensuing scene was recorded in a video that has been viewed more than 10 million times on Twitter. In it, police officers appear to handcuff both men, as a third man, Andrew Yaffe, confronts them.

“But what did they do? What did they do? Someone tell me what they did,” Mr. Yaffe asks.

The arrests prompted a hashtag on social media, #BoycottStarbucks, and protests at the store, in Philadelphia’s Center City. Videos posted online show protesters chanting and holding up signs.

Two days after the episode, Starbucks apologized, and Mr. Johnson called the situation a “reprehensible outcome.”

The decision to shut all its domestic stores and provide training underscores the damage done to Starbucks’s reputation for being a socially responsible company, one that sells fair-trade coffee and promotes its stores as a meeting place. In 2015, the company was widely mocked for instructing employees to write “Race Together” on its coffee cups.

“This move goes far beyond the playbook” of what a normal crisis response would be, said Andrew D. Gilman, the president of CommCore Consulting Group, a crisis management firm. “That’s sending a big statement.”

The training will address implicit bias, the company said on Tuesday, with input from groups including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Anti-Defamation League.

The two men were arrested on suspicion of trespassing. The prosecutor’s office in Philadelphia reviewed the case and declined to pursue charges because of “a lack of evidence that a crime was committed,” according to a spokesman.

The employee who called the police is no longer employed by Starbucks, the company confirmed on Monday.

On Tuesday, the Philadelphia police also released audio of a female caller who reported “two gentlemen at my cafe who are refusing to make a purchase or leave.”

Starbucks has closed stores for training before. In 2008, it shut 7,100 of its American locations for three hours. But that training focused more on making the perfect latte as the company struggled with sputtering sales.

In 2016, Chipotle closed its more than 2,000 restaurants for four hours for a “town hall” with employees to discuss food safety after more than 500 customers had reported illnesses that included salmonella, norovirus and E. coli.

Starbucks operates more than 9,400 stores in the United States, Canada and Latin America, according to its most recent annual filing; those stores generated $1.3 billion in revenue in the company’s most recent fiscal year. There are more than 12,000 Starbucks worldwide.

The company’s stock closed roughly flat on Tuesday afternoon.

[OneHungLo]

I'm completely shocked by the ridiculousness of this whole situation. Two guys refused to buy anything, and when they were asked to leave, they refused to go. The cops get there and ask them to leave, and when they refuse, they are arrested. The employee who called the cops is now no longer working there. Meanwhile, the two guys got to meet the CEO of Starbucks--all without paying a dime to the company.

I'm wondering what this means for the rest of America. Can we now sit in restaurants and use their bathroom and wifi for free without buying anything? If a manager (or a cop) asks us to leave, do we not have to comply? Is hanging out for free at a private establishment now a right? I'm just wondering what the upshot is.

That comment pretty much sums it up

[pimpmaster9000]

pesky former slaves bothering the innocent white man...

[NickBaer]

Even McDonald's has a problem with people using the bathroom. That in itself is not racial, it's what people do in bathrooms - besides pee.

Homeless bathe, drug addicts shoot up. Drug deals.

[Bladewire]

Originally Posted by crucifissio

pesky former slaves bothering the innocent white man...

Leave Russia & move back to Serbia

[baddog]

Originally Posted by OneHungLo

That comment pretty much sums it up

What will likely happen is that businesses will stop letting customers use the bathrooms. I know a bunch around here stopped allowing it after a dude went around setting places up for not having handicapped accessible bathrooms. He made a lot of money.

[Brian mike]

Originally Posted by baddog

What will likely happen is that businesses will stop letting customers use the bathrooms. I know a bunch around here stopped allowing it after a dude went around setting places up for not having handicapped accessible bathrooms. He made a lot of money.

Broken sign on the bathroom door.

[Bladewire]

Where do you people live with these horror stories of bathroom abuse WTF?! I couldn't imagine walking into a local store, shop or coffee place and not being given access to a restroom. Has never happened

[OneHungLo]

Originally Posted by Bladewire

Where do you people live with these horror stories of bathroom abuse WTF?! I couldn't imagine walking into a local store, shop or coffee place and not being given access to a restroom. Has never happened

That's because you choose to live in a "not so diverse" area

Tell us again what the demographics are for Dana Point

[Brian mike]

Originally Posted by OneHungLo

That's because you choose to live in a "not so diverse" area

Originally Posted by Bladewire

Where do you people live with these horror stories of bathroom abuse WTF?! I couldn't imagine walking into a local store, shop or coffee place and not being given access to a restroom. Has never happened

I remember this from the time i was Travelling in Toronto ( staying Downtown )
Or they have the Bathroom Door locked you need to ask the staff to unlocked it

[Bladewire]

Originally Posted by Brian mike

I remember this from the time i was Travelling in Toronto ( staying Downtown )
Or they have the Bathroom Door locked you need to ask the staff to unlocked it

So staff is made to be the viceroy to the porcelain God's that's too bad. So 8f the staff thinks a guy looks like he's gonna shoot up in the toilet, or take a bath in the sink, they deny him access? Even if they pay?

[beerptrol]

Originally Posted by OneHungLo

You'll have to go beg for spare change or offer blowjob for a cup of coffee some where else that day!

[bloggerz]

fuck where will i get my coffe that day

[RedFred]

Originally Posted by beerptrol

You'll have to go beg for spare change or offer blowjob for a cup of coffee some where else that day!

[Brian mike]

Originally Posted by Bladewire

So staff is made to be the viceroy to the porcelain God's that's too bad. So 8f the staff thinks a guy looks like he's gonna shoot up in the toilet, or take a bath in the sink, they deny him access? Even if they pay?

Some place fixed their problem by putting up "Broken toilet sign". People don't bother to ask any question to staff when is this way IMO.
I dont like Public bathroom unless is a REALLY BIG Emergency #1. If it's #2 I try to plan ahead lol instead to use a public bathroom... That just discusting LOL

talking about Toilet , CS is about to show up with his own interpretation ^^ lol