Starbucks is extending its free refill policy as it tries to make customers stay longer in stores
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- Starbucks is extending its free refills policy to non-rewards members with reusable cups.
- Customers at participating stores will be eligible for a top-up of many brewed coffee and teas.
- Starbucks is also reversing its open-door policy, limiting facilities to paying customers and staff.
Starbucks is expanding its free refills policy to all customers at participating stores as part of its new code of conduct, effective January 27.
Non-rewards members at the coffee giant will soon be able to receive refills at no extra cost as long as their beverage is prepared in a clean reusable cup or a for-here utensil. They also must order in-store and within the same visit.
The offer includes hot and iced brewed coffee and tea but excludes flavored iced tea, cold brew, nitro cold brew, iced tea lemonade, and its Refreshers.
Starbucks rewards members were previously the only ones who could get a free top-up of their order. From February 12th, loyal customers will also have to use a reusable cup or a ceramic in-house mug to be eligible for a refill.
The Seattle-headquartered coffee chain said on Monday that it would also reverse its open-door policy.
The policy was first introduced in 2018 after Starbucks faced widespread criticism over an incident in which two men having a business meeting were arrested at a Philadelphia location after they tried to use the restroom without purchasing anything.
The policy lets non-paying guests use store facilities, like bathrooms, indoor communal areas, and patios.
From January 27th, these spaces will only be reserved for staff, customers, and people accompanying those making purchases.
"Implementing a Coffeehouse Code of Conduct is something most retailers already have and is a practical step that helps us prioritize our paying customers who want to sit and enjoy our cafés or need to use the restroom during their visit," Starbucks' representative Jaci Anderson told BI in an emailed statement.
The changes come as new CEO Brian Niccol sets out his vision to make Starbucks cafés places where people want to hang out again.