Starbucks — Restaurant in Toronto

Policies on Bathroom Usage

As a regular customer of Starbucks, I frequent your establishment both personally and my husband often purchases your products at home. Recently, I visited the Six Points Plaza in Etobicoke at Dundas and Kipling with my young daughter, who needed to use the restroom. After she used the facilities, we were planning to purchase drinks and a treat. When I politely asked the cashier for the restroom code, I was met with a rather curt and dismissive response: “Well, are you going to buy something? You have to buy something to use the washroom.”

I was taken aback by the tone of the response and replied that I would not be making a purchase given the manner in which I was spoken to. A guest behind me kindly offered to let us use the restroom, but the cashier refused, stating that it was not permitted.

I own two businesses myself and often allow guests to use the washroom, understanding that while they may not be a guest today, they may have been in the past or could be in the future.

Customer service is a challenging aspect of any business, and it is concerning to see staff representing your company who seem more intent on enforcing policies rigidly rather than providing respectful and considerate service.

This caused a disturbance among other customers, who were upset by the refusal to allow my daughter and me to use the facilities.

Out of principle, I choose not to spend money where I feel the customer service falls below standard.

I requested to speak with a manager, who confirmed that this was the policy but did not address how it was conveyed—rude and abrupt.

A company of this size should invest further in staff training to ensure policies are communicated professionally and courteously, avoiding situations that offend or alienate guests. Better training could help staff deliver policies without sounding snarky or curt.

I had intended to treat my daughter after she used the restroom, but I will not patronize the store further following...

I went on a very cold day . I was walking with my dog (Labrador if that matters) and stopped for a coffee to go.

I understand the pet policies , but it is all about approach .

I have always entered SO MANY Starbucks with my dog , for a quick to go order , and they are always so friendly . Even giving me a pup cup.

I never stay to drink the coffee with my dog , unless is summer and they have a patio.

I ordered my latte and even tipped as I usually do . As soon as I finished paying , the worker looked at my dog with disgust asking “is that a service dog” . I mentioned that she was not , and I was not staying , only getting my coffee to go . She then proceeded to tell me to “wait outside “ in a very rude matter and again , with a face as if I had a contagious disease .

I waited outside , even tho it was super cold . She then brought me my coffee , still with the disgust face . Gave it to me and not even an smile or a word .

I work customer service , so I know this is just not it . Again , I understand pet policies . I entered only because I do it at other Starbucks and they’re ok with it . If they are not , I understand , but it is all about the way you say it . Looking with disgust and treating me bad , just because I have a dog with me , just is unacceptable . They need some customer service training...

I ordered a dark-roasted drip coffee like I always do, only to find that they don't serve drip coffee anymore. They have a new machine in place of the familiar coffee carafes called the "Clover X," based in some part I assume on the Clover machine, a high-end automatic one-cup-at-a-time brewer. I like Clover coffee just fine, but the big feature of the new "X" model is that your coffee is ready just 30 second after you order it.

Only, it's not possible to make brewed drip coffee in 30 seconds, ever. The water needs to spend 3-4 minutes in contact with the grounds to properly extract the coffee. So what the Clover X produces is more like an Americano or a Keurig. And they've clearly gone to some lengths to make it taste LIKE drip coffee, but the result has a very thin body, and it's clearly got the "burnt water" aftertaste that you always get when you try to speed up the extraction process. Many people will surely be fine with this, I'm not.

So, it seems Starbucks is getting out of the drip coffee business. Don't let them tell you they're not. I will strenuously avoid any store that uses the Clover X, and when that fails I'll just stop going. The really tragic thing is that of all the fast food coffee chains, Starbucks' drip coffee was by far the best. Sic transit...