Starbucks — Restaurant in Laguna Beach

Dear Starbucks Customer Service,

I wanted to share an experience I had at one of your locations after a walk at Laguna. I visited the store intending to purchase tea, a pastry, and water. The line was quite long, so I asked an employee for the restroom code, explaining that I would be making a purchase but needed to use the restroom first.

The response I received was surprisingly rude. The employee told me in a harsh tone that I had to buy something first. I explained again that I was planning to, but the line was long. He then gave me the code but added, “You can’t leave without buying something,” which felt accusatory and unwelcoming.

As a regular Starbucks customer, I’ve always appreciated the atmosphere and service. This experience was disappointing and not what I expect from a brand I’ve supported for years. I don’t come to Starbucks for political or religious reasons—I come for quality and consistency, and I hope this feedback can help improve service at...

I came into this location for the first time, on a busy Sunday where there was a lot of customers where I literally acted like a robotic customer waiting for his drink, and returned today on a slow Thursday afternoon, and the associate Hannah not only greeted me with a smile, she remembered me by name. That not only made my day because I was having a rough day, but she capped it off with a great drink and was so professional. That is the type of customer service I want but didn't expect at all, and she went above and beyond by not only delivering my drink with a smile, she touched my soul by remembering my name when I wasn't anyone special that Sunday walking in. That simple act goes a long way, much deeper than these typed words or technology. It is a human experience and she was an expert at making her customer feel valued. She deserves not only a raise because she is exceptional, but employers be aware shes the real deal :) Thanks Hannah for...

Recently, while I was traveling in Laguna Beach, the charging ports in my car stopped working. I had a power bank with me, but it was completely out of battery. Since my phone was nearly dead, I went into a Starbucks store and asked if I could charge my power bank for a couple of hours.

IEnglish is not my first language, so I was doing my best to explain the situation to a woman at the counter. While I was speaking, a middle-aged Black man interrupted the conversation and started making repeated loud sounds like “ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, no, no, no, no,” saying that it was not their responsibility.

While I completely understand that store policy may not allow charging personal devices, I was very surprised and disappointed by the tone and manner in which the message was delivered. Instead of calmly explaining the policy, the response felt dismissive and disrespectful. I have never experienced such a reaction when simply...