Starbucks — Restaurant in San Francisco

The Downfall of Starbucks’ New Restroom Policy: “Buy First” Leaves Customers Humiliated and Disgusted

Last night, my loyalty to Starbucks was shattered by one of the most dehumanizing customer service experiences I’ve ever endured. As a daily visitor to this location, I never imagined I’d be treated like a criminal simply for needing to use the restroom. The company’s new policy—forcing customers to purchase something before accessing the bathroom—is not only tone-deaf but downright cruel, especially for those with health issues.

Here’s the nightmare: I rushed in, desperate to use the restroom before ordering my usual seasonal drink (a treat I’ve purchased countless times). The barista, Kayel, coldly refused to provide the code unless I bought something first. I explained my urgent health situation, pleading to use the restroom first as I’ve done before. Instead of empathy, Kayel responded with aggressive stubbornness, essentially holding the bathroom hostage until I handed over money.

Forced to comply, I hastily ordered a Hot Lavender Oatmilk Latte. But Kayel’s incompetence only escalated. Not only did he prioritize enforcing this predatory policy over basic human decency, he couldn’t even ring up the order correctly. Instead of inputting “Hot Lavender Oatmilk Latte,” he lazily typed “latte oakmilk” showcasing either sheer carelessness or a complete lack of training.

The humiliation didn’t end there. When my Apple Pay timed out due to the rushed transaction, Kayel—who was clearly more interested in lounging by the pastry case than doing his job—sighed and rolled his eyes. He refused to reset the payment prompt promptly, even as I stood there embarrassed and frustrated. His body language screamed contempt: slumped shoulders, disinterested monotone, zero urgency. It was clear he viewed customers as inconveniences, not human beings.

When I finally asked for a manager, Adrian stepped in and handled the situation with grace, proving that competence and kindness do exist at Starbucks—just not in Kayel. Starbucks’ policy, paired with Kayel’s hostility and ineptitude, turned a routine stop into a degrading ordeal. Shame on Starbucks for prioritizing profits over basic human decency, for employing staff like Kayel who lack empathy, training, or work ethic, and for creating a policy that turns simple acts of kindness into transactional nightmares. This isn’t just a flawed policy—it’s a...

I placed an online order and i ended up accidentally ordering it from a different location but that's not why I'm on here right now or why I gave this place a bad rating. I needed to use the bathroom and went in to ask if I could use it and asked for the code there were like maybe 8 people there and no line so I asked an employee and they looked me up and down and said I have to buy something to use it. Now having to use the restroom I didn't want to have to explain that I was there because I ordered something online and stopped at the wrong Starbucks so I asked another employee and he said I have to buy something then does that thing we're people give you a long explanation like you're a five year old and I tell him I don't need an explanation I need to take a piss. Now I am new to San Francisco but I've had no problem using the restroom at any Starbucks here. Now in the past I worked and delivered for Southwest traders in Fresno and Stockton which is a company that delivers to Starbucks for a spell and I have literally been to over 268 Starbucks and never have had a situation where using the bathroom be such a big deal even when I'd show up dirty from delivering to Starbucks all day at locations that didn't know who I was. Mind you it wasn't like they were busy and the bathrooms had a line they have three bathrooms and none were in use. I thought San Francisco was supposed to be a place filled with caring , understanding , empathetic, people. It literally wouldn't have cost any of these people anything for me to use the restroom I had to go outside and risk getting ticketed to piss. If they treated me like that I wonder how they treat...

I used to frequent this Starbucks location, since for most of my life, this was a 24hrs/7 days a week Starbucks. Now, they have changed the hours and are not open 24hrs every day, which just sucks so much because there are no other options anymore for coffee or tea late night, unless you want to drive all the way to Daly City, which is quite the drive for a cup of something hot to drink. Aside from the sudden change in hours, I have to say I'm extremely disappointed in the AWFUL customer service here these days, especially at night time. I am never ever greeted and always have to deal with a really crappy attitude. Literally, the last 10-15 times I've been here it's always been the same night crew and I am so sick of the way they treat their customers. They make me feel as though I'm an inconvenience to them, like I'm bothering them when I order something, and like it is SUCH a huge burden on them that I am even talking to them. They constantly seem absolutely pitiful when serving the customers and I really don't appreciate how horribly I'm treated each time I go there. Aside from all of this, they don't even bother to clean the bathrooms at night and it is absolutely disgusting. I wish they would step up their game at this location because it is just so disappointing what has happened to this location, that I used to visit DAILY for 10+ years. Now I don't bother ever going in there because I can't stand the...