'Very risky move': Expert discusses Starbucks' decision to change open door policy

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Starbucks is changing course when it comes to its open-door policy.

The company will no longer let people hang out or use its restrooms without making a purchase. It's a business move that some say could come with unintended consequences of racial bias reminiscent of an incident that thrust one Philadelphia Starbucks into the national spotlight.

RELATED: Starbucks reverses open-door policy put into place after incident at Philadelphia store

The new policy was outlined in a memo sent to Starbucks stores. It details what the chain calls a new code of conduct that "makes it clear that our spaces, including our cafes, patios and restrooms, are for use by paying customers and our partners."

"It is a very, very risky move," said Temple University's Subodha Kumar, who is the Paul R. Anderson Distinguished Chair and Professor of Statistics, Operations and Data Science at the Fox School of Business.

Kumar researches business policies and their impact.

"Clearly some customers will feel safer," he said of the new Starbucks policy, "but there's a second type that some people will just not come because they feel it will not be a welcoming environment."

One of the concerns is that the policy could encourage bias. It's a situation Starbucks already faced in April of 2018 when two Black men were arrested after sitting inside a Starbucks at 18th and Spruce streets in Rittenhouse Square without buying anything.

The incident sparked widespread protest and policy change. After the incident, Starbucks solidified its open-door policy, saying people didn't have to buy anything to use the space.

This new policy is an about-face.

"It may create some inherent discrimination culture," said Kumar. "If the employees are not trained and they just implement this policy, this can be detrimental because different employees can treat customers very differently."

According to the memo, each store will get up to three hours of training on the new policies, which are also aimed at encouraging paying customers to stay longer by offering free refills on hot or iced coffee. It's a move to drive up profits for the coffee company, which has seen a dip in sales.

With some stores citing safety issues, Starbucks says the new policies are part of a mission to "get back to Starbucks and create the warm and welcoming coffeehouse our customers expect."

Experts like Kumar just hope Starbucks pays close attention to the impact on the coffee chain and its customers.

"My only worry is have they thought through the unintended consequences," said Kumar. "I think it can lead to a lot of new problems that we're not even thinking of right now."

Action News spoke to Dante Robinson, one of the two men arrested at the Center City Starbucks on 18th and Spruce in 2018.

We asked for his thoughts on the new policy. He declined to speak on the new policy, saying he'd moved on from the situation. He and the other man who was arrested, Rashon Nelson, reached a settlement with Starbucks and the city of Philadelphia.

As for Starbucks' new policy that customers have to buy something to use the restroom or hang in the dining area, stores could soon post signs detailing the new code of conduct for customers.