As a real estate professional, I regularly work from coffee shops and have spent hours in many Starbucks locations across the city. It's never been an issue to get settled, work for a bit, and make a purchase once I'm ready--until I visited this location.
This was my second time at the Stone Mountain Hwy location. When I arrived, I went to the register to place an order using the Starbucks app and rewards points. I was told by the cashier that their system was down and they were only accepting cash. I had no problem with that and planned to visit an ATM after finishing some work.
About 30 minutes later, the same team member checked in with me while cleaning tables. I asked if the system was back up--it wasn't--so I asked if I could have a cup of water. She told me that water was only for paying customers. That struck me as unfair, considering I had attempted to make a purchase when I first walked in but was unable to due to their system being down.
A few minutes later, another employee named Che came by, wiped down the same table again, and informed me that if I wasn't making a purchase, I'd have to leave per company policy. I calmly explained that I intended to go to the ATM and return to make a purchase, but he insisted I still needed to leave.
I've been a Starbucks Rewards member for close to 15 years. I understand the company's policies around non-paying guests, especially in response to broader issues, but this situation was different. I wasn't loitering--I was a customer who couldn't complete a transaction because of a technical issue on their end.
Being asked to leave in this way, after clearly stating my intentions, felt unnecessary, embarrassing, and frankly disappointing. I did reach out to corporate, as I believe the situation could've been handled with more professionalism and common sense. read more