You’re going to have to find somewhere else to savor those last pre-work moments in the morning. According to a new report, coffee chain Starbucks is considering limiting, or potentially eliminating, in-store seating and servicing only fans who order online for pick-up or Uber Eats, or those who come to the drive-thru window, for the duration of the current pandemic. Such a move would be a huge change for Starbucks — as well as for customers, many of whom have incorporated a morning coffee stop into their daily routines. While executives only suggest that as one of a number of potential plans for Starbucks to combat the spread of COVID-19/Coronavirus, it’s one that feels like it fits in with other moves made by companies to help create a safe “social distance” between people, reducing the likelihood of the virus spreading.
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The chain also says that it could cease regular operations for the duration of the public health crisis, if they decided it was in the best interest of their employees and customers. Still, that is a last resort and unlikely to happen right away.
Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson, in a letter to customers (via TMZ), says they “may adapt the store experience by limiting seating to improve social distancing, enable mobile order-only scenarios for pickup via the Starbucks App or delivery via Uber Eats, or in some cases only the Drive Thru will be open.”
There’s no immediate change in the cards, though, unless tomorrow is another day like today and yesterday. Starbucks says that for the time being, they are maintaining regular operations in the U.S. and Canada. They are monitoring the situation, though, and will “modify operations on a community-by-community and store-by-store basis,” according to the report.
The sudden explosion of Coronavirus cases in the U.S. has led to a string of cancellations and postponements across the entertainment industry, including Emerald City Comic Con, South by Southwest, Coachella, and WonderCon. The decision comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have issued guidelines recommending that people stay away form large gatherings in order to prevent spread of the virus, which has been confirmed in most American states at this point. US President Donald Trump has also significantly limited travel from outside the country, and a number of major corporations are offering or sometimes mandating that employees telecommute rather than coming into the office.
On top of all of that, a number of upcoming blockbuster movies have been delayed, since it seems unlikely that there will be enough people filling theaters for an expensive movie to break even. So far, the restaurant and hospitality industries have not been panicking in the same way, opting to remain open with a focus on more regular and more aggressive sanitation and sterilization.
