Starbucks China restricts store seating to customers who buy something
In short
Starbucks China is requiring customers to buy food or drink to use seats in its stores, with exceptions for people such as pregnant women. Korean outlets, citing Bloomberg and Caixin, report the policy starts on 22 October. One outlet, citing local media, reported a start on 20 October and said the rule is not applied uniformly nationwide.
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Starbucks China is requiring customers to buy drinks or other items before they can use seating in its stores. Asia Economy, citing Bloomberg, reported on 21 October that the Chinese unit said the policy would begin on 22 October in stores across China. Maeil Business, citing Caixin and other Chinese media, also said it starts on 22 October. [ 2 , 3 ]
Korea Economic Daily, on 20 October, cited local media as saying the rule applied from that day. It quoted a Starbucks representative as saying the rule is not applied uniformly to stores nationwide. The documents therefore differ on the start date and on how widely the rule applies. [ 1 ]
Exceptions are allowed. The Starbucks representative quoted by Korea Economic Daily said delivery drivers, passersby sheltering from rain, nearby security guards and pregnant women can come in and rest without buying anything. Maeil Business said the company will post notices that seats are for paying customers, with exceptions case by case for pregnant women and customers with limited mobility. It added that Starbucks China also issued guidance asking customers to keep conversation and device volume down and not to bring strongly scented food. [ 1 , 3 ]
Korea Economic Daily reported that people who had not bought Starbucks drinks filled stores, some eating food from other outlets or playing mobile games for long periods. It said the resulting criticism was that low turnover hurt profitability. Maeil Business said a store in Nanchong, Sichuan, chained its outdoor chairs and put up a customers-only sign in September and was criticised online, with staff saying elderly people often occupied the chairs. It also cited Hong Kong's Ming Pao as saying a third of customers at a Beijing store at peak time had bought nothing. Korea Economic Daily said most consumers welcomed the new rule. [ 1 , 3 ]
Asia Economy said Starbucks China will invest further in fiscal 2027, adding staff at busy times, improving digital systems and equipment, and renovating about 1,000 stores. Maeil Business put the investment at more than 300 million yuan, about 60 billion won, and said nearly half of stores would get extra peak-time staff. It said the renovations cover checkouts, seating, lighting and equipment. [ 2 , 3 ]
Both outlets placed the move against competition from low-priced local brands. Asia Economy said same-store sales fell in each of the last two fiscal years and that Starbucks no longer reports China results separately since the quarter that ended in June. Maeil Business said same-store sales growth slowed from 7 percent to 0.5 percent in the latest first quarter. Both said Starbucks agreed in November last year to a deal with Boyu Capital over the China business, and both said it has about 8,000 stores in China. Both likened the seating rule to a policy Starbucks adopted in North America. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The outlets link the change to Starbucks' efforts to improve store experience and sales in a competitive Chinese market. Whether it improves turnover or sales is not yet shown in the documents, and Maeil Business says industry views are divided.
Key facts
- Starbucks China is limiting seat use in stores to customers who have bought drinks or other items. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Bloomberg, as cited by Asia Economy, and Caixin, as cited by Maeil Business, report the policy takes effect on 22 October. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Exceptions are allowed: pregnant women are named by both Korea Economic Daily and Maeil Business, which also names customers with limited mobility. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Starbucks China plans to renovate about 1,000 stores in fiscal 2027. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Maeil Business reports Starbucks China will invest more than 300 million yuan in fiscal 2027 in store facilities and service. [ 3 ]
- Starbucks operates about 8,000 stores in China. [ 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Starbucks China is requiring a purchase for customers to use store seating. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Pregnant women are among the customers who may be exempt from the purchase requirement. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Starbucks China plans to renovate about 1,000 stores in fiscal 2027. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Starbucks agreed in November last year to a deal with the Chinese investment firm Boyu Capital over its China business. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Starbucks operates about 8,000 stores in China. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Asia Economy and Maeil Business both say the move resembles a policy Starbucks introduced in the United States or North America. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Start date of the policy Korea Economic Daily, citing local media, says it started on 20 October, while Asia Economy and Maeil Business say it starts on 22 October.
- Whether the rule applies uniformly across all stores Korea Economic Daily quotes a Starbucks representative saying it is not applied uniformly to stores nationwide, while Asia Economy and Maeil Business describe it as applying to stores across China.
- Effect of the policy on sales and seat turnover Maeil Business says industry views are divided on the effect; the documents give no results.
- Boyu Capital's stake Asia Economy says Starbucks agreed to sell a majority stake to a local private equity firm; only Maeil Business gives the split of 60 percent for Boyu and 40 percent for Starbucks.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Korea Economic Daily publishes its report, citing local media, that the rule began on 20 October. [ 1 ]
- Asia Economy, citing Bloomberg, reports on 21 October that the policy starts on 22 October. [ 2 ]
- Maeil Business, citing Caixin and others, reports on 22 October that the policy starts that day. [ 3 ]