Starbucks Closing Public Bathrooms in New York

Because employees are sick of waiting in lines for them
By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 16, 2011 9:24 AM CST
Starbucks Closing Public Bathrooms in New York
In this July 24, 2008 file photo, a Starbucks is shown in New York.   (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, file)

Many New York Starbucks are closing their bathrooms, because they’re sick of the long lines that tend to form outside of them. Though it’s “not a stated policy” of the corporation, many of the chain’s 190 Manhattan locations are making the move, sources tell the New York Post. “Starbucks cannot be the public bathroom in the city anymore,” one source said.

Food establishments are required to provide a bathroom if they have at least 20 seats, but most Starbucks are under that cap. The existing bathrooms will now simply be employee-only spots, sparing employees from having to either wait in line for the bathroom, or anger customers by cutting ahead of them. Of course, most Starbucks won’t advertise their facilities—or lack thereof—so “if you are a tourist, you will not know which Starbucks has a bathroom,” the source said. (More Starbucks stories.)

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