No order, no seat: Starbucks China rolls out new store policy
Starbucks says it is improving customers' in-store experience as it competes with homegrown rivals.
A new policy by Starbucks China takes effect across all its 8,000 stores on Thursday, making it mandatory for people to purchase items if they want to sit in its cafes.
Starbucks China said the move was part of efforts to improve the "in-store experience" for customers. The company is facing stiff competition from homegrown brands such as Luckin Coffee.
Starbucks stores around the world have also been wrestling with non-paying seat-hoggers and other undesirable behaviour from customers.
"Finally, there won't be peak periods where people are just sitting there not ordering anything, drinking Luckin coffee, playing games and yelling on the phone," reads one of the top-liked comment on Weibo. "Every time I walk around, there's nowhere to sit,"