Starbucks has announced it will now require all customers to wear face masks when visiting the coffee chain.
The new rule, which will be implemented at all Starbucks company-owned locations, begins July 15.
The major coffee company said in a news release that if customers do not have a mask — for example, in areas where a local government mandate is not in place — they will not be allowed inside the facility but can order Starbucks through a drive-thru, for curbside pickup or place an order for delivery.
The mask rule is just an added effort from the company, which has already increased its cleaning and other protocols in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Stores located in cities where there is a government mandate to wear a mask while outside have already been requiring customers to wear one while inside placing or picking up an order.
Employees are already required to wear masks while at work.
Recently Starbucks’ policies have gotten some push back.
Early last month, Starbucks changed its policy on baristas wearing Black Lives Matter apparel after it received backlash for a company memo that reportedly banned team members from wearing clothing supporting the movement.
Roz Brewer, the COO of Starbucks, and Zing Shaw, Starbucks’ vice president for inclusion and diversity, stated in an open letter following the controversy that the brand would be “designing new T-shirts with the graphic below to demonstrate our allyship and show we stand together in unity.”
