Our local Starbucks underwent a remodel. At first glance, it would appear that little had changed from the way it was before, but the last time I was there, I noticed something very interesting. Nearly half of the seating areas were gone. The big, comfy longue chairs that had been right by the door were replaced with the sales displays of cups, coffee, and other items. The individual tables that had littered the right side of the store were removed to make way for the single 12 top table and the four stools lined up beneath the skinny bar.
Individual or "private" seating in Starbucks has been reduced to about 5-10 seats. Suddenly, the idea of finding a corner to camp out and relax is reduced to nearly none. It surprised me at first and then I remembered a story I read last year about Starbucks was going to begin a process of outlet restriction in their locations. Public outcry was heard far and wide across the blogosphere against these new policies. Can it be possible that the coffee chain is picking on the little guy here? Or are they (gasp) simply trying to make money?
Starbucks created a marketing campaign around the idea that they were the place to start your day or grab a break away from the monotony of life behind your desk. Advertising campaigns and store designs invited the weary worker to come on in, have a cup of coffee, and get your morning started by sending off some emails. They wanted you to come in and rev up your engines midday when you started to feel like a caged tiger. Bring your laptop over to Starbucks; get yourself a double shot of mocha whatever, and jump start the second part of your day. What they could not have seen coming was the so-called Starbucks "freeloader" who shows up at 8AM and leaves at 5PM. The "freeloader" conducts all of their business in Starbucks, from emails, to conference calls, to writing blog posts. The worst part about the Starbucks "freeloader" is that they purchase a limited number of items, use the electricity, and hook up to the free WiFi.
Who decides who's a "freeloader" though? If someone spends the hours of 8 AM to 5 PM at their local Starbucks, buys a new drink every hour, and even eats lunch there - is he a freeloader?
There is a big difference between a person who uses Starbucks as a break from their normal routines and takes a little work over to the coffee chain for an hour or two and the person who has to be thrown out at closing time after sitting there all day and not buying drinks. There are arguments to either side as the new policies have created quite the controversy.
On the one hand, Starbucks has made billions of dollars off their original marketing policy of come on in. They created a brand based on the idea that we could get our business done there and they encouraged us to use them as our "starting" location in the mornings. Their policies have supported the nature of the "freeloader" for so long that trying to change things now seems like an attack on their regular customers.
These changes have also come as a surprise to many and they feel as though Starbucks did not do enough to notify people of their new policies.