The Starbucks thing

So in short, Starbucks is now America's largest public restroom.

 

Same with most Starbucks. I rarely buy anything at Starbucks. I use their bathrooms quite often in the city -- before this change, I mean. If someone had ever said, "Sorry, customers only," I would have said, "OK" and left. I don't remember ever being stopped. In fact, they often have a key code thing on the door, and I just walk up to the counter, ask for the number and they give it to me.

I think the idea is that they don't want employees making judgment calls, because some of them are going to discriminate against blacks and other minorities. The problem may end up being that a one-size fits all solution has the potential to bring externalities that could affect customers and its business. For example, I walk up to the counter and ask for the code to the bathroom, and let's face it, even if the employee is thinking "Is he a customer?" they see me, size me up, and can reasonably guess that I am not going to freak out other customers, destroy the bathroom, pee on the ceiling, take a shower in the sink. ... If the homeless people @poindexter mentioned start parking themselves in Starbucks bathrooms (and I have seen a guy who smelled like he hadn't showered in weeks -- likely schizophrenic -- and making loud noises, park himself in a Starbucks bathroom in Manhattan, strip naked and refuse to leave, while a line of people were waiting), it has potential to affect business. Hopefully that doesn't become a problem for them.