Starbucks halts use of personal cups at stores due to coronavirus
Photo Courtesy of Tribune News Service
Starbucks has stopped filling customers’ personal cups, mugs, etc., in wake of concerns over transmission of the new coronavirus. Photo of a sign on the outside door of Starbucks in the Aon building in Chicago taken March 5, 2020.
March 5, 2020
On Wednesday, Starbucks announced it is suspending the use of personal cups and tumblers at its stores for the time being nationwide, according to a report by WGN News. This move was made to help inhibit the spread of the coronavirus.
“At this point, we’re looking at it as safety. It’s about keeping our campus safe,” said Carrie Ruggieri, manager of the Illini Union Starbucks in the Courtyard Cafe. She said so far no one has had any complaints about being unable to use their personal cups.
While customers can no longer fill their personal cups in the stores, they will still receive a 10-cent discount for bringing them in and showing them at purchase, which includes the campus locations.
Currently, the company has not released any time frame for how long they will be keeping the ban on the program that has helped prevented millions of pounds of waste.
Starbucks is increasing the number of cleanings at all company-operated stores, as well as suspending business-related air travel domestically and internationally. This travel suspension is expected to last until the end of March.
