Starbucks bans smoking within 25 feet of stores – except in Europe
Starbucks has begun a policy of banning smoking within 25 feet of its stores in a plan to expand the chain’s no-smoking policy to its patios.
Starbucks is targeting smokers with a new rule that bans lighting up within 25 feet of its stores.
The Seattle-based company says that the plan is to expand the chain's no-smoking policy to its patios.
Needless to say, the policy only applies to stores in Canada and the US, not Europe.
That means about 7000 stores will be affected, regardless of whether they have outdoor seating or not.
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Of course, Starbucks can't dictate smoking on public property so the rule only applies to the areas that belong to the company up to 25 feet.
How Starbucks enforces the rule is still unclear.
"If there were any concerns, we would hope to resolve it amicably.'' said Jaime Lynn Riley, a company spokesperson.
Starbucks is the largest coffeeshop company in the world, opening an average of two stores everyday since 1987.