Archived Homeless @ StarBucks

[buliSBI]

During my Mid-West stint...we had a few situations where a families were living in their cars and RV, and going around to different parking lots (my Target) until they get kicked out.

 

[REDcardJJ]

That kinda sounds like an opinion, not a SB mission statement.

I don't care what anyone says - homeless loiterers make the store look trashy.

It’s an actual Starbucks policy. You're literally allowed to go to any Starbucks store in the country (licensed stores excluded bc Starbucks doesn't own them) and just sit down or use the bathroom without purchasing anything. We as Target don't have an official policy, but if he's buying something small and keeping to him self, there's just no reason to remove him.

 

[LearningTree]

Your ETLs can't do anything until they receive enough guest complaints. Keep a stack of guest comments card by your register. For every guest that complains, explain to them that while you understand, store management can't do anything until they receive complaints. Give the complaints to your GE.

Target does not want to risk a media shit storm by telling a guest he has to leave because he's homeless (that's how it'll play out in the media). The only way they will even attempt to force this guy out is if they can pin it on the guests.

At a store level, I myself wouldn't even attempt to get him to leave. I know damn well my ass of an STL wouldn't have my back. He'd throw it in my face that I'm GE, I'm supposed to care about the guests, and there I am telling a paying guest he has to leave because he stinks. No thank you.

 

[Kartman]

Target and SB should grow some nads.

 

[Planosss]

@Kartman have you gone up to him, and talked to him? Guest service him man!
Lol, out weird him, be super nice to him and take stuff like cardboard and twigs and like a dead bird you find in the lot , and just be like “ I thought you would like these”

 

[Kartman]

 

[Fix It]

The outlets in Starbies were magically covered one morning so guests are limited to how long their device will last now. 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[redeye58]

We only have one outlet & one morning a 'guest' set up their office running a power strip from said outlet to a nearby 4-top.
They only purchased a small coffee, spending several hours using free wifi & power until enough yoga moms ran over the power strip.
They then tried to block the path with a chair & complained when told they couldn't do that & the power cord itself was creating a safety hazard for other guests.
The climax was when it was run over by one of those large double-seater kiddie semis pulling the strip from the outlet while moocher guest was evidently in the middle of a project.
The ensuing yelling match between mom & moocher resulted in moocher being told to leave.
Karma doesn't wear a watch but the bitch is always on time.

 

[Kartman]

Give a moron an inch...

Zero tolerance, period. On your 3rd campout, you will be shown the door.

That's fair.

 

[Fix It]

Give a moron an inch...

Zero tolerance, period. On your 3rd campout, you will be shown the door.

That's fair.

Starbucks can be put straight in to default for forcing people to leave with out justifying why they were removed. It’s against Starbies corporate policy now.

I should also mention my vestibule outlets also stopped working one day when a transient was charging his phone and nodding off in there. Weird coincidence right🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[IWishIKnew]

It’s an actual Starbucks policy. You're literally allowed to go to any Starbucks store in the country (licensed stores excluded bc Starbucks doesn't own them) and just sit down or use the bathroom without purchasing anything..

This is a new policy, I assume? Or only if you're white?

 

[seasonaldude]

This is a new policy, I assume? Or only if you're white?

I think they made it an explicit policy after that SB in Philly called the police on a couple of black customers who dared to use the bathroom before placing their order a few months ago.

 

[seasonaldude]

If the ETLs don't care, then who am I to worry about it.

I was just wondering what ya'lls take was on this.

If the ETLS don't care, then I care even less.

How much more I would be paid if homeless guy wasn't there = $0.00. Thus, how much I care that he's there when higher ups don't care = 0.

 

[REDcardJJ]

This is a new policy, I assume? Or only if you're white?

It was communicated as an official policy after the racial bias training that all of their team members went through a few months back.

 

[Badjedidude]

Speaking from an AP standpoint...

A lot of times, the potential bad press from asking the homeless to leave (or kicking them out) is about as bad as the potential of having the homeless damage the store's brand by allowing them to remain.

It's a kinda "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation. No TPS or AP team member wants to be "that guy" on the news or viral video who's kicking the homeless out.

The only real line we can draw is if a guest complains that they don't feel safe or that they feel harrassed/targeted in some way by the specific homeless individual. Then we have a more concrete, guest-driven reason to ask them to leave. Or if the STL or LOD asks us to for a specific reason, etc. Not all stores or regions are the same, however.

 

[Kartman]

It's a kinda "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation.

I can get behind that thinking... it sucks.

 

[Kartman]

He was trespassed today - SWEET!!!

 

[wiredharpoon]

Usually I leave them alone unless they set up a camp to the extreme, like taking 2-3 tables so other guests cant sit down. Or if they are begging for money. Otherwise as long as they arent bothering people I just say hi and leave them be.

 

[Kartman]

3 tables??? They'd be out the door commandeering just 2 tables here...

 

[Tessa120]

Question, why does this guy bother you so much?

 

[Kartman]

Question, why does my dislike of this person bother you so much?

Target is a retail store where you shop and buy stuff, NOT hang out for 4 to 6 hours ANYWHERE in the store. THOSE people are called team members.

 

[Tessa120]

I guess I just don't see the need to cheer that he was told to leave. You said he bought something, he never bothered anyone, you never said anything about smell. You sounded aggravated that he talked to himself, a totally harmless thing. He took up a table at Food Avenue, but single guests grab a large table all the time. As far as hanging out, I've never seen you state any dislike for the teens and 20 somethings that come into the store just to joke around and hang out for hours and buy nothing, the walkers that circle the entire store repeatedly in order to get their exercise and also buy nothing, the women who come in with friends just to try on clothing with no intent on buying something just because it's fun and they admit they are not going to buy anything after 2 trips into the fitting room and 30 pieces of clothing each, and the tweens that are dropped off by busy parents who view Target as a supervised playground.

 

[Kartman]

All of us cheered. Recognization was given to AP for their actions. Homeless people can fall out somewhere ELSE.

single guests grab a large table all the time.

For 6+ hours at a time? I don't think so...

 

[Times Up]

I guess I just don't see the need to cheer that he was told to leave. You said he bought something, he never bothered anyone, you never said anything about smell. You sounded aggravated that he talked to himself, a totally harmless thing. He took up a table at Food Avenue, but single guests grab a large table all the time. As far as hanging out, I've never seen you state any dislike for the teens and 20 somethings that come into the store just to joke around and hang out for hours and buy nothing, the walkers that circle the entire store repeatedly in order to get their exercise and also buy nothing, the women who come in with friends just to try on clothing with no intent on buying something just because it's fun and they admit they are not going to buy anything after 2 trips into the fitting room and 30 pieces of clothing each, and the tweens that are dropped off by busy parents who view Target as a supervised playground.

There is a time and a place for everything.

Alot of what you described creates extra work for TMs. We already don't have the hours to do the jobs for which we're paid.. now we need to pick up after someone's children and women who want to try on every outfit in the store??? There's a fine line between making our guests relaxed enough to increase that basket size and letting them overextended their stay. We are a business after all.

Also, some of these wandering tweens/teens are roudy and/or rude and cause anxiety and distress for our older guests. Same for the homeless... they can be intimidating to our guests. Same for the gaggle of ladies monopolizing the fitting room and the A&A TMs.

We are a business. We are not a social club or organization. We are not a daycare, bar, community center, sorority or social services agency. We should be kind to and respectful of all of our guests, whether they are spending money that day or not, as they hopefully will come back to buy something next week. That however doesn't we are their social hub or social worker. We are paid by Target to please the shareholders, nothing more.

 

[Tessa120]

But that is kinda the point I tried to make. These people are in the store, yet no one cares. However a guy who sits at a table all day is worse than all the rest? A guy who buys a drink is worse than the women who try on multiple items just for fun with no intention to buy that a team member now has to put away? A guy parked at that table is worse than the teens that make messes all along the way? Everyone else is fine to have around, but this one guy isn't. What makes him worse, that everyone else who is there for reasons other than spending money is cool but he isn't?