Starbucks is removing seats from stores and shutting down busy locations in an attempt to contain the coronavirus outbreak

Kate Taylor

Mar 16, 2020, 19:17 IST

Starbucks is removing seats from stores and shutting down busy locations in an attempt to contain the coronavirus outbreak

Irene Jiang / Business Insider

Starbucks is moving to a to-go model in the US and Canada during the coronavirus outbreak.

Starbucks is removing seating from all stores and closing certain busy locations to encourage social distancing amidst the coronavirus outbreak.
Customers can still order at the counter and the drive-thru window, as well as through the Starbucks app.
Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A recently announced that they would shut down seating areas in locations, and a number of states have banned dining in restaurants.
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Starbucks is removing seating, shutting busy stores, and focusing on its to-go business as it encourages social distancing to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

On Sunday, the coffee chain announced that it is moving to a to-go model in all company-owned stores in the US and Canada for at least two weeks. The chain is pausing the use of all seating, modifying condiment bars, and closing some stores in "high-social gathering locations" such as malls and colleges, as well as shutting stores and cutting hours in areas with high clusters of COVID-19 cases.

Customers can still order at the counter and at the drive-thru window, as well as order delivery and via the chain's app for in-store pickup.

"Every community's needs are incredibly different," Rossann Williams, Starbucks' executive vice president and president of the US company-operated business and Canada, said in a statement. "We want to make sure we play a constructive role by taking responsible actions, in partnership with the CDC and local public health authorities, so we can continue to do what's right for our partners and customers."

Taco Bell and Chick-fil-A recently announced that they would shut down seating areas in stores, focusing on to-go, drive-thru, and delivery business.

This weekend, Ohio, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington announced that restaurants would be closed or banned from offering dine-in service. Cities including New York and Los Angeles have announced similar efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Last week, Starbucks announced that it would provide "catastrophe pay" to baristas who come into contact with coronavirus. As part of the new policy, employees who come in contact with the someone with the virus or who are diagnosed will receive up to 14 days of paid leave, as well as up to 26 days of additional pay to workers who are still unable to work after the original 14 days.

Some Starbucks workers are pushing for more drastic action. More than 4,700 people have signed a Coworker.org petition calling for Starbucks to suspend its business due to the coronavirus outbreak.

"Closing Starbucks, during this pandemic of the coronavirus is crucial," reads the petition. "The virus itself is airborne, and although washing your hands frequently, and disinfecting the store is helpful, that won't prevent the spread of said virus. Both customers AND partners are at risk of catching and spreading the virus."

Are you a retail or restaurant employee working during the coronavirus outbreak? Email retail@businessinsider.com