Starbucks bans e-cigs?

[Doc Holliday]

I just read over at Vapeatron that one of their members was approached at Starbucks and told he couldn't vape anymore due to a company-wide ban on e-cigs.

Have any of you Starbucks regulars experienced this?
(I don't hang out there, just grab a cup on the go sometimes.)

This is a sad turn if true.
I don't hold any illusion that there's enough of us to pressure a mega-chain into changing corporate policy, but if true, I for one will be writing a well worded letter to their corp office explaining the difference between smoke and vapor, why I choose to vape, why I don't want to sit with smokers, and why I'll be taking my business elsewhere in the future.

Hopefully this was just an isolated incident by a lone employee/location, and not a sign of darker things.
Chime in with your Starbucks vaping experiences.

 

[Mr. P]

That's okay with me, I banned Starbucks years ago.

 

[LibertyValance]

I'm OK with establishments like Starbucks banning indoor vaping. Its a free country right? The business owner may decide.

As has been pointed out, when clouds of vapor are released, they contain nicotine. If I was a non-smoker / non-vaper I might not appreciate that, even though its orders of magnitude less offensive than smoke.

 

[wdave]

I just read over at Vapeatron that one of their members was approached at Starbucks and told he couldn't vape anymore due to a company-wide ban on e-cigs.

Have any of you Starbucks regulars experienced this?
(I don't hang out there, just grab a cup on the go sometimes.)

This is a sad turn if true.
I don't hold any illusion that there's enough of us to pressure a mega-chain into changing corporate policy, but if true, I for one will be writing a well worded letter to their corp office explaining the difference between smoke and vapor, why I choose to vape, why I don't want to sit with smokers, and why I'll be taking my business elsewhere in the future.

Hopefully this was just an isolated incident by a lone employee/location, and not a sign of darker things.
Chime in with your Starbucks vaping experiences.

Bunch of wanna be snobs go there anyway. I've graduated to a Panera Bread snob myself.

Anyway, this will never happen at Walmart.

Dave

 

[MagnusEunson]

I've been told this at a Starbucks but they aren't enforcing it in my region. They ask, they walk away... maybe due to the heat but there are vapers often enough in a corner of a Starbucks down this way. Same w/ Lowes down here. -Magnus

 

[Bauzen]

You could always just vape, and blow the vapor into your cup, as though you were taking a sip and it's steam coming out. They'll never know.

 

[carto-mizer]

I like to accidentally spill grande lattes into the laptops of Starbucks customers.

 

[Iffy]

There's a STARBUCKS 'FIRE MISSION' on the New Members forum. Hit it!

 

[DerekUrban]

Whoah, I was reading through the comments and there's so much controversy and vitriol towards something so harmless it's mind boggling. I just don't get it, short of them simply not understanding nor wanting to understand.

Haters Gonna Hate...

 

[NicLiq]

There's a STARBUCKS 'FIRE MISSION' on the New Members forum. Hit it!

Please lend your support to this thread - its not fair that we're being demonized for vaping after we gave up something so difficult to quit.

 

[Dwindacatcher]

The ignorance there is astounding

 

[Iffy]

The ignorance there is...

...arrogance!

 

[six]

They're pretty brave alienating any subset of their customer base these days. Store openings are down 50%, sales are down more than 25% compared to three years ago. My last shareholder statement makes it look like starbucks is facing some serious growth challenges (though still turning a profit)... Partly due to the economy and partly due to Keurig. - they can't afford to alienate customers.

 

[ec!gg]

Not really a fan of their coffee anyways

 

[fray]

It may have nothing to do with health issues. People complain when they see "smoke" whether it is harmless or not. If I was a business owner and had good customers leaving or complaining about vapor I would not allow it either.

As for alienating a part of their customer base, there are a lot of health conscious pseudohippies that go into starbucks that would be very vocal about "smoke". I believe there are a LOT more of them then there are vapers.

 

[Wil]

Keuring + lousy economy + McDonald's actually making decent coffee + market saturation = Starbucks in decline. (On a side note, I hear there will be Starbucks K-cups very soon)

Fray, you're absolutely right. We'd be wasting our time fighting these fights anyway. Each business has the right to decide for themselves. I never had a problem with a restaurant choosing to be a non-smoking establishment. If they choose to cater to a non-smoking crowd at the expense of their smoking patrons, that's their decision to make. That's a natural part of supply/demand, and a natural, self-correcting response to the situation.

The problem arises when that decision is taken from business owners by the government. FIGHT GOVERNMENT BANS in legislation. If a business bans vaping, you vote with your dollars and your feet.

I think my first blog entry may be brewing here...

 

[Haadkoe]

I'll vape everywhere until I'm personally told that I've been disallowed to do so... and then I will no longer frequent that establishment.

Mind you, I usually try to be discreet when vaping in locations where it may be deemed by some to be unacceptable, such as restaurants, the bus, etc... but I still do it and I have no plans to stop, corporate policy and laws be damned.

 

[Uncle Willie]

Since I live in a state that has had a state wide public place smoking ban now for several years .. and you must stand at least 15 feet from an establishment under the law .. I complied with that law when it went into effect and I treat my e-cig as if it were an analog under the law ..

There is just no way the anti - smoke majority is going to accept the e-cig right now .. maybe in the future when thinking changes thru information, etc .. but we are asking too much too soon at the moment ..

 

[doots]

I dont go into Starbucks anyways but Sorry for all you that do and want to vape.

 

[closetsmokr]

I encourage those who wish to communicate your issues about SB not allowing vaping to submit a form via the link below. Also, you can call SB at the number below. If nothing else, they'll probably mail you a few free drink coupons.

http://www.starbucks.com/customer-service/contact/retail-stores-form

Retail Customer Relations
(800) 235-2883
Mon – Fri 5 AM – 6 PM (PST)