Starbucks has long been an innovator, usually at the forefront of trends and new ideas. It’s also typically been a strong ally for diversity and individual expression, by “creating a culture of warmth and belonging, where everyone is welcome”. But as a tenured partner, it’s extremely disheartening and concerning to see the company and its leadership backsliding on those ideals.

When I heard the phrase “Back to Starbucks” I was cautiously optimistic. It conjured images of my early barista years: comfy couches, calm cafes, quality coffee and simple snacks, all wrapped in human connection. Having seen it from the role of barista, shift supervisor, and store manager, I’ve had a wide range of perspectives. Our stores were places where all sorts of people would gather to relax and commune. 

So you’ll understand the surprise I felt when attending our first “Back to Starbucks” meeting. It didn’t center around any of these things. It was about policing the space to limit who was a guest, not expanding it to a larger umbrella, a stance I found in direct conflict with the idea of welcoming and connecting with everyone. And while I disagreed with it, I was and am ready and willing to do my job because that’s what I’m paid to do by a company that has generally taken care of its people (myself included). But this new announcement of dress code regression has shaken my opinion of the company’s priorities.

During my 11 year tenure, Starbucks has incrementally made it easier for their partners to express their genuine selves. From allowing differently colored hairs, to tattoos, to support for social causes and networks, they’ve mostly been advocates of individual expression and diversity. But this choice to move backwards on dress is, in my view, a huge misstep. 

How is it that we have to personalize every cup, but we can’t, within reason, personalize our own outfits? As a food safety expert, I understand that dress codes are typically crafted around practicality and safety, such as not having any wrist accessories. But this recent change is simply limiting freedom of expression. And there is a very real fear that this could be the first step in limiting other ways that partners can show up as their whole, true selves. 

There are so many avenues to tangibly improve the experience of both guests and partners. For instance, increased labor to serve our growing customer base in a timely manner in accordance with new CST goals, or simplified menus to ease the workload on baristas. I was even hoping for a concerted focus on the heart of our business: coffee knowledge, passion, and craft. But this dress code is demonstrably not one of those avenues. It shows a lack of awareness, a focus on all the wrong issues, and an incongruence in Starbucks’s core values. 

I hope you can come to see how this choice is a poor one, and to listen to your partners. We come to work not only to genuinely connect with people, but to bring our genuine selves to them as well. Please reconsider this regressive choice on dress code, and hear your partners’ pleas to show up as the diverse and unique people that we are.