Starbucks Clarifies! Not Accepting Cash is Just a Decision by Individual Stores!

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On the morning of August 30th, a British netizen shared a photo of a notice posted at a local Starbucks store, stating that "from October 1st this year, we will accept card payments, mobile payments, or use the Starbucks app for payment." Subsequently, a British media outlet also reported that another Starbucks store had posted the same notice.

Since two Starbucks stores posted the same notice, many netizens believed that not accepting cash was a unified decision by Starbucks and considered this approach unreasonable, leading to widespread discussion on the topic.

Many netizens believe that although more and more people are using electronic payments, it doesn't mean everyone uses them, and many people still retain the habit of using cash. While this approach may reduce the risk of virus transmission, it also deprives others of their choice.

As public opinion grew, netizens' emotions became increasingly heated. That evening, Starbucks UK officially responded on social media, stating that Starbucks stores in the UK are operated by multiple franchise partners, so some decisions may vary by store. Starbucks has no plans for a cashless initiative, so most stores will still accept cash payments.

Starbucks' Previous Payment Experiments

According to a 2018 report by American CNBC media, Starbucks had tested in some US stores whether not supporting cash payments would affect customers' consumption experience. However, this testing was not widely promoted at the time.

This decision was made because then-CEO of Starbucks Kevin Johnson stated that 30% of payments at Starbucks US stores were completed via mobile phones, and 40% were made through Star Value (similar to Starbucks Card) due to more discounts/rewards. In China, electronic payment usage is as high as 60%.

Starbucks' Position During the Pandemic

Until the pandemic began in 2020, to reduce the risk of virus transmission from using cash, Starbucks began offering more rewards and discounts for contactless payments, but never indicated they wouldn't accept cash. Starbucks clearly stated that "cash is also an option."

Therefore, it's clear that Starbucks' cashless initiative this time was a decision made by individual franchise stores in certain regions and doesn't entirely represent Starbucks' official position.

Image source: Internet

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