UNITED STATES

Starbucks closes all U.S. stores for afternoon of racial-bias training for staff

May 29, 2018

Starbucks plans to close all its coffee shops and corporate offices in the country on the afternoon of May 29 to conduct racial-bias training for employees, a plan triggered by the controversial arrest of two African-American men at one of the chain’s locations in Philadelphia.

Staff at the shop called the police when the men, who had bought nothing, asked to use the restrooms. Despite explaining that they were waiting for a friend, the men were arrested. The friend arrived later.

The incident was recorded and spread across the Internet, with calls for a boycott of the coffee chain.

Starbucks' executive chairman Howard Schultz has apologized to the men, and announced plans to provide anti-bias training for his work force. The New York Times observes that the training will test whether training can eliminate biases.

#22588 Published: April 19, 2018