When Brian Niccol took the helm as CEO of Starbucks last fall, his mandate was to reverse a decline in customer traffic. 

He’s been rolling out changes in recent weeks. Niccol announced last month that the coffee chain would be reversing its open-door policy as part of something called the “Coffee House Code of Conduct.”

That means no more sitting on the coffee house WiFi or squatting at a table without purchasing something. And yes, this will include use of the company’s restrooms (just about the only ones you reliably find on nearly every corner.) 

Niccol took the reins of the company last fall amid lagging foot traffic, and the code of conduct is just one of the changes aiming to right the company’s wobbling ship.

To discuss the changes and their impact on Starbucks' business, Soundside was joined by Julie Creswell, business reporter for the New York Times, where she covers the food industry. 

Guests:

• Julie Creswell, business reporter for the New York Times, where she covers the food industry. 

Related Links: 

• Starbucks Reports Weak Earnings as It Tries to Woo Back Customers - The New York Times
• Starbucks announces several changes, including plans to cut some menu items
• Starbucks reverses its open-door policy | AP News

Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes

Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.