The classic combination of coffee and cigarettes has been ingrained in pop culture, but Starbucks isn't interested in perpetuating the zeitgeist. As of June 1, the company is banning smoking within 25 feet of its stores, according to news reports.
The ban affects the majority of company-owned Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada, according to NBC Los Angeles. A company representative confirmed to The Huffington Post that about 7,000 stores will be affected -- both those that have outdoor seating and those that do not. The rule won't apply to Starbucks that are housed in other stores, such as Target.
Ad Week doesn't expect there to be much backlash toward the brand, though some local reports have found a few disgruntled customers. Some bloggers have been pushing a smoking ban since 2009.
While indoor smoking bans are pretty much the rule now in the U.S., outdoor smoking bans are newer territory. Many universities and parks have gone smoke-free, but enforcing the ban is another matter.
The company emailed the following statement to The Huffington Post:
Starbucks takes pride in providing a comfortable environment at our stores where customers and members of the community gather. We always value our customers feedback, and we take seriously our responsibility to provide all customers a safe, healthy environment that is consistent across our company-owned stores. We sincerely thank all customers for their support and cooperation.
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