Starbucks' New Dress Code Isn't Exactly Going Over Well With Employees

Ever since Brian Niccol took the reins as CEO of Starbucks in September 2024, the coffee giant has undergone numerous, sometimes controversial changes. From eliminating some less popular drinks back in March to discontinuing a beloved Starbucks snack, the company is focusing on a more streamlined approach to getting customers in the door these days. The most recent change, announced on April 14, involves a modification to employee uniforms — and some folks are downright furious.

Beginning May 12, the employees who make you handcrafted drinks from Starbucks will only be allowed to don black shirts underneath their iconic green aprons. According to the company, this revision is meant to create a consistent customer experience. The shirts can be button-up, collared, or crewneck style with long or short sleeves, but they must be black after the May deadline.

The company is giving employees two black Starbucks shirts for free, but some are nevertheless upset that their old shirts are now banned. Some of those folks have taken to social media to air their grievances against the company's decision to simplify the dress code. Others, however, don't seem to think this is anything to get up in arms about.

On TikTok, one agitated employee posted a video in which they toss old, colorful Starbucks shirts onto their bed, lamenting that these are all now useless for work purposes. In the comments, some fellow employees took the opportunity to opine about the change as well. One wrote, "I don't get how all black clothes is going to make the business better, god forbid there's color and the slightest bit of self expression." Another particularly cynical individual has apparently decided to take out their frustration somewhat on the customers, writing, "if we aren't allowed to show personality with our outfits i'm not showing ANY AT ALL no more customer connections."

Still, not all the comments held a negative view of Starbucks or the dress code change. One person illustrated that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade, saying, "I'm gonna make a quilt with all my shirts." Another poster who apparently doesn't work at the chain was sympathetic to the whole ordeal but suggested making a quick buck off of the company's recent decision. "Sell those on Depop or eBay I'd snap a lot of them up and I don't work there," they wrote.

Yet one comment succinctly summed up what some others were thinking, saying, "Normal places all have a basic uniform." Employees at Starbucks may not like it, but company uniforms are nothing new. Successful marketing requires customers to feel familiar with a brand, and putting standards in place, like professional-looking company uniforms, is an easy way to signal a potentially consistent experience.