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Starbucks has announced that the baristas’ dress code will change starting May 12. The goal is to make the iconic green apron, worn since 1987, stand out more. With this change, the company — once known as the place where you could express your identity — seems to be taking a step back in time. And not everyone is happy about it. Besides limiting employees’ freedom of choice, there are also practical objections to a measure that seems to be more about symbolic politics than real impact.
Starbucks announces new dress code to highlight green apron
At first glance, the press release about the new dress code might sound perfectly reasonable to an outsider. The company says it wants to offer a “consistent coffeehouse experience.” That’s why, starting May 12, staff will only be allowed to wear solid black shirts with either short or long sleeves. These shirts may have a crew neck, collar, or be button-ups. As for pants, employees can choose between khaki shades, black, or blue denim.
What’s notable is that the new dress code will be applied to all company-owned stores in North America starting May 12, but the aim is to include licensed stores as well. Starbucks operates 18,424 stores in North America and another 21,775 internationally (as of September 2024). However, not all of these are officially owned by Starbucks. In North America, 39% and internationally 55% of stores are owned by other companies but operate under the Starbucks name and model — a franchise setup. This means Starbucks can enforce the dress code in its own stores, but in others it serves only as a recommendation.
From previous conversations with Starbucks Netherlands, I know that NS (Dutch Railways), for example, used to own Starbucks locations, and at Schiphol Airport they fall under the HMS Host group. As of now (2025), the Netherlands has 5 company-owned Starbucks locations and 37 franchise stores. When a new franchise store opens, it’s connected to a so-called “master franchisee” who owns all non-company-owned stores in the country.
Starbucks facing tough times
It’s no secret that the company has had to make changes to stay afloat. Since September 2024, Brian Niccol has taken over as Starbucks’ new CEO and has promised to work on shorter wait times and a simplified menu. However, research has shown that high prices are the main reason customers are staying away. And since the U.S. is in the process of raising taxes on non-domestic goods, lowering prices will only become more difficult. Only 1% of the coffee used by Starbucks comes from the U.S.; the rest is imported from 30 different countries.
So, the dress code change seems like nothing more than a symbolic move — a way to make it look like something is happening. But a stricter dress code isn’t the reason people come back for coffee. Especially not if that already expensive coffee gets even pricier.
Starbucks employees are not happy
Meanwhile, employees are voicing their complaints on social media about the new dress code — and it’s easy to understand why. For years, Starbucks has been known as a company that prioritizes inclusivity and personal expression. The entire organization was built around that. For instance, there’s an official online Coffee Gear Shop where employees can buy work-appropriate clothing — shirts in different colors and prints, all featuring the Starbucks logo.
For those who preferred to wear their own clothes, there was a lot of freedom. According to the official dress code, muted colors like black, white, various grays, and navy were allowed. Wool sweaters and T-shirts were permitted. As for patterns, plaid, stripes, and polka dots were fine. But since the company has many franchise stores where the dress code was more of a guideline, things looked different in practice. Many Starbucks locations featured all the colors of the rainbow. Combined with a relaxed policy on colored hair and visible tattoos, this made for a vibrant atmosphere.
Under the new rules, wearing items from the Coffee Gear Shop is no longer allowed. Employees who recently made purchases were not informed that they would soon be unable to wear these items to work. This means they’re now stuck with Starbucks-branded clothes they can’t use — unless they wear them in their free time, which obviously isn’t the point of work uniforms.
The beginning of the end?
There are also concerns about wearing black shirts in summer. High temperatures combined with the heat from coffee machines can make for an uncomfortable situation. All employees — including those at franchise stores — will receive two black shirts from Starbucks. Hopefully, the company has considered warmer weather in its choice of materials. But that remains to be seen.
Finally, there’s a fear that this is only the beginning. Brian Niccol is a well-known Republican, and employees worry that his ideology will further restrict the dress code. That’s certainly possible — but we all know that won’t be what saves the company. If any new developments arise, I’ll keep you posted.
Cheers,
Aileen