While most restaurants around the country continue to restrict their services to take-away and delivery, the caffeine-addicted looking to get their hipster fix are in for some good news. Tata Starbucks announced yesterday that it will resume dine-in service at select outlets in seven cities, including Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata Ahmedabad, Surat, and Vadodara with elevated cleaning and sanitising protocols.
As per regulations the stores will operate at 50 per cent seating capacity in order to allow for social distancing between customers and employees.
Inside the stores, Starbucks has introduced mandatory temperature checks and facial coverings for customers, partners and delivery personnel.The popular condiment bar has temporarily been removed from all stores and the condiments are available upon request.
Dine-in customers will be requested to dispose of their disposable masks or gloves in the dedicated trash bin provided at the entrance rather than leaving them on tables, and also be encouraged to use cashless payments such as cards, UPI, or the Starbucks Mobile app.
Given the limited seating, there will now be designated waiting areas and social distancing markers for takeaway customers.Safety instructions and hand sanitisers will be carefully laid out throughout the store. All surfaces will be sanitised every 30 minutes at all outlets.
“As we navigate through the crisis, we are transforming the in-store Starbucks Experience to new public health guidelines and evolving customer behaviours and expectations,” said Navin Gurnaney, CEO, Tata Starbucks Pvt. Ltd, adding, “Starbucks has always been a warm and welcoming ‘Third Place’ for our customers and we are determined to provide our community a safe, familiar and convenient Starbucks Experience when they visit our stores.”
In case you’re still hesitant about actually entering the stores, contactless delivery and kerbside takeaway options are also available in select areas. So, nothing can keep you from your coffee.