It doesn’t matter where you find yourself on the political spectrum nor whom you blame for Congress’ inability to pass a spending bill that would essentially end the partial government shutdown. Perhaps it should be said that it doesn’t matter when you find yourself inside a Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) location today until Friday.
While the two parties and the major players grapple with their political futures and ultimately the country’s future, Starbucks seems to want to show lawmakers how people can come together to accomplish something. While CNBC is reporting that this is a foray into politics for the Seattle-based coffee maker, is it really? Is it possible that Starbucks just wants to show us what can be accomplished when people of different backgrounds just act civil?
Starbucks will give customers a free tall coffee
Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) will give customers a free tall coffee from Wednesday to Friday if they buy a beverage for another customer. The goal is to encourage citizens to “support and connect with one another, even as we wait for our elected officials to do the same for our country.”
Ok, so maybe it is a political statement.
Howard Schultz announced the offer in a memo to staff
Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) CEO Howard Schultz announced the offer in a memo to staff on Tuesday.
From his note:
Our business was built customer-by-customer, one cup of coffee at a time. Every day in our stores, we bear witness to small acts of human kindness that reflect the generosity of spirit at the core of our guiding principles. Most often, these are the little gestures that best embody our commitment to our communities and our care for our customers, and one another…
I’ve said before that we have a responsibility as well as an opportunity not to be bystanders, but to act in ways that contribute to the vibrancy of the communities where we live and work. This has always been the lens through which we make decisions, and it is a key reason why our customers have continually trusted us to do the right thing.
On Monday, Schultz rightfully wrote that he was “utterly disappointed by the level of irresponsibility and dysfunction we are witness to with our elected political leadership.” He also strongly suggested that Starbucks would do something to demonstrate the ease by which a company can “galvanize” the community.
Well, we now know what it is that Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) plans to do given a tweet from the company earlier today.
If actions define us, let’s be known for acts of kindness. #payitforward & we’ll thank u w/ a free tall coffee: http://t.co/LyuTq3nkFZ (US)
Starbucks Coffee (@Starbucks) October 9, 20134
