Starbucks customers in China will now need to order before they occupy a table. The company said its roughly 8,000 stores across mainland China will ask patrons to make a purchase before sitting down in its cafés, according to an announcement published on Oct. 21. China has long been Starbucks' second-largest market after the United States, and the new rule gives the purchase-first requirement reach across the company's largest store network outside its home market. The company noted that some customers—including pregnant women and people with mobility issues—will continue to receive "priority support."

Reaction on Chinese social media was largely favorable. "Starbucks is in the business of selling beverages, not operating as a free study room," one user wrote on Weibo, a platform similar to X. "Seats are resources provided to customers, not something that can be occupied without any conditions."

Alongside the new seating rule, Starbucks China said it will invest more than 300 million yuan ($44.9 million) to upgrade the store experience under its broader "Third Place Initiative." The "third place" concept—a café positioned as a gathering space between home and work—has anchored Starbucks' brand identity for decades. The plan includes additional staffing at locations during peak hours.

The policy shift arrives as Starbucks contends with intensifying competition in China. In 2022, domestic chain Luckin Coffee overtook Starbucks in store count and later became the first coffee brand in the country to reach 10,000 locations. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Xiamen, Luckin built its business on inexpensive coffee and mobile ordering, winning over younger consumers.

The pressure has shown up in Starbucks' financial results. The company generated $3.6 billion in revenue from China in its 2021 fiscal year, but that figure slipped in subsequent years amid COVID-related disruptions and mounting competition; Starbucks reported $3.2 billion in China revenue for its 2025 fiscal year.

Starbucks ultimately chose to hand over control of the business. In November 2025, it announced it would sell a 60% stake in its China operations to Boyu Capital, a Hong Kong–based private equity firm. "We are positioning the business to serve more customers, enter more cities, and strengthen our leadership in a dynamic and evolving market," Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said in a statement at the time. The transaction closed in April 2026, and Starbucks no longer discloses China-specific figures in its earnings—making operational announcements like the Oct. 21 notice one of the few public windows into how the business is developing under its new ownership structure.

Order if you want to sit

Starbucks locations around the world have been grappling with customers who occupy seats without buying anything.

In early 2025, the company revised its open-door policy, which had previously welcomed everyone into its stores regardless of whether they had made a purchase. A Starbucks spokesperson said at the that the company would prioritize paying customers and noted that most other retailers already maintained similar rules. The spokesperson added that Starbucks hoped the change would foster an environment where people felt welcome and safe.

In August 2025, Starbucks Korea tightened its policy by banning bulky items from its stores, after patrons had been setting up remote offices in its outlets—some even bringing desktop computers and printers. Starbucks Korea, which is majority owned by E-Mart, a Shinsegae Group affiliate, and Singapore's GIC, said that "while laptops and smaller personal devices are welcome, customers are asked to refrain from bringing desktop computers, printers, or other bulky items that may limit seating and impact the shared space."

This story was originally reported by Fortune.