In a move that once again pushes smokers further to the periphery, Starbucks will invoke a new law of the land, which forbids smoking within 25 feet of their stores. That means enjoying a smoke on the patio is no longer allowed. You'll have to move it to the parking lot, behind a stinky trash bin or perhaps to the middle of an intersection. This new policy applies to every store in the good ol' US of A on June 1.
The city of Dallas passed an ordinance (27440 to be exact) back in 2009 that prohibited smoking in all indoor and enclosed areas and "within 15 feet of any entrance to an indoor or enclosed area."
Well, even if you find a spot 25 feet away from the entrance on the patio (supposing that's possible), it doesn't matter because the new Starbucks law of the land (because if 'Bux says it, you know it's as good as gold) the patio counts as property.
Word of this new policy first broke on News 4 out of Jackson, Florida. Starbucks media relations team confirmed the policy this morning explaining that the "existing rule is being extended to include the patio area."
