Starbucks in Saudi Arabia refuses to serve women

[blastoff]

Any business expanding into foreign markets has to play by the country's laws, but should also heed customs and whatnot if they expect to be successful. By doing so they show proper respect for the culture and help ingratiate their goods/services to the populus. A good idea when your aim is to coax them out of their money.

This incident shows Starbucks doing just that IMO, so no harm and no foul.

 

[aris2chat]

diarrhea of the mouth constipation of the brain you talk with out the facts or engaging our brain. Did no one check the news?

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

No, I don't approve of the rules in saudi where women are concerned, but all this fuss over a few days till a wall could be replaced. You guys really are making a mountain over a mole hill. It is not up to Starbucks to change saudi moral laws because a wall had to be replaced and it tools

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

took a few days to get permits, material and workers to finish it. You are not going to change the laws of the land over a few days without a coffee.

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

>>
Starbucks issued the following statement to CNN: "At Starbucks, we adhere to the local customs of Saudi Arabia by providing separate entrances for families as well as single people. In addition, all our stores provide equal amenities, service, menu, and seating to men, women and families."
The statement continues: "We are working as quickly as possible as we refurbish our Jarir store so that we may again welcome all customers in accordance with local customs."
On Monday, Starbucks shared an update: "Starbucks welcomes all customers, including women and families, to enjoy the Starbucks experience. We have worked with local authorities to obtain approval to refurbish one of our stores in Jarir, which was originally built without a gender wall. That meant it could only accommodate men in accordance with local law.
"This was the only such Starbucks store in Saudi Arabia. During construction, the store could only accommodate and serve single men, and a poster was placed at the store entrance as required by local law.
The statement went on: "We are pleased to share that the store is now accessible to single men on one side as well as women and families on the other side. Starbucks has now 78 stores in Saudi Arabia and all stores cater to both families and singles, except for one that is exclusively reserved for women and families."<<

So if there is, say, a Starbucks in the South and someone requests a drink with a Confederate flag on it, are they to follow the local customs and oblige them?

There is a difference between custom and law, in this case sharia morality law according the wahabi.

Business and people that go to saudi have to follow the law. Penalties can be harsh.

Now if you wore a cross and it was visible, you would be in trouble. Speak of Jesus or the bible, or hand out religious information can mean death

This is not some conservative quaint amish town, with few or no "english"; medieval renaissance fair or pilgrim recreation in plimoth.. It is saudi arabia.

So tell me something I don't know

Should Starbuck cash in on a women hating society by simply doing their bidding?

If starbucks decided to replace the floor in one shop, but the drive through was still open, would you be having a hiss fit. Sign on the door would say no indoor service till repairs are done, please use drive in.

In saudi, the women's area was in need of repair please have your driver come in and order your coffee.

a few days, the repairs are done and women have an area inside for them to order and drink their coffee in the shop.

I hate the restriction in saudi, but starbucks did nothing wrong. If you don't the segregation of women take it up with the saudis.

This is normal life in saudi. Women in saudi might not like it, but the reaction here is way over blown. If you want boycott saudi oil, but the laws have been around for centuries, so they are not going to change over one store that serves coffee. It is not like women were banned forever, it was till the wall was replaced.

Human rights are different over there. People that go to saudi have to abide by the rules. Starbucks abided till they could replace the wall, which was a few days.

 

[JOSweetHeart]

Wow, you would think that a place like Star Bucks would want as many customers as they can get their hands on.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

P.S. I guess that its a good thing that I never cared for their stuff, but plenty of other people do.

 

[aris2chat]

diarrhea of the mouth constipation of the brain you talk with out the facts or engaging our brain. Did no one check the news?

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

No, I don't approve of the rules in saudi where women are concerned, but all this fuss over a few days till a wall could be replaced. You guys really are making a mountain over a mole hill. It is not up to Starbucks to change saudi moral laws because a wall had to be replaced and it tools

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

took a few days to get permits, material and workers to finish it. You are not going to change the laws of the land over a few days without a coffee.

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

>>
Starbucks issued the following statement to CNN: "At Starbucks, we adhere to the local customs of Saudi Arabia by providing separate entrances for families as well as single people. In addition, all our stores provide equal amenities, service, menu, and seating to men, women and families."
The statement continues: "We are working as quickly as possible as we refurbish our Jarir store so that we may again welcome all customers in accordance with local customs."
On Monday, Starbucks shared an update: "Starbucks welcomes all customers, including women and families, to enjoy the Starbucks experience. We have worked with local authorities to obtain approval to refurbish one of our stores in Jarir, which was originally built without a gender wall. That meant it could only accommodate men in accordance with local law.
"This was the only such Starbucks store in Saudi Arabia. During construction, the store could only accommodate and serve single men, and a poster was placed at the store entrance as required by local law.
The statement went on: "We are pleased to share that the store is now accessible to single men on one side as well as women and families on the other side. Starbucks has now 78 stores in Saudi Arabia and all stores cater to both families and singles, except for one that is exclusively reserved for women and families."<<

So if there is, say, a Starbucks in the South and someone requests a drink with a Confederate flag on it, are they to follow the local customs and oblige them?

There is a difference between custom and law, in this case sharia morality law according the wahabi.

Business and people that go to saudi have to follow the law. Penalties can be harsh.

Now if you wore a cross and it was visible, you would be in trouble. Speak of Jesus or the bible, or hand out religious information can mean death

This is not some conservative quaint amish town, with few or no "english"; medieval renaissance fair or pilgrim recreation in plimoth.. It is saudi arabia.

So tell me something I don't know

Should Starbuck cash in on a women hating society by simply doing their bidding?

Many do business in saudi. American have worked there for decades, and have their own walled communities.
Starbucks is not the UN or HR. They are not there to change saudi, they are there to do business.
Change in saudi has been a push pull for ages. There is progress in small ways. Tiny steps. They don't want a sudden upheaval that would cause a revolution and possibly bring in an ISIS or Iranian controlled government instead.

Saudi women speak out when they travel outside of saudi and on the internet. They are organizing. There are women in government.

Think of it this way, when the slaves were freed, most people still had trouble adjusting. Saudi is trying to avoid a civil war.

Since women don't walk freely without a man in most major cities, a man going in and getting a coffee for the women and serving the women outside (in the car) is not such a hardship for a few days till repairs are made.

We might object but trying to change the laws of other countries is not easy. Many countries violate human rights and US bullying has barely nudged them.

 

[rightwinger]

Saudi Arabia is a shithole run by a mega wealthy family who does not give a shit about the people or their rights

Compared to the other atrocities going on, not being able to get a cup of coffee is pretty trivial

 

[aris2chat]

Saudi Arabia is a shithole run by a mega wealthy family who does not give a shit about the people or their rights

Compared to the other atrocities going on, not being able to get a cup of coffee is pretty trivial

They believe they are protecting the people and their souls. Muslims are supposed to follow sharia in muslim countries. As home and protector of Mecca, they take the role seriously. It the wahabi (ultra-orthodox) version of islam.

Saudi consider themselves the guardian of the faithful, even by harsh measures and punishments (fear).

You cannot think of saudi like a western nation. It is a different world that have their own beliefs and laws.

We don't want muslims changing our laws to accommodate sharia, why would you think we can demand they change their laws and culture for the west?

 

[rightwinger]

Saudi Arabia is a shithole run by a mega wealthy family who does not give a shit about the people or their rights

Compared to the other atrocities going on, not being able to get a cup of coffee is pretty trivial

They believe they are protecting the people and their souls. Muslims are supposed to follow sharia in muslim countries. As home and protector of Mecca, they take the role seriously. It the wahabi (ultra-orthodox) version of islam.

Saudi consider themselves the guardian of the faithful, even by harsh measures and punishments (fear).

You cannot think of saudi like a western nation. It is a different world that have their own beliefs and laws.

We don't want muslims changing our laws to accommodate sharia, why would you think we can demand they change their laws and culture for the west?

We cannot demand that they change their laws, but we can be repulsed by them