Reddit
reddit.com › r/askaliberal › why does starbucks seem to be way more political than other chains?
r/AskALiberal on Reddit: Why does Starbucks seem to be way more political than other chains?
December 5, 2022 -
I just want to start by saying this question is admittedly rather dumb, and half of it is based on anecdotal evidence, however, it's just honestly been confusing me why Starbucks appears in more political messaging/news than other corporations.
On the one hand, looking at the more local/individual level, Starbucks has always felt very liberal. By this I mean Conservatives hate or mock Starbucks seemingly way more than any other chain, and in my own experience, there is a large number of LGBT+ baristas working at Starbucks compared to other shops I have gone to in the past. Feel like I am wording this very poorly and I hope this isn't misconstrued, just to be clear I am not saying this because I have a problem with it, but when there is a high concentration of a small minority population in a certain area, it seems like there would be some reason/other factor accounting for this. And I also mean workers blatantly wearing pins or other clothing promoting BLM or LGBT+ inclusion.
That said I also feel like the corporation itself is hated by liberals more than other chains. There have been plenty of news stories recently about workers trying to Unionize stores and the corporation thwarting all efforts to do so. Reasonable for liberals to be against this, but there aren't the same type of outrage or news stories for places like Dunkin or Mcdonald's.
Okay so basically my question is, can anyone explain why Starbucks seems to attract more activist-type employees than other chains? Based solely on my personal anecdotal evidence, I hypothesize that the more liberal employee workforce is more willing and driven to unionize and make changes compared to others, so that's why there is more news coverage of them unionizing (or attempting to). I am just confused why the brand itself seems to attract a more liberal/activist individual.
Again this is a dumb question I know, please don't mock me.
Top answer 1 of 5
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...Conservatives hate or mock Starbucks seemingly way more than any other chain... I think it was associated with liberalism early-on because they first emerged in major cities (where the liberals are). Also, paying $10 for a fancy cup of coffee (when brewing coffee at home would probably cost you ten cents) is/was a rather extravagant luxury; therefore, it was ripe for mockery as 'elitist' behavior.
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A lot of coffee culture is targeted towards the youth, college students and professors, writers, the artistically-inclined, someone typing out their next magnum opus as they down cups of coffee. You've likely seen this kind of coffee shop. They'll rave about their coffee being ethically harvested, initiatives they're promoting to care for the environment, inviting local songwriters to come in and play etc. etc. Starbucks aims to emulate this image. While a chain like Dunkin Donuts presents itself as the place where cops and construction workers get their coffee, Starbucks presents itself as the coffee chain for the youth of the today. They're the faceless corporation for people who hate faceless corporations, like Whole Foods. And to sustain that image, they adopt progressive messaging about being an ally to BLM and LGBTQ+ and so on.
Business Insider
businessinsider.com › business insider › retail › politics › starbucks has become a target of trump-loving conservatives — and that's great news for the brand
Starbucks has become a target of Trump-loving conservatives — and that's great news for the brand
February 6, 2017 - After being mocked by people across the political spectrum, the company ended the cup-centric part of the campaign and doubled down on opening stores in lower-income and minority communities. "This is about words, deeds, and actions, not tweets," Allieri said of companies' reactions to Trump's policies. "If this is seen as liberal CEOs on the coasts tweeting about Mr. Trump, that's not the way to go." Second, Starbucks realized the risks associated with taking on specific politicians instead of policies.
Videos
Business Insider
businessinsider.com › business insider › retail › starbucks is making an unprecedented effort to get people to vote. here's how the coffee giant approaches politics, from its ex-ceo's presidential aspirations to its spending on lobbying.
Starbucks is making an unprecedented effort to get people to vote. Here's how the coffee giant approaches politics, from its ex-CEO's presidential aspirations to its spending on lobbying.
October 8, 2020 - Starbucks gained a reputation of being a "liberal" brand under Schultz's leadership, despite the company's lack of political donations. The chain has faced protests from the right numerous times, most notably when the company pledged to hire ...
OpenSecrets
opensecrets.org › orgs › starbucks-corp › summary
Starbucks Corp Profile: Summary • OpenSecrets
Starbucks Corp organization profile. Contributions in the 2024 cycle: $466,953. Lobbying in 2024: $1,540,000. Outside Spending in the 2024 cycle: $0.
GB Times
gbtimes.com › home › is starbucks a liberal company?
Is Starbucks a liberal company? - GB Times
June 5, 2024 - The company’s founder, Howard ... Starbucks has also been a vocal advocate for these causes, using its platform to promote change and challenge societal norms....
Walletvotes
walletvotes.com › starbucks-politics
Starbucks Politics
In this article, we will delve deep into these aspects, providing a comprehensive overview of Starbucks’ political stance and actions. Starbucks has made donations to both Democratic and Republican candidates, indicating a non-partisan approach to politics.
Glassdoor
glassdoor.com › Reviews › Employee-Review-Starbucks-E2202-RVW14435634.htm
Starbucks - Excellent company but too much liberal politics is alienating many employees and customers | Glassdoor
The recent election brought some ... viewed as the symbol of liberalism and unfortunately, the company has embraced this mantra alienating conservative customers and employees....
Forbes
forbes.com › sites › brandindex › 2012 › 07 › 12 › coffee-drinking-democrats-and-conservatives-party-lines-differ-over-starbucks
Coffee-Drinking Democrats (and Conservatives)? Party Lines Differ Over Starbucks
August 6, 2012 - The company ethos ticks the policy boxes for liberal consumers: it stocks Fair Trade products, is recognized as an ethical employer by Etisphere, and holds Cup Summits each year to address recycling solutions.
The National Center
nationalcenter.org › home › programs › starbucks rejects protecting conservative employees
Starbucks Rejects Protecting Conservative Employees - The National Center
December 14, 2023 - A policy for preserving and protecting diversity is particularly relevant at a company such as Starbucks, which has a reputation for being overtly liberal in its corporate affairs. As Justin pointed out in his presentation: Starbucks has also refused requests to increase the viewpoint diversity of its board. This signals to employees that viewpoint discrimination is condoned if not encouraged. It’s also not good for business. From holiday cups to engaging customers on racial issues, the politics of Starbucks has always left conservatives with a bitter aftertaste.
Starbucks
about.starbucks.com › home › is starbucks a political organization?
Is Starbucks a political organization?
October 16, 2024 - No. Starbucks is a corporation – not a political organization. Despite false statements spread through social media, Starbucks has never contributed to any government or military operation in any way.
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Criticism_of_Starbucks
Criticism of Starbucks - Wikipedia
October 12, 2025 - He is a recipient of several Israeli awards including "The Israel 50th Anniversary Tribute Award" for "playing a key role in promoting a close alliance between the United States and Israel". The hoax letter claiming that Schultz had donated money to the Israeli military was actually written by an Australian weblogger, Andrew Winkler, who has admitted fabricating the document. Starbucks responded to these claims, widely circulated on the internet, stating that "Neither Chairman Howard Schultz nor Starbucks fund supports the Israeli Army. Starbucks is a non-political organization and does not support individual political causes".
TheStreet
thestreet.com › restaurants › forget-bud-light-this-woke-starbucks-case-will-enrage-conservative-investors
Forget Bud Light, this woke Starbucks case will enrage conservative investors - TheStreet
August 14, 2023 - The Seattle coffee chain touts its interest in social responsibility, taking care to mitigate waste, securing fair-trade practices in its coffee-supply chain, and donating extra food to those in need.
NRN
nrn.com › home › quick service
Has Howard Schultz become a Republican?
At the time, Starbucks was the ideal liberal company, providing benefits to employees, and supporting LGBTQIA+ rights. While Schultz didn’t ultimately make it – he dropped out of the race in 2019 ...
Quora
quora.com › What’s-the-deal-with-conservatives-and-Starbucks
What’s the deal with conservatives and Starbucks? - Quora
Answer (1 of 7): It’s a cheap shot - and I identify as “conservative/Libertarian.” I think there is an assumption that Starbucks and other coffee shops are chock full of liberal hipster-types who pulled the lever for Hillary or whichever Democrats appear on the ballot.
Democracy Journal
democracyjournal.org › arguments › why-starbucks-cant-leave-politics-alone
Why Starbucks Can't Leave Politics Alone : Democracy Journal
October 28, 2015 - The failure of the “Come Together” initiative apparently left Schultz’s faith in symbolic solutions to structural problems intact. Ditto his company’s self-righteousness. As a Starbucks spokesperson defended the “Race Together” initiative to the New York Times: “Leading change isn’t an easy thing to accomplish.”
UnHerd
unherd.com › home › newsroom › starbucks’ political activism has backfired
Starbucks' political activism has backfired - UnHerd
June 10, 2024 - For an American company to build and maintain a customer base, it must choose one of two courses: either be apolitical and serve all Americans, or be political in a single consistent direction and serve only some (like Ben & Jerry’s). It cannot be political in all directions at once, or in ...
Oakland Post Online
oaklandpostonline.com › 47564 › politics › the-influence-of-starbucks-on-corporate-politics
The influence of Starbucks on corporate politics – The Oakland Post
Thus, each purchase consumers make becomes a political statement, whether we spend our money as a subtle endorsement or keep our wallets closed in a silent protest. For many holiday shoppers, Starbucks becomes a likely pitstop for those craving a cup of holiday cheer.
The Guardian
theguardian.com › commentisfree › 2022 › sep › 05 › starbucks-progressive-company-union-firings
You might think Starbucks is a ‘progressive’ company. You’d be wrong | Hamilton Nolan | The Guardian
September 5, 2022 - I’m no psychoanalyst, but I imagine that it flows from the same source as the hubris that made the billionaire Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz imagine that he could get elected president as an independent. It seems that none of Schultz’s sycophants were brave enough to tell him up front that he is, perhaps, the single worst presidential candidate you could ever imagine: Conservatives hate him because he pretends to be progressive; progressives hate him because he is, in fact, a cutthroat billionaire businessman who slathers himself in symbolic liberalism to ward off accurate criticism; and his own employees hate him because he treats their request for labor rights like an act of war.
The Anchor
anchor.hope.edu › home › why you shouldn’t boycott starbucks…or anything else
Why you shouldn’t boycott Starbucks…or anything else | The Anchor
January 29, 2024 - Workers United forced Starbucks’ hand by instigating a political litmus test which they inevitably failed. We as consumers just need to keep politics out of what we will and won’t support. Taylor Swift and I agree on very little politically or socially; however, I still love her as a musician where I am willing to pay to attend her concerts and stream her music regularly. Even though she is an outspoken liberal, I’m not boycotting her products.