Starbucks Is Making Its Stores More Accessible. Here's How.
The coffee chain's move comes at a time when the number of older adults with disabilities is expected to rise.
![Starbucks cup with coffee beans](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/JYRygGvzs8daJcrHkLAoaj-415-80.jpg)
Washington D.C. is now home to Starbucks' most accessible store yet, and it is laying the groundwork for the chain to have an even more accessible future.
The coffee giant said its newest location, which opened on February 15, is the first of its kind to include a slew of new features and tools to create a more inclusive environment for customers.
As Starbucks noted in a statement, the move comes at a time when about one in four adults in the U.S. has a disability.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hwgJ7osrMtUWhk5koeVme7-200-80.png](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hwgJ7osrMtUWhk5koeVme7-320-80.png)
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
The number of older adults with disabilities is expected to climb in the next decade as more baby boomers grow older and develop challenges such as difficulty walking, seeing and hearing, according to a January 17 KFF Health News report. The U.S. healthcare system is not prepared to handle the influx, according to the report.
Some companies are beginning to provide more accessibility more broadly. These include AccessibleGO, an accessible travel website that launched a major expansion last month that includes booking equipment rentals, flights, rental cars with hand controls and concierge ride services for wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
But, while more work needs to be done, Starbuck's commitment is certainly a positive sign, said Tony Coelho, a former U.S. congressman and primary author of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), who is quoted in Starbuck's announcement.
"We have to go beyond just what is required to put accessibility and inclusion first to ensure all people feel like they belong in community spaces," he said.
Expanding accessibility features
Under the ADA, restaurants and other public businesses "must provide people with disabilities an equal opportunity to access the goods or services that they offer."
That, however, is often simply not the case, as Maria Town, Maria Town, president and CEO of the non-profit American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), told Kiplinger.
"It is good to see retailers making commitments towards accessible and inclusive retail experiences because the reality is, even almost 34 years after its passage, many retailers are not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act," she said.
"It is also good to see Starbucks announcing its support of particular policy changes that would advance greater economic mobility and community integration for disabled people," Town said. The presence of accessible and inclusive retail spaces are "less meaningful when systemic ableism in our nation's policies keeps people with disabilities from having disposable income," she added.
Starbucks' new framework
At Starbucks, its store design is a collaboration between customers, partners and accessibility experts, Starbucks said. It will also serves as the blueprint for all future store openings, which will be roughly 600 stores this year, it added.
Plans call for new stores to be open sourced and further developed to help expand accessibility across the retail industry.
New design elements and store features include:
- Portable, adjustable digital menus and order screens that include voice assist, screen magnification and images to make ordering easier in any language.
- Power operated doors.
- Order status screens to assist in informing customers when their orders are ready.
- Updated lighting and acoustics to minimize glare, shadow patterns and sound that can interfere with assistive devices.
- Lower counters to accommodate wheelchair access.
- More accessible pathways into, through and out of the store.
To take a virtual tour of the coffee chain's Washington, DC store built using its inclusive spaces framework, visit the website.
RELATED CONTENT
Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — free
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
Jamie Feldman is a journalist, essayist and content creator. After building a byline as a lifestyle editor for HuffPost, her articles and editorials have since appeared in Cosmopolitan, Betches, Nylon, Bustle, Parade, and Well+Good. Her journey out of credit card debt, which she chronicles on TikTok, has amassed a loyal social media following. Her story has been featured in Fortune, Business Insider and on The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, CBS News, and NPR. She is currently producing a podcast on the same topic and living in Brooklyn, New York.
-
Stock Market Today: Dow Adds 654 Points as 3M Stock Explodes Higher
It was a risk-on day for stocks thanks to an upbeat inflation reading and impressive earnings from 3M and Deckers.
By Karee Venema Published
-
3M Leads Dow Stocks After Massive Earnings Beat
3M stock is headed toward its best day ever after the industrial conglomerate's impressive earnings report. Here's what you need to know.
By Joey Solitro Published
-
Best 6% Interest Savings Accounts Available Now
Want 6% interest on your savings? You could earn an APY of 6% or higher with these accounts, but you'll want to lock in rates soon.
By Erin Bendig Published
-
Hotels That Give the Best Value for Your Money, as Rated by Guests
New research reveals the best hotels in the U.S. for value for money according to hotel guests — and why they’re demanding more from their stay.
By Charlotte Gorbold Published
-
The 6 to 1 Grocery Method Can Save You Time and Money
The 6 to 1 Grocery Method can help you save money, reduce waste and eat healthier.
By Erin Bendig Published
-
Why This Economist Thinks the Fed Is Already Late to Cut Rates
Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi talks to Kiplinger about what he thinks the Federal Reserve is getting wrong on inflation.
By Anne Kates Smith Published
-
Tech Outage: How to Get Reimbursed if Your Flight Was Canceled or Delayed
Did the global Microsoft outage disrupt your travel plans? Here's how to get reimbursed if your flight was canceled or delayed.
By Erin Bendig Last updated
-
How the Tech Outage Impacted Banks and Finances
A major tech outage that caused chaos at airports also impacted banking and finance.
By Alexandra Svokos Last updated
-
Get Your Starbucks $3 Drink Today
Starbucks $3 Drink specials are available this Friday only, July 19, from 12 to 6 p.m.
By Kathryn Pomroy Published
-
After Amazon Prime Day: The 25 Best Deals Still Going On
If you missed out on Amazon Prime Day, no worries. There are dozens of "too-good-to-miss" Post-Prime Day deals to cash in on, from Moen, Keurig, Apple, Ninja, Levis and more.
By Kathryn Pomroy Published