Starbucks Inexplicably Denies Pregnant Woman Use of Bathroom

Sounds like Starbucks is in hot water again. This time, AZ Central reports that a Starbucks employee at a store in Arizona is accused of denying north Phoenix resident Ilana Scheinker use of their bathroom. "The urge hit me as it does many women who have two weeks to go," Scheinker said. But when she asked a barista for the code to get into the restroom, the barista refused and said she needed to buy something first.

Scheinker asked again, and was turned down a second time. After telling her husband what happened, he went up to the counter to explain his wife's situation to the barista who once again refused to provide the code — even after the Scheinkers presented a credit card and asked the barista to charge them for "anything," just so they could have the code.

Finally, a woman who was in line behind the couple and was watching the scene unfold said, "I'm about to make a purchase, give me the code and I'll give it to her." The barista refused again, and told the couple to go somewhere else if they wanted to use the restroom. Scheinker finally used a restroom inside a nearby Subway.

When the manager of the Starbucks' location found out about the incident she called the Scheinkers to apologize. She told the couple that she has communicated with the disrespectful employee to explain that his reaction to their request was "unacceptable." It does not seem as though that barista has been let go, however.

AZ Central contacted Starbucks who released this statement:

"We failed to meet this customer's expectations of us, and we have apologized and are working to make it right. This experience is unacceptable and not indicative of the welcoming and respectful service we strive to offer our customers in our stores."

See the local news story: