Eugene Gologursky / Getty Images for Fast Company Starbucks CEO Defends Paying $9 For Cup of Coffee: 'It's Less Than $10 and I Get a Really Premium Experience' CEO Brian Niccol is facing heated backlash for the "out of touch" remarks, though he does have some supporters. By V. Saxena May 4, 2026
@sfchronicle / X screen shotCommentary Coffee Shop Chain That Originated in San Francisco Defends Plan to Remove 'Pride' Flags from Stores' Decor A business that wants to create a welcoming environment for "all" is running afoul of liberals ,who like their welcomes more exclusive. By Joe Saunders April 16, 2026
BalkansCat / Getty Images LGBT Activists Rage After Coffee Chain Removes Its Rainbow Flags Philz Coffee CEO Mahesh Sadarangani confirmed that the "pride" flag would be removed from all stores across the country. By Michael Austin April 13, 2026
Anna Moneymaker / Getty ImagesCommentary Longtime Starbucks CEO Ditches Seattle for Florida on the Same Day Washington House Passes 'Millionaires' Tax' Whether the Schultzes fled to Florida because of Washington state's potential new income tax, we cannot say. But others will surely follow. By Michael Schwarz March 11, 2026
@nypost / X screen shot; @IsabellaMDeLuca / X screen shotFeature Coffee Shop Business Heats Up as 'Righteous People' Overcome Haters After Charlie Kirk's Death It never occurred to her that anyone would object to a simple message of support for someone who had just died so tragically and violently. By Lorri Wickenhauser October 4, 2025
@unlimited_ls / X screen shotCommentary Watch: Road Rage Backfires as Furious Passenger's Coffee Attack Ends Up in the Last Place He Wanted - His Own Face A road rage incident left once passenger making a fool of himself, throwing coffee meant for another driver in his own face. By Samuel Short August 22, 2025
Vasin Hirunwiwatwong / Getty Images Class II Recall for Coffee Across 15 States, Caffeine Content Too High A 15-state-wide Class II coffee recall has been announced by the Food and Drug Administration due to mislabeled bags. By Jack Davis March 28, 2025
David McNew/Getty ImagesCommentary Straight Starbucks Manager Faced Relentless Harassment from LGBT Coworkers, Higher-Ups Refused to Act: Lawsuit A self-described heterosexual man filed a lawsuit against Starbucks, his employer, claiming he faced discrimination from his LGBT colleagues. By Ben Zeisloft March 8, 2025
Andre Penner / AP Coffee Prices Likely to Rise as Weak Harvests Plague Multiple Countries “Given the conditions here, the 2025 crop is already affected ... based on the situation, it’s already compromised." By The Associated Press September 19, 2024
New Africa / ShutterstockCommentary Made in China: 500,000 'Self-Destructing' Mugs Recalled After Customers Require Surgery for Burns, Lacerations Relying on trade with Communist China means exploding coffee mugs -- not to mention doing business with a murderous totalitarian regime. By Michael Schwarz June 25, 2024