Latest Breaking News

Omaha Steve

(99,789 posts) Tue Mar 5, 2024, 09:37 PM Mar 5

Mideast Starbucks franchisee firing 2,000 workers after being targeted in Israel-Hamas war boycott

Source: AP

By JON GAMBRELL
Updated 10:30 AM CST, March 5, 2024

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Middle East franchisee of Starbucks said Tuesday it has begun firing around 2,000 workers at its coffee shops across the region after the brand found itself targeted by activists during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

The Kuwait-based Alshaya Group, a private family firm holding franchise rights for a variety of Western companies including The Cheesecake Factory, H&M and Shake Shack, issued a statement acknowledging the firings at its Middle Eastern and North African locations.

“As a result of the continually challenging trading conditions over the last six months, we have taken the sad and very difficult decision to reduce the number of colleagues in our Starbucks MENA stores,” the statement read.

Alshaya later confirmed it was firing about 2,000 employees, as first reported by Reuters. Many of its employees in the Gulf Arab states are foreign workers hailing from Asian nations.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/starbucks-firings-mideast-israel-hamas-war-f57e39147f8350d860fb0f57d42a987c

10 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Mideast Starbucks franchisee firing 2,000 workers after being targeted in Israel-Hamas war boycott (Original Post) Omaha Steve Mar 5 OP

Sounds stupid....are all of these people politicking when they deliver a coffee? OAITW r.2.0 Mar 5 #1

The coffe will still moniss Mar 6 #2

In my life, I think I had 1 Starbucks experience. Gardiner, Me rest stop. OAITW r.2.0 Mar 6 #3

Well everyone is entitled to their own opinion. My sister in law hates coffee in general but I like it though I've never cstanleytech Mar 6 #4

Where I am Dunkin large regular coffee is about the same price as a large Starbucks Hassin Bin Sober Mar 6 #5

Well the other thing I don't care for is the long lines :p lol cstanleytech Mar 6 #6

Dunkin is generally decent moniss Mar 6 #7

make your own catsudon Mar 6 #8

They fired 2000 antisemites. Mosby Mar 6 #9

So... Pro-Palestinian activists are targeting the brand because it's American? maxsolomon Mar 6 #10

OAITW r.2.0

(24,679 posts)

1. Sounds stupid....are all of these people politicking when they deliver a coffee?

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Tue Mar 5, 2024, 09:48 PM

Mar 5

Who will replace them? Will they deliver better service?

moniss

(4,274 posts)

2. The coffe will still

Reply to OAITW r.2.0 (Reply #1)

Wed Mar 6, 2024, 12:13 AM

Mar 6

taste like burnt cork .

OAITW r.2.0

(24,679 posts)

3. In my life, I think I had 1 Starbucks experience. Gardiner, Me rest stop.

Reply to moniss (Reply #2)

Wed Mar 6, 2024, 12:28 AM

Mar 6

Drank a cup and thought is this 3x better than a cup I make myself or get at AE Robinson's?

cstanleytech

(26,337 posts)

4. Well everyone is entitled to their own opinion. My sister in law hates coffee in general but I like it though I've never

Reply to moniss (Reply #2)

Wed Mar 6, 2024, 12:38 AM

Mar 6

tried Starbucks as my budget just won't allow for it so I'll stick to what I can afford which is an occasional xl large cup of coffee from Dunkin with 8 cream.

Hassin Bin Sober

(26,348 posts)

5. Where I am Dunkin large regular coffee is about the same price as a large Starbucks

Reply to cstanleytech (Reply #4)

Wed Mar 6, 2024, 12:59 AM

Mar 6

People always squawk about Starbucks price but that’s usually the lattes and frozen coffees

The regular coffee is about the same

cstanleytech

(26,337 posts)

6. Well the other thing I don't care for is the long lines :p lol

Reply to Hassin Bin Sober (Reply #5)

Wed Mar 6, 2024, 01:02 AM

Mar 6

moniss

(4,274 posts)

7. Dunkin is generally decent

Reply to cstanleytech (Reply #4)

Wed Mar 6, 2024, 02:37 AM

Mar 6

and many fairly average places can make good coffee. I could drink Starbucks if I kill the bitter, burned flavor by putting in a lot of additions. But then I'm not really tasting the coffee as much as everything else.

catsudon

(855 posts)

8. make your own

Reply to cstanleytech (Reply #4)

Wed Mar 6, 2024, 12:18 PM

Mar 6

'artisan crafted espresso drink'

yep i got a 100$ nespresso, off brand pods, torino syrups, Aeroccino Milk Frother

it paid for itself making extra large latte for me daily

Mosby

(16,388 posts)

9. They fired 2000 antisemites.

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Wed Mar 6, 2024, 12:23 PM

Mar 6

Good luck finding employees who aren't racists.

maxsolomon

(33,432 posts)

10. So... Pro-Palestinian activists are targeting the brand because it's American?

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Wed Mar 6, 2024, 02:33 PM

Mar 6

& the layoffs are because business is down as a result of the protest?

Or are the employees participating?

Unclear...

Reply to this discussion