Starbucks' national conversation about race is already over


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
National conversations about race never go very well, or very far, though many people agree the U.S. needs to have one. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz was the latest to attempt sparking a dialogue, by encouraging baristas to write "Race Together" on their customers' cups. That attempt ended Sunday.
"While there has been criticism of the initiative — and I know this hasn't been easy for any of you — let me assure you that we didn't expect universal praise," Schultz said in a letter to employees. Writing on cups, "which was always just the catalyst for a much broader and longer-term conversation — will be completed as originally planned today, March 22."
The March 22 end date "had not previously been mentioned publicly," notes The New York Times, perhaps with a hint of mirth, "but a company spokeswoman, Laurel Harper, said employees had been told about it." And, she said, Starbucks isn't giving up the fight, just shifting tactics. The cup-based initiative had been widely mocked on social media — is anything not widely mocked on Twitter? — but NPR's Alexandra Starr found some customers who at least appreciated the gesture. Listen to her report below. —Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Peter Weber is a senior editor at TheWeek.com, and has handled the editorial night shift since the website launched in 2008. A graduate of Northwestern University, Peter has worked at Facts on File and The New York Times Magazine. He speaks Spanish and Italian and plays bass and rhythm cello in an Austin rock band. Follow him on Twitter.
-
Knotted
Cartoons
By The Week Staff Published
-
Is it time the world re-evaluated the rules on migration?
Today's Big Question Home Secretary Suella Braverman questions whether 1951 UN Refugee Convention is 'fit for our modern age'
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Liberal Democrat housing drama
Why Everyone's Talking About Ed Davey suffered a bruising defeat on the conference floor leading some to question his leadership
By Rebekah Evans Published
-
Elon Musk used Starlink, which saved Ukraine, to thwart a Ukrainian attack on Russia's Crimea fleet
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Fitch downgrades US credit rating, citing 'repeated debt-limit political standoffs'
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Bed Bath & Beyond relaunches online following bankruptcy
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
San Francisco's iconic Anchor Brewing is closing after 127 years
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Lawmakers say tax prep companies illegally shared taxpayer data with Meta and Google
Speed Read
By Theara Coleman Published
-
Microsoft wins FTC battle to acquire Activision Blizzard
Speed Read
By Theara Coleman Published
-
Tesla reports record quarter for sales
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
48 states sue telecom company over billions of robocalls
Speed Read
By Theara Coleman Published