Are you a coffee lover looking to combine canines and coffee at your nearby Starbucks? If you are wondering if Starbucks is dog friendly, the answer is yes–but with restrictions.
Does Starbucks allow dogs inside?
Dogs aren’t permitted inside Starbucks. Unless your dog is a service dog, he cannot enter the indoor restaurant of Starbucks.
That said, Starbucks is a dog-friendly restaurant within the restrictions put on them by state health codes. In general, the patio areas of every Starbucks we’ve visited welcome dogs.
Dogs are allowed in the OUTDOOR patio area of Starbucks, if the store has an outdoor patio. If the Starbucks is inside a grocery store, your pet dog cannot enter.
You’ll even find a dog treat on the Starbucks “secret menu”! The Puppuccino is a small cup of whipped cream (no coffee!) that dogs love. They’re free for the asking either in the restaurant or at the drive-through window.
Starbucks is so popular with dog lovers that some dogs now sport the names of Starbucks drinks!
Can dogs join me in the outdoor dining area at Starbucks?
Yes, dogs are permitted in the outdoor patio areas at most Starbucks.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: always call first if you haven’t visited a particular location in a while. Local regulations can prohibit outdoor dining in some communities. We always recommending calling first; check the store locator for the phone number and address of your local Starbucks.
Here in Texas, the Health and Safety Code regulations for dogs in outdoor dining areas state:
(a) A food service establishment may permit a customer to be accompanied by a dog in an outdoor dining area if: (1) the establishment posts a sign in a conspicuous location in the area stating that dogs are permitted; (2) the customer and dog access the area directly from the exterior of the establishment; (3) the dog does not enter the interior of the establishment; (4) the customer keeps the dog on a leash and controls the dog; (5) the customer does not allow the dog on a seat, table, countertop, or similar surface; and (6) in the area, the establishment does not: (A) prepare food; or (B) permit open food other than food that is being served to a customer.
Starbucks meets all that criteria so we’re happy to say that every Starbucks we’ve visited in our home state has welcomed dogs on the patio.
Share Your #StarbucksDog Photos on Social Media
You’ll find many photos of dogs at Starbucks on social media using the hashtag #StarbucksDog and #puppuccino.
Why can’t dogs go indoors at Starbucks?
Dogs can’t go indoors a Starbucks location–or any other restaurant in the US–because food is served. The health department regulations for each state prohibit dogs in indoor dining areas.
Does Starbucks allow service dogs?
Yes, a trained service dog that is required to assist you is allowed in any Starbucks under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties. Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
A few years ago, a Starbucks customer with a service dog had difficulties at a Starbucks location, prompting a statement by Joe Thornton, Starbucks division senior vice president: “Starbucks always welcomes service animals to our stores, and we want every customer who spends time in our stores to enjoy their visit. “
Please note that the term “service dog” ONLY covers trained service dogs; it does not include emotional support dogs.
If your dog is not a trained service dog, do not attempt to misrepresent your dog as a service dog. Depending on where you live, misprepresenting your dog as a service dog can carry a fine of up to $1000.
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