今日吃瓜

Californian coffee chain Philz is facing backlash following a decision to remove Pride flags from its stores, with the company saying they wanted their locations to feel more “inclusive”.

Based in San Francisco, where the chain has 17 cafes in the city alone, the move has been critiqued by locals of the Bay Area, where many businesses embrace the area’s rich queer heritage.

In a statement, Philz CEO Mahesh Sadarangani said the company wanted to 鈥淸create] a more consistent, inclusive experience across all our stores, including removing a variety of flags and other decor.”

鈥淥ur longstanding support of the LGBTQIA+ community is unchanged,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur allyship runs deeper than what is on our walls. It shows up in who we hire, how we treat one another and in our annual Pride Month Unity celebration, which returns this June as it has every year. Unity is fundamental to how we operate.鈥�

A petition from a group identifying themselves as Philz Coffee Baristas said the open display of Pride flags in the current political climate was a “simple yet remarkably powerful” show of solidarity. At the time of writing, the petition has attracted almost 5,500 signatures.

鈥淭he Pride flags within the stores hold deep meaning and value to both staff and visitors, symbolizing that these locations are safe and welcoming spaces for all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity,鈥� its read.

鈥淩emoving these flags risks alienating a core group of team members and loyal customers who see聽Philz not just as a coffee shop, but as a place where they are embraced and celebrated for who they are.鈥�

Other businesses in the area have also spoken out, with an Instagram post from Cafe Suspiro saying Philz was “not what [it] used to be.”

鈥淐afe Suspiro stands against intolerance and indifference toward LGBTQ+,” another post read. “Coffee shops shouldn’t have CEOS.鈥�

Founded in 2003 by a father and son team, the chain had prided itself on its connection to the local community, but has seen a noticeable shift in company identity following 2024 acquisition by private equity firm聽Freeman Spogli & Co.

鈥淚鈥檓 very upset that there鈥檚 a new CEO who has this new policy saying that they cannot display Pride flags inside any of the stores,鈥� protester Connie Jeung-Mills the San Francisco Chronicle at a demonstration outside the chain’s Castro store on Friday. 鈥淭hat seems like a big slap in the face to those of us in the queer community, especially in the Castro.鈥�