A Starbucks in Saudi Arabia Bans Women From Entering the Store

A Starbucks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia just banned women from entering the branch. After a member of the country’s infamous Religious Police noticed that the store’s ‘gender barrier’ was compromised, management posted a sign on the entrance barring women from entering the store.

In Saudi Arabia, all public places are equipped with a wood partition separating men from women known as a ‘gender barrier.’  

A photo of the poorly punctuated sign, which read, “PLEASE NO ENTRY FOR LADIES ONLY SEND YOUR DRIVER TO ORDER THANK YOU” was shared on social media on Monday February 1st. More people are joining the conversation on #ستاربكس_للرجال_فقط.   

#Starbucks store in Riyadh refused 2 serve me just because I'm a WOMAN & asked me 2 send a man instead@Starbucks pic.twitter.com/6Nj6DkOtFJ

— Manar N (@manarn8) February 1, 2016

In a statement to Cosmopolitan magazine, a Starbucks spokesperson explained that the company is just observing the country's local customs, blaming renovations for the controversial move.