Starbucks Approaches a Dangerous Culture-War Spot: Beth Kowitt

If you’re searching for the frontline of the culture wars, look no further than your local Starbucks counter.

Here, amid the egg bites and venti lattes, customers have long sounded off on the issues of the day — be it the actions of the Trump administration, Black Lives Matter, labor organizing, the war on Christmas, the war on plastic straws or actual wars, like the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Being the center of controversy — and often courting it — was the tradeoff that Starbucks Corp. was willing to make in order to sell itself as more than a coffee shop. Even as the company ...