After taking a three-week hiatus, Philz Coffee reopened 27 Bay Area stores on Wednesday, each shop operating on a new "mobile pick up concept" to comply with current social distancing guidelines.
For Bay Area caffeine junkies keen on convenience, now’s the time to rejoice and cheers — sans your reusable to-go mugs. (Those eco-conscious cups, per current city guidelines, are presently banned from use... as are reusable bags.)
As reported today by KRON4, the San Francisco-headquartered coffee chain is reopening over two dozen Bay Area cafes, serving to-go drink orders placed via the company’s mobile app.
“We made the decision on March 17th to temporarily close our stores as it was in the best interest of our team and customers,” reads their COVID-19 Community Updates page. “Since that time, we have been working tirelessly on a way to re-open that is safe for all and allows us to better your day. Given that this is an uncertain time, we are beginning to test a mobile [pick up] concept in a few of our stores before deciding to go further.”
Luckily for us Bay Area locals, more than half of those experimental shops are within our slice of Northern California. Additional stores piloting the mobile to-go approach can be found in other metros Philz Coffee serves, like Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Diego.
Though, no matter which location you choose to order from, each will, essentially, operate akin to a “drive-thru on foot.”
“[Philz Coffee is] moving to a mobile order only experience and placing the cups at the door for pick up,” states the update. “Think of our doors like a walk-up window or a drive-thru on foot.”
To make the transition as seamless and sterile as possible, patrons can choose the exact pick up time — down to the minute — when placing their order on the app; this will help “limit crowding and physical contact” when customers arrive to grab drinks.
Only three employees are allowed to work at once at each location, and they, too, are subjected to daily symptom checks. Should any worker not feel well, they can opt to go home with no questions asked.
According to Philz Coffee’s newest update, the following Bay Area stores are now open for mobile pick up from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. during their regular operating days:
San Francisco
- Castro
- Civic Center
- Corte Madera
- Embarcadero
- First St. Mobile
- Folsom & Beale
- Front St.
- Mission
- Noe Valley
- Ocean Ave.
- Potrero
- Russian Hill
- Westborough
- Burlingame
- Campbell
- Cupertino Main
- Forest Ave
- Los Gatos
- Middlefield Rd.
- Redwood City
- San Mateo
- Sunnyvale
- College
- Gilman
- Fremont
- Walnut Creek
Peninsula/South Bay
- Burlingame
- Campbell
- Cupertino Main
- Forest Ave
- Los Gatos
- Middlefield Rd.
- Redwood City
- San Mateo
- Sunnyvale
East Bay
- College
- Gilman
- Fremont
- Walnut Creek
Customers are encouraged to leave a review of their experience once they’ve completed the mobile pickup process: “We’re looking forward to your feedback [and hope] you are staying safe & healthy.”
By-the-pound bagged coffees and food items are expected to become available on the app within the week.
Related: San Francisco Bans Use of Reusable Bags and Other Items Over Coronavirus Concerns
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