Mamdani Urges Starbucks Boycott as Workers Strike

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is already making waves, and not in ways that reassure those worried about the city’s economy. Instead of focusing on the financial and public-safety crises facing New York, Mamdani has turned his attention to Starbucks, calling on New Yorkers to stop buying from the coffee chain while baristas remain on strike.

On Thursday evening, Mamdani announced on X that he would not support the company during the labor dispute, writing, “Starbucks workers across the country are on an Unfair Labor Practices strike, fighting for a fair contract. While workers are on strike, I won't be buying any Starbucks, and I'm asking you to join us.”

His push for a boycott comes as Starbucks employees launch an open-ended work stoppage timed to coincide with Red Cup Day, one of the company’s biggest sales events of the year. Historically, the event is responsible for massive customer turnout and record-breaking revenue.

According to the union, about 1,000 workers at 65 stores walked off the job when the strike began Thursday with the possibility of ballooning to more than 500 locations if negotiations remain stalled. Starbucks’ latest earnings report lists 16,864 U.S. stores, meaning the strike affects only a small fraction of operations.

Unionized locations represent roughly 4% of Starbucks’ retail workforce – about 9,500 baristas – a Starbucks spokesperson noted. Contract talks have been frozen for months and the strike comes shortly after the company announced a restructuring that resulted in the closure of more than 600 U.S. stores.

Despite the disruption, Starbucks says the walkout didn’t dent business. A spokesperson told Business Insider that “more than 99% of our coffeehouses remain open” and added that Red Cup Day broke company records once again: "our partners delivered the strongest Reusable Red Cup Day in company history … the biggest sales day ever for the company.”

Mamdani’s public alignment with the strike marks one of his earliest signals about how he plans to use his platform once in power. Rather than prioritizing concerns such as affordability, crime, or New York’s looming budget shortfall, he appears eager to take national stances on private-sector disputes.

The incoming mayor, a Democratic socialist and longtime labor activist, ended his message with a slogan aimed at rallying supporters: “No contract, no coffee.”

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Mamdani Urges Starbucks Boycott as Workers Strike