Starbucks suspending personal cup use amid coronavirus outbreak

NEW YORK -- Starbucks is now temporarily suspending the use of personal cups because of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

However, it will still honor its 10-cent discount for any customer who brings their own cup.

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The company released a memo saying:

- We are taking guidance from the CDC and local health authorities, we have increased cleaning and sanitizing for all company-operated stores to help prevent the spread of all germs, adding paid time for our partners supporting this work.

- We are pausing the use of personal cups and "for here" ware in our stores. We will continue to honor the 10-cent discount for anyone who brings in a personal cup or asks for "for here" ware.

- We have provided scenario-based procedural information to our store teams on how to report and support anyone that may express they've been impacted by the virus, including store closure decision making support.

- We have restricted all business-related air travel, domestic and international through March 31.

- We have modified or postponed large meetings across our offices in the U.S. and Canada.

The coffee giant says the moves are precautionary, and it's unclear how long the suspensions will last.

Rossann Williams, EVP and president, U.S. company-operated business and Canada for Starbucks said the company's hope is that, "after this is over partners will look back and say, 'I can't believe I work for a company that cared so much for me, my family and my community.'