A Bay Area coffee shop chain is reportedly facing backlash from LGBT activists after a new corporate protocol was handed down.
Customers are outraged that the company CEO, Mahesh Sadarangani, has ordered the removal of Pride flags at certain locations in pursuit of an “inclusive” atmosphere.
“At Philz, we have always believed everyone who walks through our doors deserves to feel welcome and safe, and that belief is at the core of everything we do. Our longstanding support of the LGBTQIA+ community is unchanged. We are working toward creating a more consistent, inclusive experience across all our stores, including removing a variety of flags and other decor,” Sadarangani said in a statement.
“This is a change in how our stores look, not in who we are. Our allyship runs deeper than what is on our walls. It shows up in who we hire, how we treat one another and in our annual Pride Month Unity celebration, which returns this June as it has every year. Unity is fundamental to how we operate,” he added.
A Philz manager at one San Francisco location told KRON4 News that Sadarangani had told store leadership to consider whether in-store displays make all customers feel included during a recent company summit. According to the outlet, employees at multiple Bay Area locations said they have not been asked to take down Pride flags.
Despite the executive’s stated commitment to LGBT causes, leftist activists were melting down online and started a petition in an attempt to have the flag removal decision reversed.
As of Friday afternoon, a petition created by “Philz Coffee Baristas” had more than 4,000 signatures. “In today’s society, businesses have an essential role in fostering inclusivity and support, and displaying the pride flag is a simple yet remarkably powerful demonstration of that role,” the description said in part.
“Removing these flags risks alienating a core group of team members and loyal customers who see Philz not just as a coffee shop, but as a place where they are embraced and celebrated for who they are.”
Some customers interviewed on the street were also outraged, saying they would “boycott” the business if the decision wasn’t reversed.
Philz Coffee was founded in San Francisco in 2003. It operates more than 60 locations, mostly in California, with a few in Chicago.
The company made headlines in 2025 when the private equity firm Freeman Spogli & Co. bought it for $145 million, prompting complaints from many customers. Some commenters blame the new ownership for the revised Pride flag policy.
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