California coffee chain faces backlash after pledge to remove Pride flags

Petition with 4,000 signatures decries ‘slap in the face’, saying Philz made fortune off LGBTQ+ community

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Philz, a popular coffee chain with locations across California, is facing growing criticism after news broke that the San Francisco-based company planned to remove Pride flags from its stores.

The move is part of an effort to “[create] a more consistent, inclusive experience across all our stores, including removing a variety of flags and other decor”, Mahesh Sadarangani, the company’s CEO, said in a statement to SFGate. The company did not immediately respond to the Guardian’s request for comment.