Starbucks’ decision to restrict its restrooms to paying customers has flushed out a wider problem: a patchwork of restroom use policies that varies by state and city.

A Starbucks employee said the chain held training on how to handle customers asking to use the restroom or sit in the store without purchasing anything.

Starbucks opened the can when it said last week it was reversing a 7-year-old policy that invited anyone to hang out in its stores or use the restroom, regardless of whether they bought anything.