Ocala Starbucks close dining rooms in response to rising COVID-19 cases

Starbucks locations across Ocala have closed their dining rooms once again in light of a rise in COVID-19 cases.

Despite fully reopening in June, Ocala Starbucks’ dining areas are currently closed. The locations are still providing drive-thru services. 

According to the most recent data from the Florida Department of Health in Marion County, the area is seeing an average of 343 new COVID-19 cases every day. That average is the highest it’s been since the pandemic started in March 2020. 

Last year, national companies like Walmart, McDonald’s and Lowe’s implemented masking policies for all customers. Many of those companies conditionally removed those mandates for customers that were vaccinated. In Marion County, nearly half of all residents have not received the vaccine.

There are seven Starbucks locations across the Ocala area, including the newest Starbucks on SE Maricamp Road which opened near the beginning of this year. Currently, the corporation operates over 33,000 stores across the world.