Starbucks baristas free to display tattoos after coffee giant loosens employee dress code

Snacks will also be offered under the new plans

Starbucks staff will no longer be asked to cover their tattoos and will get a free snack as part of the company's new employee code.

The American coffee giant had previously banned baristas from showing their tattoos at work, urging them to cover them up. But the company is now OK with body ink- as long as it's not on your face or throat.

"We want customers to focus on you, not your body art. Tattoos are allowed, but not on your face or throat," Starbucks said in its newly revised dress code.

"Treat tattoos as you treat speech – you can’t swear, make hateful comments or lewd jokes in the workplace, neither can your tattoos," it added.

According to the new dress code, untucked shirts, black jeans and small nose studs are also OK. However, skirts should not be shorter than four inches above the knees and "unnatural hair" colours, namely pink and blue, are still a no-no.

Starbucks said it revised its dress code for American employees because it wants to be a company where "self-expression, empowerment and inclusion are nurtured".

Employees will also a get a free snack per shift and a pay raise staff, both baristas and managers, starting January is on the cards, although the company is yet to specify details.

On Thursday, Starbucks said it will start letting customers in the US place orders on their smartphones by next year. The service will launch in Portland later this year before the national rollout in 2015.