Coffee baristas in bikinis and nipple stickers cause outrage in Washington State

Spokane's local Councilman Mike Fagan is determined to curb this rising trend of scantily-clad employees

Coffee baristas say they choose to wear bikinis to work (Zagat)

Washington State has launched a crackdown on scantily-clad baristas who wear bikinis and strategically-placed stickers at coffee drive-thrus.

A new video from Zagat has revealed Spokane City Councilman Mike Fagan’s efforts to curb the new trend, which has seen both men and women serve customers in their underwear.

He said: “It should be all about the coffee and not all about the body.”

He added: “[…] it’s the exploitation of women, that is a huge cultural issue that’s been in the face of Americans for a long time.“

Mr Fagan has proposed that coffee stands that have scantily-clad employees warn their customers with signs outside, and that they keep their employees indoors and out of the view of the public.

However, the last attempt to place restrictions on a lack of clothing was shot down in July 2015, despite public protests and a petition.

The video above shows that employees at Bare Beans Expresso just wear stickers that are strategically placed on their bodies.

Sarah Birnel, a former coffee shop owner, told ABC News that her three bikini barista employees contributed to a 100% increase in sales.

One interviewee in the video is 21-year-old Brittany Patterson, a full-time student at the local university who works at the Bare Beans Expresso five days a week.

“I don’t want to pound on the “it’s all about the children” argument, but that’s really what it’s all about,” said Mr Fagan, who is a father of three children.

Ms Patterson said “whole families love her” and protestors are just using children to shut down the service.

One male employee, who also serves coffee in his underwear, said they are just wearing the same clothes as they would at the beach and they don’t view it in a “sexual manner”.