‘Extra income for everyone:’ Business owners rejoice as Amazon workers return full time

Business owners neighboring Amazon’s Seattle headquarters were beaming on Monday following a return to the office for thousands of the tech giant’s employees.

Amazon’s in-office policy now requires workers to be physically present five days a week for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.

While workers’ rights advocates and some inside the company fought back against the return to the office, others — like those who stand to make a profit — are celebrating the resurgence of foot traffic.

Expect traffic: Amazon employees in Washington begin return to office full time

Café workers, food truck owners and more, all surrounding the corporate offices in South Lake Union, told KIRO Newsradio they’d noticed a higher number of people walking the sidewalks than any Monday in recent memory.

And not just on foot, the roads appear to be taking a hit, too. That’s a price business owners like Edgar Mendoza are willing to pay if it means his taco stand Barriga Llena brings in more hungry workers on break.

“Extra income for everyone, not just me,” he said through a smile.

He admitted his commute from Burien was an extra 20 minutes, which he believes, is due to the sheer number of Amazon’s employees headed back to the office. Amazon employs about 50,000 people in the Seattle area and about 10,000 more across the lake in Bellevue.

“The off-ramp off of (Mercer Way) was much, much busier this morning, but we’re definitely seeing a lot more people down here before we even open up,” said Chris McClendon, who works in a Venezuelan food truck.

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Flanked by three more of his competitors’ trucks, he prepared the Paparepas truck for what he anticipated would be a lively Monday.

“We’re definitely looking forward to seeing more people down here on Mondays and Fridays,” he said, adding that he feels a particular gratitude for Amazon employees who came downtown when they didn’t have to and supported the vendors anyway.

But not everyone is happy. Some Amazon workers have protested being forced back to the office, arguing their productivity was just as high, if not higher, whilst working from home.

The company has moved forward with its policy despite the criticisms, with CEO Andy Jassy reportedly telling employees in 2023 to “disagree and commit” or that their jobs were “probably not going to work out.”

It’s not clear how many, if any, Amazon employees have been fired for a refusal to return to the office.

Sam Campbell is a reporter, editor and anchor at KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of Sam’s stories here. Follow Sam on X, or email him here.

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