Philz, a popular coffee chain with locations across California, is facing growing criticism after news broke that the San Francisco-based company planned to remove Pride flags from its stores.

The move is part of an effort to “[create] a more consistent, inclusive experience across all our stores, including removing a variety of flags and other decor”, Mahesh Sadarangani, the company’s CEO, said in a statement to the Guardian.

“Our longstanding support of the LGBTQIA+ community is unchanged,” Sadarangani said. “This is a change in how our stores look, not in who we are.”

But the backlash for Philz, which has 17 locations in San Francisco alone, has been swift. By Friday morning, more than 4,000 people signed a petition urging the business to reconsider its decision, citing the “deep meaning and value” the flags hold for staff and visitors as a symbol of “safe and welcoming spaces”.

“Removing these flags risks alienating a core group of team members and loyal customers who see Philz not just as a coffee shop, but as a place where they are embraced and celebrated for who they are,” the petition states.

Supporters of the petition expressed deep frustration and outrage.

“Philz has made their branding and fortune off of supporting the LGBTQ community,” one person said in a comment on the petition, adding that they worked as a barista for the company for years. “This is a slap in the face to all of your employees.”

The company has long been viewed as an inclusive coffee shop with its display of Pride flags and an annual fundraiser to support LGBTQ+ organizations, which the CEO said it plans to continue.

Philz said it remains committed to serving as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. The company has not announced when the change would take effect. The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Wednesday that Pride decorations were still in place at Philz shops in downtown and the Castro, a longtime center for the LGBTQ+ community in the city. The shop in the Castro had a sign reading: “Welcome to the Queerest coffee shop in town. Period,” the newspaper reported.

The controversy comes as LGBTQ+ people across the US face an increasingly hostile political climate, and the removal of Pride flags from schools, businesses and government buildings. In February, the Trump administration removed a Pride flag from the Stonewall national monument.