As shared at its Investor Day earlier this year, Starbucks is exploring new coffeehouse designs that can adapt to different locations, shapes and sizes while delivering the warm, welcoming experience customers expect from Starbucks.
These concepts are designed to support the many ways customers use Starbucks coffeehouses today while creating great experiences for green apron partners (employees).
Customers want the connections and craft that Starbucks coffeehouses offer; the company continues to elevate these experiences through ongoing uplifts and new design concepts that keep the experience at the center.
Today, we are proud to celebrate Jackson M., a Starbucks partner from the New York Metro region in New York, as our 2026 North America Barista Champion.
The North America Barista Championship is more than a competition. It is a celebration of the partners behind the green apron and their craft. Starbucks is home to the best baristas in the industry, and this championship shines a spotlight on their skill, passion and the unique customer connections they create every day that set Starbucks apart. Exceptional customer experiences start with exceptional partners.
Thousands of partners across the U.S. and Canada began this journey in their coffeehouses in April. They advanced through district, area and regional competitions before 24 regional champions came together at the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle this week for the finals.
Throughout the competition, partners showcased the skills at the heart of the Starbucks Experience, from deep coffee knowledge, beverage quality and latte art to storytelling and a commitment to Green Apron Service.
In the final, Jackson M., Emeka P. and Richard R. each delivered an outstanding performance reflecting the very best of Starbucks. Please join me in congratulating Jackson, our other finalists, all 24 regional champions and the thousands of partners who took part in this year’s competition. Their talent, dedication and passion made this an inspiring celebration of our partners and the experiences they create for customers every day.
I want to share a decision we’ve made in support of our Back to Starbucks strategy.
We have carefully reviewed our North America coffeehouse portfolio and identified locations where we do not believe we can consistently deliver the experience we want for customers and partners or where we don’t see a path to acceptable financial performance. As a result, we will close approximately 250 coffeehouses later this week. This represents approximately 1% of our more than 18,000 North America coffeehouses.
As we shared on our most recent earnings calls, our North America business has returned to strong growth. Customers are receiving faster service, a more consistent experience, and warmer, more welcoming coffeehouses. We’re accelerating our pace toward completing 1,500 coffeehouse uplifts, and Green Apron Service has become our defining standard. Our Back to Starbucks strategy is working.
This progress has given us a clearer view of the performance of every coffeehouse. While most are benefiting from this overall momentum, some coffeehouses continue to underperform despite the hard work and commitment of all of you.
Every year we close some coffeehouses and open others as part of managing our portfolio. And as we shared previously, we remain excited about the significant long-term growth opportunity ahead in North America. We are actively developing a strong pipeline of new coffeehouses and remain committed to growth in North America.
Closing any coffeehouse is a difficult decision, and we know today’s news will be hard for the partners, customers and communities affected.
We’re speaking directly with impacted partners and will support them through this transition, including transfer opportunities wherever possible. For partners we are unable to place in another coffeehouse, we will provide severance support.
To the partners in those coffeehouses impacted by today’s news, I want to say thank you on behalf of Starbucks for the work you have done. We’re committed to supporting you through this transition.
We’ll also help customers continue their Starbucks routines and connections by directing them to nearby coffeehouses.
We’re making this decision for a simple reason: we want every Starbucks coffeehouse to be a place customers love and partners are proud to work.
Thank you for everything you’re doing to help us get Back to Starbucks.
dawn clark, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GLOBAL design & CONCEPTS
As part of our Back to Starbucks plan, we began piloting new coffeehouse designs in Southern California and New York before expanding that approach to other cities, including Chicago. Our coffeehouse uplifts are bringing softer seating, textures, beautiful artwork, greenery and local design touches.
We want our coffeehouses to feel welcoming, where our customers will want to stay longer, connect more and feel at home.
Today, we’re scaling this work across North America, bringing redesigned cafés to more communities across the U.S. and Canada and expanding while building on the launch of coffeehouse uplifts in Mexico.
Since late 2025, we’ve uplifted more than 1,000 coffeehouses across the U.S. and Canada, reaching a major milestone in our effort to reinvest in the coffeehouse experience at scale. We’re now accelerating our pace with the intention of completing at least 1,500 uplifts by fiscal year-end 2026 and accelerating further in fiscal 2027.
This marks an important moment as we move from early test-and-learn pilots to a broader rollout focused on improving the coffeehouse experience and strengthening our role as a Third Place for our customers and communities .
More uplifts are now underway across a growing number of markets including Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, Seattle and Washington, D.C., among others. In Canada, we’re working on uplifts in coffeehouses in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. In Mexico, we’re piloting uplifted locations across Mexico City, Monterrey, Acapulco and Ensenada, with plans for more locations as part of a broader reinvestment in the market.
Every uplift starts with the neighborhood and is tailored to reflect the community it serves. Here are some examples of what that looks like:
Austin, Texas
Serving a community with strong military ties, the 360 & Bee Caves coffeehouse was recently uplifted as part of the Starbucks Military Family Coffeehouse program. Thoughtful updates and community-inspired details help create a welcoming space designed to foster connection and belonging. The coffeehouse incorporates elements that honor military service while creating a warm environment where service members, veterans, military families and neighbors can gather and connect.
Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C
For 25 years, the Starbucks Capitol Hill coffeehouse has been a neighborhood gathering place in one of Washington, D.C.’s most historic communities. The uplift honors the area’s architectural character and national heritage while creating warmer gathering spaces designed to help customers connect and stay awhile. Locally inspired artwork, reclaimed wood floors and preserved architectural details reflect the neighborhood’s rich history, while layered materials and ambient lighting create a welcoming atmosphere.
Chicago, Illinois
The Chestnut & Spruce coffeehouse in downtown Winnetka, Illinois, near Chicago, blends local history with a refreshed coffeehouse experience. Located in a historic building originally known as “The Laundry,” the uplift preserves original brick walls, timber ceilings and other architectural details that connect the space to its past. New gathering spaces, enhanced lighting and locally inspired elements create a warm and comfortable environment while celebrating the character of the neighborhood.
Los Angeles, California
At the intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards, this Starbucks is rooted in one of Beverly Hills’ most iconic crossroads, a storied gateway that embodies the city’s enduring elegance. The uplift transforms the existing space through a balance of refinement and comfort. Painted brick walls become a backdrop for an installation by a local artist artwork, adding warmth, texture and a handcrafted quality to the interior. Signature Starbucks green accents thread throughout the space, while rugs, plush seating and velvet drapery soften the industrial architecture. Artwork inspired by the iconic palettes of Beverly Hills’ renowned retail destinations further grounds the experience in its surroundings, resulting in a coffeehouse that feels both elevated and effortlessly local.
Punta Norte, Mexico City
As one of the first coffeehouses selected for Mexico’s coffeehouse uplift pilot, Punta Norte helps bring the evolved Starbucks coffeehouse experience to Latin America and the Caribbean. Located within one of the Mexico City area’s largest shopping destinations, the uplift brings together comfort, warmth and a strong sense of place through inviting seating, layered materials and locally inspired artwork. A redesigned espresso bar brings customers closer to the craft behind every beverage.
A broader push to improve the coffeehouse experience
Coffeehouse uplifts are just one example of Back to Starbucks in action, translating investments in the customer experience into changes customers can see and feel.
These redesigns are part of a broader set of changes we’re making to improve the customer experience inside our cafés.
Alongside coffeehouse uplifts, we’ve rolled out Green Apron Service to create a more personal experience and improve service times, reintroduced ceramic cups and glassware for customers who want to stay, brought back condiment bars, expanded access to power outlets and more.
Together, these changes reflect a shift from pilot to scale — bringing a more welcoming, comfortable and connected coffeehouse experience to more communities across North America and beyond.
Earlier this year, I shared with the Starbucks Technology team that we are planning to open a technology hub in India in FY27. Today, I shared with the team that Chennai, India has been selected as the location. My message to the Technology team, with more details, is below.
This hub will support our global business and work closely with technology and business teams in the U.S. and across the company. It will also allow us to bring more work currently performed by third-party service providers, in-house over time, strengthening the capabilities and talent needed to support our partners, coffeehouses and customers around the world.
I look forward to sharing more as this work progresses.
Earlier this year, I shared that Starbucks Technology was taking the next step in our multi-site strategy by planning for a new Technology Hub in India. At the time, we were still evaluating the location and committed to sharing more once that decision was finalized.
Today, I’m pleased to share that we have selected Chennai, India as the location for this office.
This is an important milestone in how we continue to build a more flexible and globally connected Technology organization. Our teams already work closely with technology vendors in India and other countries. Establishing a Starbucks Technology hub in India gives us the opportunity to build a more partner-centric organization which will be created by bringing capability inside Starbucks over time and creating stronger connections to the work, priorities and culture of our business.
The selection of Chennai was informed by several factors, including access to a deep pool of technology talent, a reputation for strong talent retention, the ability to support our long-term business needs and alignment with the ways our teams work across Seattle, Nashville, London and Hong Kong. As we move forward, this office will become part of our broader Technology footprint, not a separate or standalone team. The intent is to strengthen how we deliver for Starbucks partners, coffeehouses and customers by building teams that are connected across sites and focused on shared priorities.
We are still in the early stages of this work. Over the coming months, we will begin planning for local hiring, office readiness and the operating rhythms needed to support the new hub. We expect recruiting to begin in Q1, with additional details to come as plans are finalized.
I recognize this is a meaningful change in how we organize and grow our Technology teams. A multi-site model requires clarity, intentional connection and strong leadership across locations. We will continue to communicate openly as this work progresses and make sure teams understand what is changing, what is not changing and how this supports our broader Technology strategy.
Thank you for your continued focus and partnership.
On his second day, Brian Niccol, chairman and chief executive officer, announced a plan to get Back to Starbucks. This morning, he shared a message with partners reflecting on two years of progress and what’s next.
Read the full letter, below:
Partners,
Two years ago, I made a commitment. We would get Back to Starbucks. That commitment gave us focus and helped us get back to what has always set Starbucks apart — a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather, and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas.
We had real work to do. Our coffeehouses needed to feel warmer. Our service needed to be more consistent. Our business needed to be simpler and move faster. Our green apron partners needed more support. And we needed to give customers more reasons to choose Starbucks.
Since then, we’ve worked the plan. We’ve executed with terrific focus. And it’s working. Starbucks is back. And the progress we’ve made is showing up in real and visible ways:
Our coffeehouses feel like Starbucks again. We brought back cup writing, condiment bars, ceramic mugs and free refills. We announced standards that make it easier for customers to sit and stay. Uplifts are bringing back seats, warmth and personality to our cafés. And we are making sure every coffeehouse earns its place.
Customers can feel the difference. Green Apron Service is our operating standard. We invested in bigger rosters, better staffing and smarter scheduling. We launched Smart Queue and improved routines to meet clear service-time goals across café, drive-thru, mobile order and delivery. And our partners are delivering exceptional service with a moment of connection.
Partners have more support and more opportunity. We doubled paid parental leave for hourly partners, launched weekly pay, expanded tipping options and introduced a quarterly Best of Starbucks incentive. We are hiring thousands of coffeehouse coaches and creating more paths to grow from within. And more than 20,000 partners have now graduated college at no cost through the Starbucks College Achievement Plan.
Our brand is showing up in culture with confidence. We reduced discount-driven offers and invested in marketing that reminds people why they love Starbucks. We brought innovation to our menu with protein, Energy Refreshers, artisanal baked goods and new twists on iconic favorites. New merchandise and new collaborations are inspiring brand love. And we reimagined Starbucks Rewards to be more rewarding and personal.
The shine is back on Starbucks around the world. We have done the work to position our International markets for growth, including a new JV structure in China. And we are bringing Green Apron Service and the GROW system to more markets, so the best of Starbucks can show up in every coffeehouse we operate.
As a result of this work, our business has made the turn. We have returned to growth, delivered positive global comps and improved margins. We have positioned Starbucks to perform for the long term. Partners in our coffeehouses, roasting plants, distribution centers and support centers made this progress possible. You stayed focused. You took ownership. And you are making Starbucks better for customers and one another every day. Thank you.
Where we go from here
Now we raise the bar to define our next chapter. Back to Starbucks started as a turnaround plan. It helped us refocus the company, fix what needed fixing and rebuild the operating foundation of the business. Today, it is our roadmap to deliver the very best of Starbucks for every customer, partner and shareholder. The same six ambitions will guide how we grow and what we believe we can achieve:
Be the world’s greatest customer service company. A place where every customer feels seen, welcomed and valued on every visit. Where every drink is crafted with pride, customized to taste and handed to the customer with care. Where we win the morning and the afternoon with speed, hospitality and consistency. We will make Starbucks the standard for service customers measure others against.
Offer the best job in retail. A place where partners are proud to wear the green apron, supported on every shift and able to build a career. Where opportunity is real, development is clear and leaders are accountable for creating great partner and customer experiences. We will make the green apron a symbol of opportunity by helping our partners grow further and faster at Starbucks and beyond.
Be the community coffeehouse. The sights, sounds and aromas of the coffeehouse should come together to create a distinctive third place for communities to gather and connect. Our coffeehouses should reflect the neighborhoods around them, feel rooted in daily life and contribute positively to the communities we serve. We will make Starbucks the world’s most trusted and meaningful third place, wanted in every neighborhood we serve.
Be visible, relevant and loved everywhere. A brand that leads with coffee, moves at the speed of culture and gives customers new reasons to choose us again, and again. We will define how the world experiences coffee through bold menu innovation, culture-shaping marketing and a brand people love.
Accelerate growth around the world. Bring the best of Starbucks closer to more customers around the globe, with coffeehouses that feel welcoming, locally relevant and unmistakably Starbucks. We will bring the world’s most loved local coffeehouse to thousands of new communities around the globe.
Deliver on our commitments and create shareholder value. Grow with discipline and world-class execution. Invest with purpose. Create lasting value for every stakeholder. And do more good as we grow. We will make Back to Starbucks our foundation for consistent performance, durable growth and lasting value creation.
This next chapter will require the same discipline, drive and focus that got us here. Stay close to the coffeehouse. Act like an owner and get things done. Keep it simple and customer focused. Listen to partners. Scale what works. Fix what doesn’t. And keep winning, together.
Our mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit — one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. That mission matters more today than ever. Connection is a human need. Starbucks has always created a place for it. We bring coffee, craft, connection, community and culture together in a way no other company can.
That is the opportunity ahead. And it will take all of us.
To our green apron partners, thank you for bringing this work to life every day. To our support partners, thank you for helping us move faster, simplify the business and keep the coffeehouse at the center of every decision. To our customers and shareholders, thank you for your trust and belief in Starbucks.
We have made real progress. We have strong momentum. And we are just getting started.
For many Starbucks customers, it’s not fall until Starbucks says it is, with the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte and other favorites. This year, customers turned out for the season they’ve been waiting for, making Aug. 25 the strongest fall launch day across the U.S. and Canada in Starbucks history.
It took one icon to announce another with Martha Stewart kicking off the return of PSL in an ad with “Off Campus” star Belmont Cameli (who was enjoying an Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte).
More than two decades after the Pumpkin Spice Latte debuted, it remains a seasonal icon, bringing customers together around familiar flavors, comforting rituals and moments of connection.
This year, in addition to returning favorites like Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Starbucks also debuted a number of other new seasonal drinks and food that customers are already passionate about. One new standout: the new Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso. Also, the new Hedgehog Cake Pop delivered record-breaking single-day sales for fall launch, making it Starbucks top-selling fall cake pop ever.
“Whether you’re enjoying your first PSL of the year or discovering a new seasonal favorite, there’s nothing like feeling the joy of fall in our coffeehouses,” said Tressie Lieberman, Starbucks global chief brand officer.
The excitement extends far beyond Starbucks coffeehouses. Customers and creators flooded social media with posts of first sips, favorite drinks and overall joy for the return of the fall season.
The strong start is a reflection of the unique role Starbucks continues to play in the season. As fall beverages roll out to more than 85 markets around the world, Starbucks is celebrating another season of comfort, connection and the iconic products customers return for year after year.
The return of the fan-favorite Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) on Aug. 25, 2026, invites you to embrace everything you love about fall, unapologetically. Starbucks has teamed up with Martha Stewart and Belmont Cameli, everyone’s favorite campus athlete, for a playful nod to the return of the seasonal icon including all of the conversations that come with it.
For years, the Pumpkin Spice Latte has been a defining symbol of fall, an icon. It has inspired memes, sparked commentary, and become an unmistakable sign that the season has arrived. Just ask Martha Stewart, the queen of fall and keeping it real. Known for her thoughts on the beverage’s mainstream popularity, she confidently portrays that the PSL fits perfectly in fall, while Cameli grabs own Pumpkin Spice Latte beverage iced, of course.
The Pumpkin Spice Latte started a movement and Starbucks wants to celebrate the community of fans that sets it apart. So, alongside this clever campaign, Starbucks will highlight the excitement behind PSL with real content, from real fans, to showcase the cultural phenomenon that is the Pumpkin Spice Latte made with real pumpkin.
Fall can be basic, and it’s perfect. Just ask Martha and the fans.
Starbucks chairman and chief executive officer Brian Niccol shared a note of thanks to partners (employees) earlier today for making the return of our iconic Unicorn Frappuccino Blended Beverage one for the record books. Read the full message below.
Message from Brian: A Record Unicorn Weekend
Together, you helped make the weekend return of our iconic Unicorn Frappuccino® Blended Beverage one for the record books. It was a terrific cultural moment for Starbucks that every partner helped bring to life. You made it fun. You provided great service. You created millions of memorable moments for customers. And, to no one’s surprise, it became our best North America company-operated sales weekend ever.
In coffeehouses across the U.S., Canada, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East, customers came in with friends and family to experience a moment of nostalgia and joy. They shared photos, posted videos and made memories. You made Starbucks part of a worldwide cultural conversation and gave people a reason to connect with our partners and each other.
Over the weekend, we sold more than 2 million Unicorn Frappuccino® Blended Beverages in our North America company-operated coffeehouses, with August 15 becoming our biggest Saturday sales day ever for our North America company-operated business.
To our green apron partners, thank you. You delivered in a big way. You showed up for our customers and one another with energy, creativity and care. You executed with brilliance. And made every coffeehouse and every interaction feel special.
To our support partners, thank you for crafting the moment with intent and for the thought you put into setting our coffeehouses up for success. You got the inventory ready, built the training, created the buzz and cleared the path so green apron partners could focus on customers and execute with excellence at scale.
This is Starbucks at its best. Together, we led a global cultural moment. We built momentum. We delivered world class customer service with consistency and speed. We showed up as visible, relevant and loved. And we did it in a way only Starbucks can.
Thank you for embracing the moment and making this weekend possible.
Dana Pellicano, senior vice president, global product experience
At Starbucks, innovation starts with listening to customers and partners (employees) and exploring new ways to evolve the Starbucks experience. As consumer interest in refreshment and sparkling beverages continues to grow, particularly in the afternoon, we’re testing new beverage experiences to better understand customer demand.
Beginning July 28, we will launch a small market test for handcrafted, sparkling refreshment beverages in approximately 100 coffeehouses across Austin and San Antonio and St. Louis. The test will evaluate customer demand, operational execution and the role sparkling beverages could play in our long-term refreshment strategy, while supporting our focus on menu innovation and afternoon growth.
Building on the success of Starbucks Refreshers, we are extending a platform that has already demonstrated strong customer appeal. And we are also introducing the Starbucks Spritz Collection which brings together real fruit with coffee, tea or lemonade.
Participating coffeehouses will offer the following sparkling versions of Starbucks Energy Refreshers, as well as the classic version:
Super Mango Energy Refresher: All in on mango with a handcrafted blend of bold mango flavors, balanced by bright lemonade and refreshing dragonfruit, hand-shaken with ice, real dragonfruit pieces and topped with sparkling water for a light taste and refreshing finish.
Sparkling Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Energy Refresher: A sparkling blend of mango and dragonfruit flavors, vibrant lemonade and real dragonfruit pieces for a bright, tropical sip.
Sparkling Mango Strawberry Lemonade Energy Refresher: Sweet mango and juicy strawberry flavors come together with lemonade and sparkling water, hand-shakes with real strawberry pieces.
Sparkling Strawberry Açaí Lemonade Energy Refresher: Sweet strawberry and açaí flavors are paired with lemonade and sparkling water, finished with real strawberry pieces for a bright, refreshing sip.
The Starbucks Spritz Collection includes:
Sparkling Cold Brew Sour Spritz: A sparkling fusion of coffee and citrus flavors, crafted with cold brew, lemonade, classic syrup and light bubbles, served over ice for a bright, uplifting sip.
Strawberry Sunset Spritz: A sparkling fusion of real strawberry purée, lemonade, green tea, and light bubbles, served over ice for a bright, juicy sip.
Golden Peach Spritz: A sparkling fusion of peach and citrus flavors, handcrafted with real peach fruit purée, lemonade, Passion Tango® tea and light bubbles, served over ice for a bright, juicy finish.
Strawberry Matcha Spritz: A sparkling combination of real strawberry purée and sweetened matcha, served over ice for a bright, refreshing sip.
Together, these beverages showcase the versatility of the sparkling platform, spanning fruit-forward refreshment, tea-based beverages and coffee innovation, offering handcrafted beverages that are uniquely Starbucks.
The test builds on more than a decade of refreshment innovation at Starbucks, beginning with the launch of Starbucks Refreshers beverages in 2012. Since then, the platform has grown to include customer-created favorites like the Pink Drink, seasonal flavors, texture additions like raspberry-flavored pearls, and the most recent innovations such as customizable Energy Refreshers and Blended Refreshers.
Today, Refreshers is a $2 billion platform for Starbucks in U.S. company-operated coffeehouses, and new additions continue to drive new occasions and expand customer usage throughout the day. Sparkling beverages represent the next step in creating even more ways for customers to enjoy the category Starbucks helped pioneer.
