Eighty-Five Percent of Starbucks Stores to Reopen as States Loosen Restrictions

States start to loosen coronavirus-related restrictions. With this, around 85 percent of Starbucks cafes across the U.S. will reopen by the end of the week. Starbucks hopes to “have upwards of 90 percent of its stores open to the public,” as per Fox Business. It'll run “under modified operations and hours” by early June.

“We're open and rolling out the ability to pick up at the door when you order ahead using the Starbucks App. You can also continue to use the Drive-Thru and Starbucks Delivers on Uber Eats select markets in the US and Canada,” the company tweeted on Monday.

Starbucks to Use Adaptive Approach

According to Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson, Starbucks is taking a “monitor and adapt” approach. This means that stores will focus on contactless pick-up and delivery. In some locations, customers may do curbside pickup and grab-and-go through the café. Cashless payments will also be essential.

“The foundation of our approach comes from what we have learned in China,” Johnson wrote. There, “more than 98 percent of our stores are now open and operating under revised protocols,” he added. “We have adapted these protocols for the U.S.”

While the reopening of stores is not like the usual, Johnson says the company is “well-positioned” to handle the situation.

“Pre-COVID-19, more than 80 percent of customer orders in the U.S. were for ‘on the go' — through the drive-thru, in a café at point-of-sale or through Mobile Order for pickup or delivery,” he wrote. “That means the majority of Starbucks customers are already familiar with the safe, convenient experiences that are now called for by physical distancing recommendations.”

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