How Starbucks responds to gripes about 40-minute wait times with new system

Published

1 year ago

July 2, 2024

admin

Starbucks baristas have started to implement a new system aimed at speeding up service and alleviating bottlenecks that have customers complaining about wait times as long as 40 minutes for their coffee orders.

The system partly means changing the production order for hot and cold drinks. Under the old way of doing things, Starbucks baristas prioritized cold drinks from start to finish even if there were orders for hot drinks that came in first.

Workers who provided feedback to the company higher-ups said that this system led to longer wait times in the drive-thru.

Starbucks also plans to assign one of its employees to the role of a “play caller” who steps away from production and helps relieve logjams as well as doing other key tasks such as restocking cups or helping when an unexpected crowd arrives.

One of the pain points we saw was [that] our espresso machine was often running all the time, and that was one of the things that kept our partners from being able to check in,” Katie Young, senior vice president of store operations, told CNBC.

“And another thing we saw that you didnt necessarily know was which part of the store would get crowded.”

Young said that Starbucks locations “needed to actually have a partner that was dedicated when things got busy to pulling out of production and just helping.”

Its the ability to flexibly respond to things we cannot predict, she said.

Starbucks management anticipates more customer engagement through its mobile app, which starting on Monday was open to non-rewards members who could place orders.

The company also recently took a page out of the playbook of fast food chains including McDonald’s as it rolled out a value combo meal last month.

The new “pairings” menu from Starbucks allows customers to pay up to $6 for a tall hot or iced tea or coffee with one of the store’s snacks such as a breakfast sandwich or a butter croissant.

In an era of stubbornly high inflation, Starbucks is looking to win back the hearts, minds and wallets of disenchanted customers who according to one study are being forced to wait up to 40 minutes for coffee.

Company employees laid the blame at the feet of management, which has laid off around 29,000 in-store workers in the 12-month period beginning in October 2022.

In the last year, Starbucks has seen its stock price dip by more than 22%. The company’s newly installed chief executive officer, Laxman Narasimhan, has come under fire in the wake of the most recently quarterly earnings report.

Starbucks slashed its forecast for fiscal 2024 earnings and revenue after it reported that same-store sales fell 4% while foot traffic declined by 6% in the three-month period which ended in April.

The situation became so dire that Narasimhan’s predecessor, Howard Schultz, who is credited with building Starbucks from a boutique coffee chain in Seattle to a global colossus, posted a lengthy item on LinkedIn urging the company to revamp its US-based operations.

The Post has sought comment from Starbucks.

Business

Trump’s tariffs are back – here’s who is in his sights this time

Published

2 hours ago

August 1, 2025

admin

'A BIG DAY FOR AMERICA!!!' - Trump's tariffs are back, and will affect dozens of countries

It is “Liberation Day” III – the third tariff deadline set by Donald Trump.

Countries without bilateral trade agreements will soon face reciprocal tariffs – ranging from 25% to 50% – with a baseline of 15% to 20% for any not making a deal.

He has delayed twice, from April to July and from July to August, but hammered this date home in his trademark caps-on style: “THE AUGUST FIRST DEADLINE STANDS STRONG, AND WILL NOT BE EXTENDED. A BIG DAY FOR AMERICA!!!”

“Will not be extended” for anyone but Mexico, it seems. The country secured a 90-day extension at the last minute, with Mr Trump citing the “complexities” of the border.

By close of business on the eve of deadline, he had a handful of framework deals – some significant – including the UK (10%), the EU, Japan and South Korea (15%), Indonesia and the Philippines (19%), Vietnam (20%).

On the EU agreement, which he struck in Scotland, the president said: “It’s a very powerful deal, it’s a big deal, it’s the biggest of all the deals.”

But what happened to the “90 deals in 90 days” touted by the White House earlier this year?

The short answer is they were replaced by letters of instruction to pay a tariff set by the US.

Amid of flurry of late activity, the US played hardball with major trading partners like Canada.

“For the rest of the world, we’re going to have things done by Friday,” said US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick – the “rest of the world” meaning everyone but China.

There is, apparently, the “framework of a deal” between the world’s two largest economies, but talks between Washington and Beijing are continuing.

In terms of wins, he can claim some significant deals and point to his tariffs having generated an impressive $27bn (£20.4bn) in June, not bad for a single month.

But the legality of the approach is under siege – with the US Court of International Trade ruling that the “Liberation Day” tariffs exceeded the president’s authority, with enforcement paused pending appeal.

The deadline has stirred the pot, forcing a handful of deals onto the table. Whether they stick or survive legal scrutiny is far from settled.

But the playbook remains the same – threaten the world with trade chaos, whittle it down, celebrate the wins, and pray no one checks what’s legal.

Politics

Michael Saylor joins chorus for clarity as US works to legally define crypto

Published

3 hours ago

August 1, 2025

admin

Michael Saylor joins chorus for clarity as US works to legally define crypto

Strategy’s Michael Saylor wants the US government to clearly define digital securities and commodities, as well as state when it is allowable to tokenize securities.

Entertainment

Flintoff praises NHS staff who treated him after crash, as doctor says his injuries were ‘among most complex’ he’s ever seen

Published

4 hours ago

August 1, 2025

admin

Flintoff praises NHS staff who treated him after crash, as doctor says his injuries were 'among most complex' he's ever seen

Andrew Flintoff has praised the “love and compassion” of “superhero” staff in a visit to the hospital that treated him after his crash.

The cricket legend was seriously injured during the incident on the Top Gear track in Surrey in December 2022.

He was airlifted to St George’s in Tooting, with a surgeon calling Flintoff’s injuries some of the most complex he’s seen.

“I just want to say a massive thank you to all the staff at St George’s,” Flintoff said, as he returned to the London hospital.

“I came here probably the lowest I’ve ever been, in need of help and the expertise, the love, the compassion they showed me was incredible.

“I’ll be eternally grateful – absolute superheroes.”

Jahrad Haq, a maxillofacial surgeon, said he knew immediately the case was something out of the ordinary.

“I was on call that day and received a phone call from the emergency department consultant,” said Mr Haq.

“A lot of injuries are managed at a more junior level before escalating, so I knew this one was serious.

“Of all the trauma cases I’ve seen in over 20 years, this was among the most complex.”

Flintoff was also pictured on his visit meeting lead dental nurse Linda Holden and principal orthodontic nurse Sonia Steer.

Shamim Umarji, who also treated the 47-year-old, said it was “wonderful to see Freddie again and his visit gave staff a real boost”.

“He spent a lot of time chatting to everyone and it meant a lot,” added the trauma and orthopaedic surgeon.

Flintoff previously described how he thought he had died in the accident – which saw him “pulled face-down on the runway” for about 50m under a three-wheel car.

The incident led to the BBC pulling the plug on Top Gear and it remains unclear if it will ever return.