Starbucks Is Making Changes to How You Order

The whole thing about Starbucks – the whole thing about any coffee shop – is that it’s meant to be quick. And yet, so often, that’s not the case. You can find yourself waiting forever for your coffee, watching the minutes count down to when you should be at work, or picking up your kids, or catching a plane. It’s stressful, guys.

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Well, it seems like Starbucks knows that, too, which is why it’s making a couple of changes to how you can order your coffee, specifically in its high-traffic locations. Here’s what it’s brewing up. 

Guess What? Everything’s Gonna Be Digital

In a news release from the senior vice president of Starbucks’ US Licensed Coffeehouse Business, Aaron Koransky, the new plans for its faster-paced (and licensed) locations were revealed. The main takeaway from this release was that Starbucks is going to be going even harder on its digital ordering methods. Customers will likely be increasingly encouraged to order via the app or on a kiosk, instead of waiting in line, which will speed things up for everybody. That’s the hope, anyway. (Hey, there’s nothing wrong with using the app; how else are you gonna try its secret Hannah Montana drink?)

Alongside these customer-facing innovations, Starbucks is also rejigging things behind the scenes. Koransky wrote that the coffee chain will be henceforth taking “a tailored approach to licensed environments,” using new equipment that will aid with streamlining operations and making everything just that bit speedier. The result, it hopes, will be that customers have a smoother experience at these kinds of Starbucks outlets, which are frequently located in travel hubs like airports.

Structural Changes

To fully achieve this, Starbucks also indicated that it’s been changing the way that its licensed business works as a whole. Instead of its former regional approach, the licensed business will now take a “segment-focused approach,” which determines how Starbucks outlets operate by the type of segment they’re located in. For example, instead of designating units by area, they’ll now fall into segments like healthcare or travel. 

In his news release, Koransky stressed that this would be of ultimate benefit to everyone. “A Starbucks in a hospital, a grocery store or an airport face very different realities,” he said. ”This structure gives us clearer focus, more relevant support and a stronger foundation to grow in high-potential segments like travel, healthcare and campuses. It also positions us to expand into new segments and evolve our formats and capabilities, bringing the Starbucks experience to life across more customer routines and environments.”

This is just the latest in several changes that Starbucks has announced over the last few months. It recently made waves when it revealed that it was changing its chai latte recipe, which wasn’t a move that everyone embraced. It’s also been going big on its secret drinks menu, which has also drawn attention to the new way its rewards scheme operates. Busy time at Starbucks, huh?