Starbucks Is Turning Employees Into Influencers

If you see a Starbucks barista doing a little TikTok dance before serving your coffee, don’t get mad. Social media has become one of the biggest ways restaurants and coffee chains reach customers and some of the most popular videos don’t come from celebrities or influencers. They come from the people making the food and drinks every day.

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Starbucks has noticed these videos and the coffee giant is ready to take that idea in a new direction.

Starbucks Wants Its Baristas To Become Creators

Starbucks is testing a new program with TikTok that lets employees create content for the company while earning money based on how well their videos perform. The partnership uses TikTok’s new Creator Network and Starbucks is the first brand to pilot the feature.

Instead of hiring outside influencers, Starbucks is putting the spotlight on the people who already know the menu inside and out. Participating baristas will receive creative briefs through TikTok’s platform, make videos featuring Starbucks products or experiences, and earn compensation through a performance-based revenue-sharing model. In other words, the better a video does, the bigger the reward could be.

This Has Been Brewing For A While

This move by Starbucks is basically an expansion of its ongoing Green Apron Creators program, which was piloted in 2024, and is a part of the brand’s Global Coffee Creator program. In this program, two content creators are sent on a year-long trip to Starbucks locations around the world. One creator was a Starbucks partner, while the other came from outside the company. Their mission is to visit coffee farms, Reserve Roasteries, and unique Starbucks stores while sharing everything on social media.

The goal wasn’t just to show pretty coffee. Starbucks wanted to tell the stories behind the beans, the farmers, the baristas, and the people who make every cup possible.

Starbucks Isn’t The First

While Starbucks may be the first company to pilot TikTok’s custom Creator Network, the idea of turning employees into content creators has been gaining momentum across several industries. More brands have started handing the camera to the people who actually work in their stores instead of relying only on celebrities and social media stars. Portillo’s has featured employees in social media campaigns that highlight its food and workplace culture.

The Next Viral Starbucks Drink Might Come From An Employee

I think the days of companies worrying about employees posting on social media are slowly fading. Now, many brands are realizing those same employees can become their biggest marketing advantage.

If the pilot takes off, don’t be surprised if more restaurant chains follow the same recipe. After all, a viral TikTok can sometimes sell more drinks than a traditional commercial ever could.