#starbucks

#starbucks

Madrid now drowns in indie coffee shops with coffee brewed from specialty beans that are flown in by winged unicorns and roasted to perfection. In this city, the green mermaid feels as relevant as a McDonald's next to Casa Botín (the oldest restaurant in the world, opened 51 years before the United States declared its independence), Dabiz Muñoz's three-Michelin-starred DiverXo, or any other of the best restaurants on the planet that reside in Madrid.

The Strategic Organizing Center and Starbucks Workers United released a new study that says that 90% of Starbucks Corp. ( NASDAQ: SBUX) stores are understaffed and customers face long wait times. Starbucks Workers United and Starbucks management have not always gotten along. BerlinRosen, the PR firm that released the study, has a mixed reputation. The survey is an indictment of new CEO Brian Niccol and his "Back to Starbucks" plan, a set of programs to get faltering same-store sales back on track.

Protein is already being advertised to you on pretty much every food and drink product you see at the supermarket, and now Starbucks is going to make sure you get your fill at the coffee shop, too. Until now, Starbucks has been content to provide protein boxes of cheeses and eggs for its customers, but it seems the protein trend is too big to keep undrinkable. In the past decade, high-protein products have quadrupled in sales, partially due to fitness and wellness influencers pumping up the importance of high-protein ingredients for a healthy diet. This has led to a deluge of products, with everything from chips to breakfast cereals to ice cream advertising high protein content, and now ending with its inevitable form: a new Starbucks menu option.

Starbucks doesn't usually stand out, and I tend to reserve my Frappuccino indulgences for the occasional trip into the suburbs. I might have to make an exception this fall. The seasonal cold foams are decadent and insanely creamy, the egg bites offered a more than pleasant surprise, and even the drip coffee went down incredibly easy. (In fact, that's the one drink I took home with me.)

To serious Starbucks fans, it doesn't matter when the color of the leaves changes - autumn begins as soon as the pumpkin drinks hit the menu. August 26 is the debut day for the coffee chain's fall lineup, and while Starbucks is turning a new leaf with a pecan drink, three pumpkin favorites are also returning. This includes the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and its topping of pumpkin cream cold foam, which is so good, you'll want to try it on all sorts of drinks.

Starbucks has announced a 2% raise for all salaried employees in North America, including store managers and corporate workers, marking a shift from previous practices.

The Protein Blended Cold Brew drinks were mixtures of either almond or coconut milk, Cold Brew, almond butter or cacao, and more, which resulted in a thick and chalky drink. Despite having 12 grams of protein for a grande, they received more negative reviews than positive, leaving customers dissatisfied with the drink’s coarse texture.

I've said to our team, part of our turnaround is becoming the world's greatest customer service company again. It's centered on putting enough partners on the roster in the stores and then deployed correctly so they can provide that customer connection, that experience, that frankly Starbucks really was founded on.

Starbucks is closing nearly 100 locations nationwide, including 14 in New York, as part of a strategy to focus on human interaction over mobile orders.

The closure of the Starbucks at 295 California St. marks the chain's fourth in the city this year amid lagging U.S. sales and increasing unionization.

Starbucks plans to sunset stores that only offer mobile order pickups during the 2026 fiscal year, as part of their 'back to Starbucks' initiative.

The Starbucks menu has been downsized via orders from CEO Brian Niccol, who has emphasized standard uniforms and faster service, aiming to revive community engagement.

Starting in October 2025, Starbucks requires corporate employees to work from the office at least four days a week, changing from a previous three-day requirement.

We are reestablishing our in-office culture because we do our best work when we're together. We share ideas more effectively, creatively solve hard problems, and move much faster. Being in person also helps us build and strengthen our culture.

Brian Niccol, the chief executive of Starbucks, stated, "We do our best work when we're together... Being in person also helps us build and strengthen our culture."