SBUX · Earnings call · 2026Q3T · Full report

Store Operations and Customer Experience

STARBUCKS CORP · 2026-10-29 · Importance 20 · Surprise 24

Starbucks said its coffeehouses are increasingly operating with discipline and consistency through Green Apron Service, while average service times remained on target. The company continues to refine Smart Queue and operating routines to improve throughput across access points. More than 1,700 North America coffeehouses received uplifts by fiscal year-end, restoring warm seating and the third-place experience; uplifted stores continued to show transaction lift across formats, dayparts, access points, and loyalty groups. Management expects to complete more than 2,000 additional uplifts in fiscal 2027 and is testing drive-through technology intended to improve order accuracy, throughput, and customer connection.

Key facts

• Starbucks plans to continue fine-tuning staffing and deployment to extend peak periods, improve customer service, and support demand.
• Starbucks says its morning peak is currently three hours and could become four hours as staffing and deployment support more transactions at peak performance.
• Starbucks will begin testing the Mastrena 3 espresso machine in FY2027.
• Starbucks will begin testing background AI models in the drive-through in FY2027 to help baristas input orders more accurately and efficiently.
• Starbucks will expand coffeehouse coaches to more North American coffeehouses in FY2027.
• Starbucks says its TSDs are performing in the morning and afternoon peaks and all day.
• Starbucks had more than 3,000 coffeehouse coaches enrolled across its U.S. company-operated business, all hired from within the company.