Here's How Going To Starbucks Will Be Different Now

During the past several weeks, we've met our craving for caffeine by making novelty drinks like dalgona coffee. We've also poured over endless articles about how to make the perfect cup of java. But deep inside many of us were probably looking for more than a hit of caffeine — we were yearning for a sense of normalcy that included satisfying our craving for our go-to Starbucks beverage.

Most of us don't have to wait too long before we can make our Starbucks fantasies come true. After being among the first of the national chains to close down after the pandemic began, Starbucks says its ready to become among the first to reopen its company-owned stores in the U.S. 85 percent of Starbucks' company-owned stores will be open by the end of this week, and more than 90 percent will be open by early June. But the Starbucks that's opening for business in a pandemic world won't be the same one you might remember from March (via USA Today).

Starbucks CEO and President Kevin Johnson says the company has taken lessons from operating stores in China where the coronavirus first appeared in December last year, and that Starbucks plans to exceed the safety standards as set by the CDC. "We have adapted these protocols for the U.S. and our goal is to exceed the standards outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a safe experience, including heightened emphasis on cleaning and sanitizing protocols in our stores," he wrote. As part of its pandemic protocols, Starbucks staff are already required to check their temperatures, use face masks, and wash their hands frequently while they are on the job, and some also have the option to use gloves (via Starbucks).

The company also says it will use the Starbucks app to expand its service offers to include mobile ordering, contactless pick-up and delivery, as well as curbside pickup. The company also hopes to move towards cashless payments, and expects the app to become the new, dominant way to settle bills. A contactless world is not a completely new one for Starbucks since before the pandemic struck, more than 80 percent of coffee orders around the country were already being placed at drive-thrus or through the company's mobile app, which means Starbucks' most loyal clients may not have as much trouble adjusting to the new contactless normal (via USA Today).