Bad News For Starbucks Fans

If you're a mega Starbucks fan (or someone who religiously orders and tries all of those special secret menu drinks that Totally the Bomb comes up with) then you're in for some unfortunate news. You might remember that the coffee chain announced it would close 400 stores back in June (via USA Today). Well, Restaurant Business Online reported that Starbucks has now said it is going to be closing an additional 100 locations in the United States — and another 100 in Canada as well — through 2021. While the downsizing might come as a shock, you should know these changes will take place in "dense metro trade areas," according to Delish.

A lot of the change has to do with a shifting Starbucks' clientele. "Broadly speaking, we've seen US transactions migrate from dense metro centers to the suburbs, from cafes to drive-throughs, from early mornings to mid mornings with outpaced recovery on the weekends," CEO Kevin Johnson said. Essentially the closures are to help Starbucks create more efficient stores that serve customers better. CFO Patrick Grismer claims that includes more convenience for customers and more profitability for the coffee giant.

Ultimately those changes will mean Starbucks locations will lean more toward to-go orders. It's a change that was coming before the pandemic happened, but under the influence of COVID-19, the change has been expedited. If you are still bummed about losing 500 stores or concerned that you might lose the most convenient one in your city, don't worry. Starbucks is planning to unveil 850 openings in the Americas, with most of them will be in the United States.

According to Delish, the openings will allow for around 50 net new stores in 2021. "We're really pleased with how our team has been able to respond to their learnings over the course of the summer, and put together even more aggressive plans that are going to put us in a much more profitable position, and also structured the business for stronger growth going forward," Grismer said. So don't fret quite yet, Starbucks will still be around to brew your favorite order.