Starbucks was patterned after Italian coffee shops, a “third place” where consumers gathered over a hot espresso or a cappuccino. Over the years, however, it has changed and shifted. These days, it is mostly a convenience-focused concept that sells customizable beverages on the drive-thru or on a mobile app.
Restaurant Business visited Starbucks headquarters and examined how that evolution has changed the company and its relationship with its customers and employees, and what the company is doing to keep from losing the “romance” of the classic coffee shop while giving consumers what they want, how they want it.