Starbucks Tried Automation. Now It’s Winning by Slowing Down

Starbucks’ new CEO is taking the chain back to basics.

Getty Images / Credit: Eko Prasetyo

When Brian Niccol took the helm as Starbucks CEO in 2024, he promised that the floundering company would be going “back to Starbucks.” In a world defined by automation, he wanted to return the coffee giant to its café-culture roots. But he urged patience. And then, for five straight quarters, Starbucks stagnated.

Until suddenly, it didn’t. Last quarter, Starbucks’s same-store sales were up 4% in North America, with overall transactions growing 3%. The company reported that members of its vaunted loyalty program were buying more, and casual........

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