No talky until coffee... Starbucks is making it possible — CEO Kevin Johnson sat down with Bloomberg to reveal a pick-up only store is in the works for NYC this fall. Picture NASCAR pit stop meets barista nightmare — Starbucks is targeting "people on the go" (aka all humans in Manhattan) because even pre-orders face lines lately. Other key deets:
If the Starbucks mobile app had feelings... this would be its dream. The pick-up concept blends deliciously with the Starbucks app's growth — usage has surged to hit 2 shocking numbers:
American companies are now inspired by Chinese ones... This wouldn't be Starbucks' 1st pickup location — it launched the same concept in China last summer as "Starbucks Now." It made that move because local Chinese rival Luckin Coffee pioneered the concept across the Great Wall, jumping to 3K locations in under 2 years (Starbucks is barely higher at 4K China stores). It's an early example of American retail copying Chinese competition.