Starbucks requires purchases for seats at its 8,000 China stores

Starbucks began requiring purchases for seating across its roughly 8,000 mainland China stores on 22 October. The company also announced plans to invest more than 300 million yuan ($44.9 million) in store improvements, including additional staff during peak hours, Fortune reported on 23 October.

China became Starbucks’ second-largest market after its first store opened there in 1999. Local rivals offer cheaper products, while Luckin Coffee’s app-based takeaway ordering competes with Starbucks’ sit-down cafe model. Luckin surpassed Starbucks in store count in China in 2022.

Starbucks promises more peak-hour staff and priority support

Starbucks China said the investment would improve customers’ experience inside its stores. Its commitment includes greater staffing during the busiest hours, linking the spending plans to service at its cafes.

In its 21 October announcement, Starbucks said pregnant customers and people with mobility issues would still receive “priority support” under the seating policy.

The earlier seating policy and service plans

Starbucks China said the seating restriction aimed to improve customers’ in-store experience. It follows a separate reversal in North America of an open-door policy that had allowed people to use seats and toilets without buying anything. Starbucks said that change prioritised paying customers.

Alongside the staffing plans, Starbucks China said in a separate statement on 21 October that it planned to improve digital systems at its stores. The company said the investments were intended to help staff provide timely service even during peak hours.