BEIJING, China – Starbucks today opened China’s Starbucks Now location in Beijing’s financial district. The move is meant to reduce waiting times at Starbuck’s big retail stores during peak hours and to meet the needs of today’s modern urban lifestyle for quicker delivery. Starbucks Now store is an innovative, express retail experience that seamlessly integrates Starbucks physical and digital customer touchpoints.
Combining the signature Starbucks café environment with Mobile Order & Pay and Starbucks Delivers customer experiences, this streamlined experience allows customers and delivery riders to conveniently get their favorite beverages and food at Starbucks.
“The Starbucks Now store is a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering innovative customer experiences through new retail formats,” said Leo Tsoi, chief operating officer and president, Starbucks China Retail. “This new retail format and design approach provides us with a platform to offer customers a fast and convenient retail experience to suit their on-the-go lifestyle.”
A transformative order and pick-up experience
Customers entering the store will be greeted by a Starbucks barista at the elevated concierge counter to assist with ordering or order pickup. They can choose from a menu of handcrafted beverage options tailored for the on-the-go customer along with an assortment of popular food items. Limited seating is available for customers who choose to stay and relax with their favorite food and beverages in the store.
For delivery riders, a dedicated area for Starbucks Delivers orders enables quick and easy pickup supported by baristas offering the unparalleled best-in-class Starbucks Experience. Fulfilled Starbucks Now and Starbucks Delivers online orders will be placed in a safe and secure in-wall system with a designated pickup portal associated with each order.
The store will also have the ability to serve as a centralized dispatch center for delivery orders within a certain radius so Starbucks baristas at neighboring cafés can focus on delivering exceptional service to in-store customers at those locations. During peak times, Starbucks Delivers beverage orders will be handcrafted by baristas from a central kitchen that is part of the Starbucks Now store.
Innovation at the speed of China
As a coffee leader deeply rooted in China, for China, Starbucks has continued to build its digital capabilities and offerings to exceed the expectations of its Chinese customers. In May, Starbucks China introduced the company’s mobile order and pay experience, Starbucks Now, across 300 retail stores in Beijing and Shanghai. Since its introduction the program has expanded to Hangzhou and Nanjing and is now offered in over 1,300 stores across four cities.
Today’s launch of the first Starbucks Now store marks the latest milestone in the company’s continued efforts to bring its digital experiences for customers in China through unique and convenient store formats. The company plans to open new Starbucks Now stores across high-traffic areas including business and transportation hubs as well as to new cities in China.
