Starbucks’ reopening plans could provide blueprint for other fast food chains

With Starbucks unveiling their plans for a slow return to normal operations, the coffee giant could provide a blueprint for other fast-food chains.

Every Starbucks fan has been on pins-and-needles waiting for the chain’s reopening plans to come to fruition. Well, those fans no longer have to wait for news.

Recently, Starbucks announced a blueprint for a slow return to normal operations, emphasizing on the word “slow.” Speaking to Business Insider, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson laid out both a pay plan for its Partners and how the chain would gradually get back to a sense of normalcy that was shattered when it had to close non-drive-thru stores on March 20.

Johnson said that Starbucks will soon be entering what it calls the “monitor and adapt” stage, where it will begin to make decisions based on the local status of the outbreak and local health and government guidance on which of their now-closed stores could reopen. Starbucks wants to have a “significant” number of their stores reopen by next month, but it won’t be the familiar experience we’re all used too, at least for the interim.

Starbucks will be going off of their China playbook, in which many of the drive-thru only stores, that stayed open through the crisis, will still be using this model. However, it’s walk-in locations (minus mall and office locations, which will probably still stay closed) will start to gradually reopen as “to-go” and contactless pickup stores. The company also said that it will continue to push the curbside pickup and delivery options as they “adapt” to the next phase.

That leaves only one question that needs to be answered — when will customers be able to sit at a Starbucks again?

That question was never really answered, but the company is hoping that it will be able to get back to at least some-sort of normal operations by June, but, as with everything these days, that is largely predicated on the course of the coronavirus.

If and when Starbucks does allow seating again, it will almost certainly be in a limited capacity to still adhere to the social distancing guidelines set by the CDC (which you can check out below). The road map Starbucks has laid out for its return to normalcy could be the same blueprint other chains could follow.

Most of the major chains have switched to a drive-thru and delivery-only model, closing off their walk-in service completely, which has no doubt crippled their sales. With Starbucks‘ “monitor and adapt” plan, other chains could bite off that and figure out a way to reopen their inside business without compromising the health of their customers and get back to at least operating in the black.

Is the plan perfect? No, it isn’t; but it’s a start of a crawl back to the life we all once had and took for granted. Maybe, just maybe, this has given you a little hope for the future.

Not sure about how to protect yourself during the coronavirus pandemic? Click here to check out the CDC guidelines on how you can stay safe during this trying time.