Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol on Thursday said the company is planning on closing underperforming locations, including those where the coffee chain is "unable to create the physical environment our customers and partners expect," and will cut 900 jobs.

For 20 years, Kris Lott has centered her “me time” around a morning trip to her local Morristown Starbucks to buy a tall iced latte. Lott’s six-mile, round-trip walk offered more than just caffeine for the day.

The push to unionize Starbucks has surged in recent years. Baristas formed Starbucks Workers United in New York in December of 2021, and by the following May, California employees had organized four locations in a single week. Earlier this month, the union announced its 650th successful vote nationwide.

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol launches a $1 billion restructuring plan with store closures, staff cuts, and reinvestments in coffeehouse designs to revitalize the struggling chain.

Starbucks is shutting underperforming locations, cutting jobs, and remodeling stores as part of a major turnaround.

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol announced on Thursday (September 25, 2025) via a letter to the employees that hundreds will be laid off this month. The coffee giant announced that it will close 1% of its stores, resulting in the layoff of nearly 900 employees.

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol wants to win spending-conscious customers over with great service and beverages, he said Tuesday.