Dive Brief:

• Starbucks’ investments in staffing and faster service, key aspects of its Back to Starbucks strategy, are helping power a turnaround, according to CEO Brian Niccol on a Q4 2025 earnings call Wednesday.
• More than 80% of Starbucks’ company-owned cafes have hit the goal of 4 minutes or less average service times since the company launched a new sequencing algorithm, according to Niccol. Throughput has been an issue since before Niccol joined the company.
• The Green Apron Service model, which launched nationwide in August and adds more staff and hours to cafes, is paying off as well, according to Niccol. Worker engagement is strong, leading to record low hourly employee turnover and improved customer experience scores in the fourth quarter.

Dive Insight:

The Back to Starbucks strategy is getting the company “centered on providing a great customer service experience, which separates this brand from everybody else,” Niccol said during the call.

Starbucks’ measure of brand affinity has reached the highest point since 2023, and the share of customers ranking the company as their first choice reached a 5-year high, according to Niccol. The biggest gains were in service time, perceptions of connection and care. 

“We know our value equation extends beyond pricing,” Niccol said. “And when we provide great customer service alongside handcrafted personalized beverages made with high-quality ingredients, we provide unmatched value to our customers.”

The CX efforts are translating into financial results. Transactions from non-Starbucks Rewards members were up year over year for the second consecutive quarter, according to Niccol. The share of company-owned stores with positive comparable transactions more than tripled year over year. 

The company was also able to halt a same-store sales decline. Global comparable store sales increased 1% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a company earnings report. North America and U.S. comparable store sales were flat year over year during the quarter.

The U.S. business has shown signs of improvement in recent months, according to Niccol. Comparable sales at company-operated cafes were positive in September, and they remained positive through October. 

Starbucks is still facing challenges, including some that could arise in the near future. A spate of store closures in September included 59 unionized stores, and Starbucks Workers United began voting on a national strike authorization last week, Restaurant Dive reported.