New York City’s Penn Plaza will be the site of the first pickup-only Starbucks location when it opens on Nov. 5. Customers will primarily use the Starbucks mobile app to order and pay at the location, which is designed for busy, on-the-go consumers moving through the heavily trafficked area.
Customers will be able to track the progress of their order on a digital status board before picking up their coffee and food from a Starbucks barista.
The pickup-only concept was tested at the Tryer Center, an innovation lab located at the Starbucks Support Center in Seattle that has developed and tested more than 130 projects since it opened in Nov. 2018. For the pickup-only model, teams at Tryer focused on operations, digital innovation and design, working with baristas to create an experience that met customers needs while also giving store partners the tools they needed.
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According to a Starbucks release, an early prototype produced a high volume of customer orders but received low marks from baristas, due to constrained space and an inability to connect with customers. The Penn Plaza space was redesigned with that feedback in mind.
“Our customers who are on-the-go have told us that connection and convenience are important to them,” said Katie Young, Vice President of Urban Markets for Starbucks in a statement. “By designing a store specifically for the mobile order occasion, we can deliver both for these customers using the store’s design, location and the expertise of our baristas.”
