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Starbucks is pushing back on a local news report that all its mobile order and pickup-only locations on Long Island are set to close.
According to a company representative, that’s not exactly the case.
There are roughly 80 to 90 mobile-only locations nationwide, several of which are in New York City.
On Long Island, there’s a long-operating, double drive-thru in Setauket-East Setauket with no interior seating — a legacy, non-traditional Starbucks that once housed a Chock full o’Nuts.
The company opened a double drive-thru spot in Holbrook earlier this year. And just last month, another drive up-only store opened in Greenvale at 114 Northern Blvd.
The Holbrook shop at the new Shops at SunVet debuted in February as the first of its kind — a modern version of what you’d find in East Setauket — and was serving as a model for other stores across the country, GLI previously reported.
When it opened, one lane was only for mobile orders, the other was a traditional drive-thru. There was no café component.
But just six months later, Starbucks says it’s shifting back toward its community coffeehouse roots. That doesn’t mean the Long Island drive-up only stores are closing, despite the report, and mobile ordering isn’t going anywhere.
“We’re not moving away from mobile ordering — it remains a critical part of our business, accounting for 31 percent of transactions,” the company said in a statement to GLI. “We’re fully committed to enabling customers to seamlessly grab and go or enjoy the experience of our warm and welcoming coffeehouses.
“What we are doing is sunsetting the concept of mobile order and pickup-only locations. This shift does’t mean all of them will close. Where it makes sense, we’ll convert some into traditional coffeehouses with seating to better serve our customers and communities.”
So, why the change?
“We’ve found this format to be overly transactional and lacking the warmth and human connection that defines our brand,” the statement continued.
The announcement came from CEO and chairman Brian Niccol during a July 29 earnings call. The changes are set to roll out next year.
Top: The double drive-thru Starbucks in Holbrook, which opened in February. (Credit: Mike White/GLI file photo)
