Facts about America’s iconic brand Starbucks
Starbucks has shaped the way we drink coffee in the U.S. Check out these 5 facts that may surprise you.
Starbucks wants you to be able to customize when you get your drink.
Starting May 11, the Seattle-based specialty coffee chain will introduce “scheduled ordering,” which allows customers to reserve mobile orders up to an hour before pickup. The feature will be available on the Starbucks mobile app and will be available at locations where Mobile Order & Pay is available, including Starbucks at airports.
Paul Riedel, Starbucks’ senior vice president of digital and loyalty, told USA TODAY. “As more customers turn to the Starbucks app to get through their busy lives, timing has become as important as convenience,” he added.
Starbucks’ new pre-order feature allows customers to choose a pick-up time rather than ordering for immediate pickup.
“When a little more planning is needed, customers can schedule in advance to accommodate meetings, classes, busy days, etc.,” Riedel said. “And if plans change, customers can continue to order the same way they always have.”
Starbucks introduced pre-ordering in some test stores and found that customers who tried the feature often returned. Infrequent customers are more likely to try this feature, while frequent customers use it more often.
Pre-ordering has been especially popular in busy coffee shops and university hubs, places that serve customers with tight schedules. Starbucks’ smart queuing algorithm helps balance mobile orders at each store with orders from other customers using walk-ins or drive-thrus.
“Pickup times reflect real-time availability at each location,” Riedel said. “This gives customers the flexibility to choose how to order or make changes before checking out.”
How to use Starbucks’ new pre-order feature
Starting May 11, the Starbucks mobile app will have a new option to order drinks up to one hour in advance (availability may vary by store). During checkout on the Starbucks mobile app, you’ll see one additional option.
- Create your order in the Starbucks app as usual.
- On the order confirmation screen, select your pick-up time.
- Select an available 5-minute pickup window (for example, 9:10 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.) up to 1 hour in advance.
- Complete your order and it will arrive at the time you selected.
Mike Snyder is a national trends news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, and X, or email him at: mike snyder & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.
