Starbucks also announced Wednesday that it would no longer charge extra for using non-dairy beverages in its drinks.
SEATTLE — Starbucks’ new Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol wants customers to get their orders hand-delivered by a barista in four minutes or less, a goal that will be central as he tries to reinvigorate the company’s sagging sales.
“We have to make it easier for our customers to get a cup of coffee,” Niccol said in his first conference call with investors since joining Starbucks in September.
Niccol said about half of the company’s transactions are now completed in four minutes or less. He wants to focus on the bottlenecks that delay the other half, from inadequate staffing during rush periods to slow ovens cooking food to Starbucks’ overly complex menu.
“When you start to use that metric, you quickly discover where our stores have a real problem,” Niccol said. “We’re going to be maniacal about getting after it.”
Niccol …