The past week or so has been far from routine for Starbucks, as the current installment of the Working Lunch political-affairs podcast unflinchingly reports.
A third-party analysis—commissioned by the chain itself—faults the coffee giant for its handling of a union drive that’s now well into its third year. A federal regulatory official accused the brand of closing 23 stores specifically to keep the cafes from unionizing, even though the company itself said working in those units was unacceptably dangerous. And a flurry of news stories ripped management for what the reports portrayed as weakening financial results.
Add in the launch of a new competitor by McDonald’s, one of the few restaurant operations in Starbucks’ weight class, and it’s likely management won’t commemorate any of the last seven calendar days with a smiley-face emoji.
What are the aftereffects of such an extraordinary stretch? Tune in for a full breakdown from Working Lunch co-hosts Joe Kefauver and Franklin Coley, two longtime vets of the restaurant scene. They consider how the rapid-fire developments may spoil execs’ coffee time—or possibly enhance perceptions of the brand in the long term.
Press “Play” to learn what sort of clouds may be evident in Starbucks coffee.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.
