Starbucks Has Plans To Re-open Stores By June

Earlier this month, Starbucks announced it was extending its on-site cafe closures until May 3 as a response to the COVID-19 outbreak. While many Starbucks locations are still filling to-go and delivery orders, the company is now reportedly looking to re-open locations that had to shut down completely by June.

To recap: On March 20, stores without drive-thru windows shut down. With the additional cafe closures through early May, Starbucks also extended catastrophe pay and service pay. This means employees who did not go into work would still get paid, and those who did got paid $3 more per hour.

Some of those benefits will end on May 3 as the company tries to return to normal operations. Individuals who don’t go into work after that date will have to use vacation days or unused sick leave, but those who do clock in will still receive the $3 additional to their hourly rate. If an employee is a member of a high-risk group more vulnerable to COVID-19, they can still be eligible for catastrophe pay after May.

According to Business Insider, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said that these additional benefit for employees will begin to phase out in June as the company hopes to get services back to normal. Even when Starbucks stores start to re-open, contactless service, entry-way pickup, curbside delivery, and at-home delivery will still be encouraged.

The outlet reported that Johnson said in a letter to employees that the safety or workers and customers is of the utmost importance:

With governments, health care professionals, businesses and citizens all working together, there is evidence many markets have in fact ‘flattened the curve’ and are now beginning to see a decline in the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases. This is prompting many to define the next steps that will appropriately prioritize health concerns while, at the same time, take thoughtful and measured steps to serve our communities.

We will update this post as more information is provided.