消费入座 星巴克不再讨好“所有人”

Summary: The new purchase-based seating rule and store investment are the key points.

1. Starting October 22, all stores nationwide will implement purchase-based seating: notice signs will be displayed, staff service guidance will be standardized, non-purchasing customers may not use seats, and pregnant women and people with limited mobility will receive priority assistance.

2. In fiscal 2027, new investment will exceed RMB 300 million, allocated to service staffing during peak hours and at Reserve bars, upgrades to digital and intelligent systems and core equipment, and facility renovations at about 1,000 stores.

3. The store model will shift to "thousand stores, thousand faces," including 10-square-meter pickup stores, mobile coffee carts, small office-building stores, and Reserve flagship stores; multiple products will enter the RMB 20 range.

4. Official financial reports show that in fiscal 2024, same-store sales and average ticket size both fell 8%; in fiscal 2025, same-store sales fell another 1%; and in Q2 fiscal 2026, same-store sales rose only 0.5%, while average ticket size continued to fall 1.6%.

Summary: Brand positioning and pricing strategy are being adjusted.

1. Starbucks has long used the "third space" to support its premium pricing; purchase-based seating clarifies the boundaries of space use—non-purchasing customers cannot occupy seats, and the paying-customer experience comes first.

2. The brand is no longer trying to please everyone, and its rules are moving from ambiguous to explicit; however, overly rigid enforcement could undermine the relaxed feel of a café, so it must balance paid experience with openness.

3. The price system has not collapsed but has made concessions, with multiple products entering the RMB 20 range; same-store sales and average ticket size remain under pressure, and transaction volume is returning through lower barriers.

4. Stores are shifting from large-format locations to "thousand stores, thousand faces," with pickup stores, mobile coffee carts, small office-building stores, and Reserve flagship stores operating in parallel; after Boyu took control, the target is to expand to 20,000 stores, and the brand needs to rebuild its marketing narrative across scale, price, and experience.

Summary: Policy and business-model changes bring opportunities and risks.

1. Purchase-based seating will be implemented nationwide: stores will display notice signs and standardize service guidance; non-purchasing customers cannot use seats, and pregnant women and people with limited mobility will receive priority assistance. High-traffic stores may reduce seat occupation, while low-traffic stores will contribute limitedly.

2. Starbucks China's partnership with Boyu has been completed: Boyu holds 60% equity in the retail business, Starbucks Global retains 40% and holds the brand and intellectual property, about 8,000 company-operated stores will convert to franchised operations, and the long-term vision is to expand to 20,000 stores.

3. Reforms include "thousand stores, thousand faces," price cuts on multiple products to the RMB 20 range, and faster supply-chain adjustments; competitors Luckin Coffee and Cotti Coffee are turning coffee into a fast-moving product through ten-thousand-store density and low prices, while Manner, Peet's Coffee, and Grid Coffee are accelerating store expansion.

4. The lesson is to first improve paying-customer experience, repeat purchases, and store operations, then assess the effect of the new rule; the risk is that tighter rules cannot bear excessive growth expectations.

Summary: Store renovations and model changes create production and design demand.

1. In fiscal 2027, new investment will exceed RMB 300 million, including upgrades to digital and intelligent systems and core equipment and facility renovations at about 1,000 stores; factories can watch for opportunities in equipment, facilities, and digital supporting systems.

2. Stores are adopting "thousand stores, thousand faces," with 10-square-meter pickup stores, mobile coffee carts, small office-building stores, and Reserve flagship stores rolled out simultaneously; different store formats create differentiated demand for equipment miniaturization, spatial design, displays, and bar configurations.

3. After Boyu took control, Starbucks is accelerating supply-chain adjustments; about 8,000 company-operated stores will convert to franchised operations and the plan is to expand to 20,000 stores, and scale expansion will create demand for standardized production, distribution, and store construction.

4. Purchase-based seating and additional service staffing during peak hours also require equipment and store design to better support peak efficiency, cleaning and maintenance, and the paying-customer experience.

Summary: Client pain points center on space governance, experience, and efficiency.

1. Starbucks has long been troubled by non-purchasing customers occupying seats, prolonged use of power outlets, strong-smelling takeout food, and people treating stores as free lounges; paying customers may be unable to find seats, affecting repeat purchases and store revenue.

2. The solution is purchase-based seating: notice signs will be displayed nationwide, service guidance will be standardized, pregnant women and people with limited mobility will receive priority assistance, and seats will be reserved for paying customers who need them.

3. At the operational level, fiscal 2027 investment of more than RMB 300 million will add staffing during peak hours and at Reserve bars, upgrade digital and intelligent systems and core equipment, and advance renovations at about 1,000 stores; service providers can focus on workforce scheduling, digital systems, equipment maintenance, and store renovations.

4. Industry trends include "thousand stores, thousand faces," prices moving down to the RMB 20 range, and competition shifting toward pickup and efficiency; the effect of the new rule will still depend on whether paying-customer experience, repeat purchases, and store operations improve.

Summary: Rule governance across the store network and franchising are the key points.

1. Boyu holds 60% equity in Starbucks China's retail business, Starbucks Global retains 40% and holds the brand and intellectual property, about 8,000 company-operated stores will convert to franchised operations, and the long-term vision is to expand to 20,000 stores; this involves network recruitment, partnerships, and brand licensing management.

2. In operations management, purchase-based seating will be implemented nationwide: stores will display notice signs, staff will follow standardized service guidance, non-purchasing customers cannot use seats, and pregnant women and people with limited mobility will receive priority assistance; the rule is intended to reserve seats for paying customers who need them.

3. The store model is shifting from large-format locations to "thousand stores, thousand faces," with 10-square-meter pickup stores, mobile coffee carts, small office-building stores, and Reserve flagship stores operating in parallel; platforms need to allocate staffing, equipment, and digital systems by store format; in fiscal 2027, more than RMB 300 million will be invested in peak-hour staffing, system and equipment upgrades, and renovations at about 1,000 stores.

4. On risk avoidance, purchase-based seating can improve seat occupation but cannot bear excessive growth expectations; stores with low traffic or weak products and services will contribute limited revenue, and the effect will depend on paying-customer experience and repeat purchases.

Summary: Starbucks China has entered a new phase of controlling-shareholder change and model adjustment.

1. In April 2026, Boyu's strategic partnership with Starbucks was completed: Boyu holds 60% equity in the China retail business, Starbucks Global retains 40% and holds the brand and intellectual property, the transaction is based on an enterprise value of about USD 4 billion, about 8,000 company-operated stores will convert to franchised operations, and the long-term vision is to expand to 20,000 stores.

2. Reforms include "thousand stores, thousand faces," price cuts on multiple products to the RMB 20 range, and faster supply-chain adjustments, reflecting a new industry trend in which foreign brands cede control, shift to franchising, and diversify store formats amid local competition.

3. Purchase-based seating redefines the boundaries of the third space; behind it are cost pressures from seat occupation, peak-hour seats being taken, rent, labor, cleaning, and equipment maintenance, and it also reflects new tensions between paid experience and open space.

4. Data show that in fiscal 2024, same-store sales and average ticket size both fell 8%; in fiscal 2025, same-store sales fell another 1%; and in Q2 fiscal 2026, same-store sales rose only 0.5% while average ticket size fell 1.6%; Luckin Coffee, Cotti Coffee, and others compete through ten-thousand-store density and low prices, and research should focus on the effects of the rule, repeat purchases, and the sustainability of the business model.