How Starbucks is revamping US coffee shops to be more ‘inclusive’
NY Post
Starbucks said it’s rolling out a revamped look across its US chain of 16,300-plus locations in order to make the coffee-ordering experience more accessible and “inclusive”.
Washington DC’s Union Market Starbucks debuted the new design on Friday, and it includes power-operated doors and a new point-of-sale system that’s portable and boasts an adjustable angle stand, voice assist, screen magnification and photos of menu items.
“Imagine somebody who doesn’t speak English as a first language, and you’re trying to make sure that you’re getting [the order] right and providing great service. You’ll have an opportunity through some visual cues to make those confirmations,” Starbucks North America Sara Trilling told CNBC.
Countertops are also lower with overhangs, making them more accessible for wheelchair users or customers with service dogs — part of what Starbucks calls its Inclusive Spaces Framework.
Starbucks also made the behind-the-counter experience more accommodating for staffers with disabilities with its new Clover Vertica system for brewing drip coffee, which boasts a larger dial and protruding buttons, plus lights that indicate when the coffee is done.
And when orders are ready, it will be displayed on a large status board at the end of the bar to provide a visual cue.
