Starbucks Struggles To Balance Mobile Orders And Café Culture As New CEO Brian Niccols Aims To Revive The Coffee Chain As A 'Third Place'

Starbucks’ mobile-ordering system is complicating its effort to reclaim its café culture. The rise in digital orders has extended wait times to as long as 25 minutes, with employees overwhelmed by both in-store and mobile demand. New CEO Brian Niccol aims to redefine Starbucks locations as a third place, but analysts argue that balancing both dine-in and takeout needs is becoming increasingly difficult. Mobile orders continue to disrupt service quality, employees report.