American coffeehouse chain Starbucks has opened its first Starbucks Now store, in Beijing, China.
The new format is designed to provide a streamlined transformative order and pick-up experience for both customers and delivery riders.
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The retail store features a Starbucks barista at the concierge counter to help customers with ordering or order pickup. Limited seating is available for customers to dine in-store. Starbucks said that all orders will be placed in an in-wall system.
The new format can also be used as a centralised dispatch centre to fulfil delivery orders within a specified radius.
Starbucks China Retail chief operating officer Leo Tsoi said: “The Starbucks Now store is a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering innovative customer experiences through new retail formats.
“This new retail format and design approach provides us with a platform to offer customers a fast and convenient retail experience to suit their on-the-go lifestyle.”
The company noted that it is considering opening the new store format in busy areas, business and transportation centres, as well as expand to new cities in China.
The mobile order and pay experience, Starbucks Now, was launched in May this year at 300 retail stores in Beijing and Shanghai. Since then, the service is being offered in more than 1,300 stores in four cities.
