Headlines

Starbucks Plans Up to 650 More Stores in ’26

Growth comes as CEO says “Back to Starbucks” effort gaining traction.

Published

1 week ago

January 28, 2026

VMSD Staff

Starbucks Plans Up to 650 More Stores in ’26 — The coffee giant says its “Back to Starbucks” efforts are working. Photo: Courtesy of Starbucks

The coffee giant says its “Back to Starbucks” efforts are working. Photo: Courtesy of Starbucks

Starbucks Corp. (Seattle) says it plans to open between 600 to 650 new company-operated and licensed coffeehouses in its coming fiscal year. The company disclosed those plans in a news release on its financial results for its first fiscal quarter ended Dec. 28.

For that period, Starbucks reported global comparable store sales increased 4%, driven by a 3% increase in comparable transactions and a 1% increase in average ticket. Those numbers are its strongest showing since late 2023.

“Our Q1 results demonstrate our ‘Back to Starbucks’ strategy is working and we believe we’re ahead of schedule,” said Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol, who joined the company September 2024 and was charged with re-energizing its fortunes. “It’s great to see the sales momentum driven by more customers choosing Starbucks more often, and this is just the beginning.”

The company described its “Back to” strategy as “focusing on what has always set us apart: a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas.”

Starbucks opened 128 net new stores in its just-completed quarter, giving it a total of 41,118 locales worldwide.

VMSD Staff

Drawing on more than 125 years of history serving the retail design market, VMSD magazine provides retail professionals with the most up-to-date, innovative retail design ideas and industry news through its industry-leading magazine, website, social media channels and bulletins.

click to Comment(Comment)

Up Next

Valentine’s Day Sales Looking Strong, NRF Finds

Don't Miss

Target Unveils Makeover of Beauty Offerings

MasterClass: ‘Re-Sparkling’ Retail: Using Store Design to Build Trust, Faith and Brand Loyalty

HOW CAN WE EMPOWER and inspire senior leaders to see design as an investment for future retail growth? This session, led by retail design expert Ian Johnston from Quinine Design, explores how physical stores remain unmatched in the ability to build trust, faith, and loyalty with your customers, ultimately driving shareholder value.

Presented by:
Ian Johnston
Founder and Creative Director, Quinine Design