Starbucks is cutting 300 corporate jobs in the United States and closing several regional support offices as chief executive Brian Niccol presses ahead with efforts to make the coffee chain leaner while trying to sustain a recovery in its home market.
The company said the latest reductions would affect office-based employees, not baristas or other staff working in its cafés. It has also begun reviewing parts of its international corporate workforce, suggesting that further changes could follow outside the U.S. as Starbucks looks again at how its support operations are organised.
The decision is part of Niccol’s “Back to Starbucks” strategy, which is aimed at returning the company to steadier growth after a difficult period marked by softer demand, stronger competition, and complaints that its stores had become less welcoming. Since taking over, Niccol has moved to improve service, simplify operations, refresh the menu, bring back seating in some locations, and increase staffing levels in cafés.
“We are taking further action under the Back to Starbucks strategy, building on our strong business momentum and working to return the company to durable, profitable growth,” a Starbucks spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC. “Leaders have taken a hard look at their respective functions to further sharpen focus, prioritize work, reduce complexity, and lower costs.”
Starbucks expects the restructuring to result in about $400 million in charges. The total includes around $280 million in non-cash costs linked to the impairment of long-lived assets, along with about $120 million in cash charges tied to severance and other employee-related expenses.
The announcement marks the third round of corporate layoffs under Niccol. In February 2025, Starbucks said it would cut 1,100 jobs and leave several hundred open roles unfilled. Months later, the company announced a further 900 reductions among non-retail employees as part of a wider restructuring programme.
The job cuts come as Starbucks shows signs of renewed momentum in the U.S. In its latest quarter, the company reported a 7.1% rise in U.S. same-store sales, helped by a 4.3% increase in transactions. It was the second consecutive quarter of traffic growth at its American cafés.
“This quarter marked a milestone for Starbucks – and the turn in our turnaround,” Niccol said in a video posted alongside the company’s fiscal second-quarter results in April.