Starbucks to cut more than 200 corporate positions as part of restructuring plan
Starbucks filed a WARN Act notice indicating it will lay off over 200 corporate employees, including staff who declined relocation to Nashville, as it continues a restructuring effort launched under CEO Brian Niccol.
Starbucks announced on Thursday that it will eliminate more than 200 corporate jobs, filing a notice under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. The company had previously said it would cut about 300 corporate roles as part of a broader restructuring.
According to the filing, roughly 120 of the separations involve members of a support team that designs and develops coffeehouse concepts and who chose not to move from Seattle to the new regional office in Nashville, Tennessee. An additional 104 positions are being removed as part of organizational changes outlined in a May restructuring plan.
The first layoffs are scheduled to begin on Oct. 19, 2026, with all terminations completed by Nov. 1, 2026. Starbucks said the changes will not affect its coffeehouse strategy, which remains focused on enhancing the "third place" experience for customers and employees.
The company is investing about $100 million in a new corporate campus in Nashville that will eventually house around 2,000 staff, while maintaining its headquarters in Seattle. Since CEO Brian Niccol took over in September 2024, Starbucks has been implementing measures such as redesigning store interiors, improving staffing levels, streamlining mobile orders, and setting a target of delivering drinks within four minutes.