Some exceptions will be made for cafés serving in or around hospitals in our efforts to serve thousands of first responders and health care workers who are on the front line.

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Starting today, effective immediately, Starbucks will close access to its cafés and move to drive-thru and delivery only. Some exceptions will be made for those cafés serving in or around hospitals and health care centers in the company’s efforts to serve first responders, health care workers, and their incredible support staff. 

Starbucks Canada president Lori Digulla made the announcement in a letter to all partners today. “Thank you so much for all you’re doing, and above all else know that all our decisions are balancing partner and customer care, with science and facts, to serve our communities in the most impactful way we can as long as it is safe to do so,” she wrote.

Below is Lori Digulla's full letter:

Thank you again for our conversation yesterday. As we discussed, the magnitude of managing through this situation is the single biggest challenge many of us have faced in our lifetime. We are continually reviewing our partner support and operations and making decisions daily to ensure we’re responding to the changes we’re seeing and experiencing across the country. Thank you for your flexibility, your engagement, your on-the-ground insights, as well as the feedback you share. Today, we have some important new information about additional steps we are taking to support you, our customers and our communities. 

Let me be clear: We are now more than ever committed to our Mission and values and the communities we serve. Just as we have for nearly 50 years, Starbucks will always make the courageous decisions, even if they're difficult ones. And today, those decisions are rooted in facts and science, partner care as a priority and the reality of how challenging it is to focus on every partner and our communities (now and throughout this crisis) while navigating this on a store by store, minute by minute, community by community basis across this vast country. 

Closing Cafés and Going to Drive-Thru &amp; Delivery Only

Since the onset of the outbreak, we’ve worked to exceed public health requirements by taking actions in our cafés like expanding sanitizing and cleaning processes, and removing furniture to reduce risk and create the safest environments we can for partners who want to come to work. Importantly, we removed our seating and moved to a take-out, Drive Thru and MOP service only, to support social distancing. Even so, we’ve all recognized over the last week the challenges and complexities of trying to reduce “social gathering” in our cafés even as we removed furniture and reduced our services to grab n go. While we have worked hard to exceed any public health requirements, our cafés in some areas are experiencing high traffic during moments of the day and we need to do more to prevent the spread of this virus. It has also become apparent how time intensive it is for everyone to manage the entire country in this way, causing too much time to be pointed at operational changes and schedule management rather than providing even more partner care in a more holistic way, and leveraging our size and our scale to help our communities and our country in even more impactful ways. Today, we are making the decision to close access to our café’s altogether for two weeks and limiting our services to drive thru and delivery only. Some exceptions will be made for those cafes serving in or around hospitals and health care centers in our efforts to serve first responders, health care workers, and their incredible support team. These changes apply to our company-owned stores, and our licensed partners will make decisions for their properties.

Partners will still be paid for the next month, even if you choose to stay home

We will expand the Catastrophe Pay support we <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/further-extension-of-partner-care-during-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="announced just yesterday (opens in a new tab)">announced just yesterday</a>. We want to underscore that any partner serving in our stores that remain open are there because they want to be there to serve their community at this time. If you feel you’re taking a risk by coming to work or fear carrying the virus, please stay home. To guarantee that partners feel completely empowered to make that choice, we are going to pay all partners for their shifts over the next 30 days, whether you choose to work or not.

Supporting First Responders, Health Care Workers, and the Communities We Serve

We don’t believe lattes are “essential.” But in times of crisis, the government asks convenient food and beverage outlets to remain open when possible for pick up, drive-thru, or delivery. Cafes, gas stations, and other take out and convenience stores are part of a support system that offsets the pressure that is already high on grocery stores. This is especially important to serve thousands of first responders and health care workers who are on the front line, which is why our stores in or around hospitals, or communities with limited food options, will remain open with partners who are explicitly choosing to continue to serve. 

We will continue to work very closely with local, provincial, and the federal government to continually assess how best to stay open, stay safe and be a part of the solution during this time. 

I appreciate all of your incredible commitment to each other and your desire to serve our communities, to create best moments and desperately needed points of connection. We are just evolving our approach to do it in a different way.

Thank you so much for all you’re doing, and above all else know that all our decisions are balancing partner and customer care, with science and facts, to serve our communities in the most impactful way we can as long as it is safe to do so. 

This is a crisis that is moving quickly, and we need to stay ahead of it and do our part, recognizing this is often confusing, frustrating and dynamic. As anticipated, this change may come as a surprise or seem sudden given our recent conversation. I am sorry for that as we have done our very best to avoid this from happening. I hope that you understand. I deeply appreciate your patience and flexibility, and please keep sharing your thoughts and experiences because YOUR feedback informs our decisions.

In a letter to all partners today, Starbucks Canada president Lori Digulla announced Starbucks will close access to its cafes and move to drive-thru and delivery only.

Starbucks Canada To Close Cafes and Move to Drive-Thru and Delivery Only

Starbucks Canada

Starbucks Canada To Close Cafés and Move to Drive-Thru and Delivery Only

https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2020/starbucks-canada-to-close-cafes-and-move-to-drive-thru-and-delivery-only/

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A letter to our Canadian partners (employees) from Lori Digulla, president of Starbucks Canada

I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart. The flexibility and responsibility I’m seeing in every store I’ve been in since we started to modify our operations in response to COVID-19 as well as the continued Best Moments for our customers and each other is amazing. There have been new processes and changes to adapt to in our stores, and in our personal lives, all while experiencing the uncertainty of what’s next. I know this can be hard and heavy, and I thank you so very much for your courage to lead through it.

The best way I can stay present is to stay centred on what’s important. I remind myself with every new report or government decision that I, and all Starbucks leaders, will make the best decisions when we are grounded in partner care, the important role we play in our communities, decision-making based in facts and science, combined with frequent communication.

Over the last two weeks we have <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="activated precautions (opens in a new tab)" href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/managing-through-the-dynamics-of-covid-19/" target="_blank">activated precautions</a> in all stores nationwide – from increased cleaning and sanitizing to pausing reusable cups – we <a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/comprehensive-partner-care-during-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="expanded catastrophe pay (opens in a new tab)">expanded catastrophe pay</a> for partners impacted by COVID-19 so you never have to choose between work and taking care of your health, and we enacted travel-related self-isolation requirements to support social distancing.

We considered what else we could do to support social distancing and discourage prolonged social gatherings, given this is important to curbing the spread of the virus. Starting today, and for at least two weeks: 

We are&nbsp;temporarily moving all stores to a “to go” model. These are the actions we know are effective based on our experience in China and here’s what you can expect:

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We are temporarily closing company-operated stores in high-social gathering locations like stores located in malls that don’t have exterior/street access, and in colleges and universities. &nbsp;

We have also begun leaning into&nbsp;additional measures on a store-by-store basis, including reducing operating hours or temporarily closing select stores.

These changes start today and will last for at least two weeks. All stores in Canada will move to the “to go” model by Wednesday, and these closures will be complete by the end of the week. [Starbucks ceo] Kevin Johnson outlined those options <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="in a letter last week (opens in a new tab)" href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en/stories/2020/our-role-and-responsibility-navigating-through-covid-19/" target="_blank">in a letter last week</a> and we will continue to monitor facts at a local level to make the best decision for each community we’re honoured to be a part of.

We connected with your field leaders and store managers, and they are ready to work with you to make these temporary changes and ensure partners are feeling fully supported. We’re sorry, that for the time being, customers will not be able to sit in our stores and enjoy the Third Place we work so hard to offer them every day. This decision was not made lightly as we know the important role our stores play in service of our communities and how our customers enjoy our seating as an important part of their daily lives. I find some comfort knowing that most of our customers already get their order “to go,” many of our customers who typically use our café seating are also used to visiting us at MOP and Drive Thru, and the growing importance of social distancing and curbing larger gatherings is really about keeping them, you, and all of us safer. 

Partner care is the top priority and we will take care of anyone impacted by these changes. Our expanded Catastrophe Pay program, which was shared last week, will apply when you are unable to work due to you or someone close to you having symptoms or confirmed diagnosis, or due to a store closure. We have also decided to supplement partner pay with Catastrophe Pay when working partners experience a reduction in scheduled hours.&nbsp;

To further assist partners who may experience financial hardships, Starbucks has also made the decision to&nbsp;invest up to an additional $10 million into the&nbsp;emergency financial aid CUP Fund&nbsp;and other resources globally to support partners’ needs beyond pay. As you know, the CUP Fund was put in place to help partners during times of special need and we are currently reviewing the eligibility categories and approval process to expedite grants during these uncertain times. We will have updated partner FAQs and more information published for you in a few days. In the meantime, please remember and remind each other of all the support available to you including&nbsp;&nbsp;paid sick time, access to health care resources, as well as support like our <a href="https://work.headspace.com/starbucks/member-enroll/login" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">free&nbsp;Headspace subscriptions</a>, and our <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Employee Assistance Program (opens in a new tab)" href="https://departments.starbucks.com/sites/canadapartnerfamily/en-us/Pages/Employee-Assistance-Program-(Canada).aspx" target="_blank">Employee Assistance Program</a> (EAP) for free mental health counseling for all partners. And remember – the Partner Resources Support Center (888-SBUX-411), your field leaders, and every support partner are all here to help.&nbsp;

I expect things will continue to evolve before COVID-19 is past us, and we will continue to prioritize what’s best for you, your families and our customers, informed by science and facts. All 23,000 of us have already proven ourselves nimble, courageous and so true to our culture, I’ve never felt prouder to be a partner. Again, THANK YOU so very much and I sincerely look forward to the day we can welcome all our customers to come sit and stay in our wonderful Third Place of warmth and belonging.

In a letter to our Canadian partners (employees), Lori Digulla, president of Starbucks Canada, outlines how we will temporarily move all stores to a “to go” model.

Caring for Our Partners and Customers during COVID-19

https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2020/caring-for-our-partners-and-customers-during-covid-19/

Open letter to all Canadian store partners (employees) from Lori Digulla, president of Starbucks Canada

Over the past three weeks we have found ourselves working and living through a quickly evolving health risk.&nbsp;Although this situation is new to many of us, what isn’t is our strong commitment to take care of each other and our communities both proactively and as individual needs arise. Our guiding principle from the beginning has been to lead with partner care, transparency, decision-making based in facts and science, combined with frequent communication to ensure every partner has the latest information.

Above all else, I want you to know your Starbucks family is here for you. This may not feel imminent for every part of Canada, but if or when it is, I want you to know about, and feel fully supported by, our comprehensive partner care during COVID-19.

We have already activated a set of temporary, precautionary measures in our stores to help limit the spread and do what’s right for you and our customers. Thank you for your leadership and accountability as you embraced and implemented these changes so quickly! Over the last 10 days we:

Even more importantly, if you or your loved ones are unfortunately impacted more directly, Starbucks is committed to provide comprehensive support for you because you should never have to choose between work and taking care of yourself. Here’s what you need to know:

Our COVID-19 Working Groups will continue to stay close to the Public Health Agency of Canada, food safety experts and other public health authorities as we move through this together. The thoughtful protocols they have developed for every possible scenario are proactive in nature and grounded in partner care, facts and science. I am so very grateful for their incredible knowledge, leadership and dedication.

I can’t thank you enough for supporting the very important work to stop, contain, control, delay and reduce the impact of this virus at every opportunity. And I want you to know that you are fully supported as we work through these ever-changing times.

Please let us know if there is anything you need. We are all here to help.

Open letter to all Canadian store partners (employees) from Lori Digulla, president of Starbucks Canada.

Comprehensive Partner Care during COVID-19

Letter to Partners: Caring for Starbucks Partners during COVID-19

https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2020/comprehensive-partner-care-during-covid-19/