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- Starbucks will discontinue its “Pick Up” stores in 2026, company CEO Brian Niccol announced.
- “Pick Up” stores can be found nationwide, including in Tennessee.
- Mobile ordering will remain available at regular Starbucks locations.
Starbucks will phase out its pickup-only store model in 2026, CEO Brian Niccol announced during a July 29 earnings call.
Introduced in 2019, “Starbucks Pick Up” was designed to streamline the mobile ordering experience by eliminating the wait. Using the Starbucks app, customers could select their nearest Pick Up location, order, and pick up.
Approximately 80 to 90 Starbucks “Pick Up” stores across more than 20 states will be impacted, with some locations facing permanent closure while others will be converted into traditional coffeehouses at a later date, according to Niccol and the chain’s website.
Despite the shift in strategy, the company is not moving away from mobile ordering, as it accounts for 31% of transactions, Starbucks said in a statement to USA TODAY.
Here’s what to know about the end of Starbucks “Pick Up” in Tennessee.
What is Starbucks ‘Pick Up’?
Starbucks describes its “Pick Up” locations as stores “exclusively designed for mobile orders and quick pick up without the wait.”
The stores can be found across 24 states, including Tennessee.
Why is Starbucks eliminating ‘Pick Up’ locations?
Niccol, who has been at the helm since September 2024, called the business model “overly transactional and lacking the warmth and human connection” that defines the Seattle-based coffee chain’s brand.
“We have a strong digital offering and believe we can deliver the same level of convenience through our community coffeehouses with a superior mobile order and pay experience,” said Niccol.
When will Starbucks ‘Pick Up’ locations close?
Niccol said the company was looking to “sunset” the concept of mobile order and pickup-only locations in fiscal 2026.
Which Starbucks ‘Pick Up’ locations in Tennessee could be affected?
In Tennessee, Starbucks ‘Pick Up’ stores can be found at the following Nashville locations:
- Pickup Amazon Tower 1: 105 Platform Way N.
- Pickup Broadwest: 1610 West End Ave. 107
- Pickup Fifth Third Center: 424 Church St. Suite 110 Fifth Third
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for the Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X at @_leyvadiana
This story was updated to add a gallery.