Starbucks’ reinvention strategy is boosting afternoon sales – it has little to do with coffee

Brian Niccol’s ‘Back to Starbucks’ strategy is fulfilling a longstanding goal in the US. Its success illustrates a growing trend among coffee operators

In April 2026, the world’s largest coffee chain posted its best revenue growth for two-and-a-half years, driven by high like-for-like sales, transaction and ticket growth in its home market.

CEO Brian Niccol’s ‘Back to Starbucks’ strategy, introduced at the end of 2024, is now delivering tangible results, justifying the shift under his leadership away from “overly transactional” grab-and-go sites towards coffeehouses designed for in-store visits.

However, longer dwell times form only part of the picture. And coffee? Even less so.