The pandemic reshaped Americans' daily Starbucks routine, leading to menu tweaks and a new time for the morning coffee run

• Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson blamed "disruption to the weekday morning routines" for the chain's financial struggles in the most recent quarter, with American same-store sales falling by 41%.
• Instead of picking up their coffee before work, more people are now going to Starbucks around 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• Americans' new coffee routines are forcing Starbucks to adjust what stores look like and what they serve, with executives teasing more plant-based snacks for afternoon customers.

Daily Starbucks runs are being forced to evolve during the coronavirus pandemic.

Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said on a call with investors on Tuesday that "disruption to the weekday morning routines, notably, commuting to work and school" hurt the coffee giant's sales in the most recent quarter. Starbucks American same-store sales fell by 41%, with comparable transactions down 53%.

"We continue to see improvements in the morning peak period as well as some customer occasions shifting to later in the morning daypart," Johnson said. "As we see customer visits shifting from urban cafes to suburban drive-throughs, customers are also purchasing multiple beverages and food items on a single order, essentially a group order."

Roz Brewer, Starbucks' chief operating officer, said on Tuesday's call that the chain has seen a shift in how customers "view their morning." Instead of picking up their coffee before work, more people are now going to Starbucks around 9:30 a.m. In the afternoon, there is another peak in customer visits around 2 p.m.

"We've shifted our labor to those timeframes, understanding what has shifted in the customers' patterns and their routines," Brewer said.

New routines require new types of stores and even new menu items

The pandemic has accelerated Starbucks' plans to open more pick-up-only stores, which will be located near more traditional Starbucks cafés. Brewer said that downtown areas that have lost their typical customer base of office workers will see significant efforts to build a new network of stores.

Johnson said that the shift towards customers working from home hasn't resulted in any massive change in Starbucks' menu strategy, which will continue to feature new cold beverage items such as cold foam and Refreshers.

At the same time, Starbucks has seen more group orders and more people getting food with their beverages. According to Johnson, these larger tickets bode well for the chain's work around plant-based offerings, such as Almondmilk and Beyond Meat breakfast sandwiches in China and Canada. As more people visit Starbucks in the afternoon, the chain plans to roll out a plant-based protein box.

One thing that isn't changing at Starbucks is the annual return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Typically released around Labor Day weekend, Brewer said Starbucks is preparing for a fall return of the iconic seasonal drink.