Starbucks had its best holiday ever despite a major controversy
StarbucksDespite an anti-Starbucks social media campaign with the Donald Trump stamp of approval, the coffee chain enjoyed a very happy holiday season.
The company had "by far" the strongest holiday in its history, CEO Howard Schultz said in a company earnings call on Thursday.
In the US, comparable stores sales increased 9% in the first quarter of 2016, with a 4% increase in traffic.
More people were exchanging Starbucks Cards than ever before this holiday season, as 1 in 6 American adults received a Starbucks Card, compared to 1 in 7 last year. Users loaded a record figure of $1.9 billion onto Starbucks Cards in the US and Canada in the quarter.
In November, evangelist and internet personality Joshua Feuerstein posted a video on Facebook protesting Starbucks' minimalistic red holiday cups. The outrage - and outrage at the outrage - quickly grew, with hundreds sharing their views on social media, and everyone from Donald Trump to Stephen Colbert adding their two cents.
Clearly, the so-called scandal didn't hurt Starbucks all that much.