Starbucks Turnaround Heats Up: Niccol Slashes Menu, Revamps Stores, and Chases Gen Alpha with MrBeast Collabs

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Starbucks is charging full steam ahead under CEO Brian Niccol with its Back to Starbucks turnaround, rolling back pandemic policies like open bathrooms for nonpaying customers, reinstating selfserve milk stations and barista cup doodles, and slashing 30 percent of its menu to boost efficiency, according to TheStreet and Nations Restaurant News. TheStreet reports the chain is renovating 1000 US stores with more seating and power outlets to revive the cozy thirdplace vibe, yielding early wins like the first positive comparable store sales in seven quarters at one percent global growth. Analysts at BTIG and Barchart see 2026 as pivotal, forecasting double digit stock gains from emerging market expansions in China India and Latin America plus international comps up three percent last year.

Kicking off the year flashy, Modern Retail says Starbucks dropped its 2026 winter menu with an iced Dubai chocolate mocha, plus partnerships like Khloe Kardashians highprotein Khloud popcorn and Ellenos Greek yogurt in stores, alongside a MrBeast Beast Games sponsorship on Prime Video featuring a themed Cannon Ball Drink for Gen Alpha appeal, per Intelligence Coffee. Merch collabs with Farm Rio Roller Rabbit and Hello Kitty aim to drive foot traffic and loyalty.

Drama hit when a Norwalk California Starbucks barista drew a pig on a LA County sheriffs deputies cup on January 9th, sparking outrage as pig imagery demeans cops, CBS News and Police1 report; Starbucks fired the employee or employees involved, apologized profusely to Sheriff Robert Luna and the deputy, insisting it was a misdelivered John Pork meme not meant for customers. Zacks notes strategic closures of underperforming stores like 107 net globally in Q4 2025 and 42 in NYC to sharpen unit economics amid a 1 billion restructuring.

Sumitomo Mitsui Trust upped its SBUX holdings per MarketBeat, while a classaction suit alleges misleading 100 percent ethical sourcing claims over decaf chemicals, KIRO7 reportsall unconfirmed beyond filing. A Bastrop Texas store closes temporarily for maintenance through late January, Community Impact adds. Buzz is building but Niccols pace draws some analyst sideeye for slowness.

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