Starbucks store will close about 250 North American locations — roughly 1% of its more than 18,000 cafes — the company disclosed in a Sept. 22 Form 8-K tied to its “Back to Starbucks” turnaround.
In the regulatory filing, Starbucks said the closures target company-operated coffeehouses that “do not deliver the coffeehouse experience and financial performance expected of the brand,” and that most of the exits will be completed by the end of fiscal 2026.
Starbucks expects roughly $300 million in restructuring charges linked to the move, including about $200 million in cash costs primarily for lease exits and employee separation benefits, the filing states.
The company said the closures will be partially offset by higher net new openings internationally and updated its net new openings guidance for fiscal 2026 to about 440 global coffeehouses, down from a prior outlook of 600–650.
Mike Grams, Starbucks chief operating officer, wrote in an internal letter linked from the company site that locations were chosen after portfolio reviews where the company saw no path to “acceptable financial performance” or the desired customer experience, the CNBC report said.
Analysts and coverage note this is the second round of North American closures under current leadership as Starbucks reshapes store formats and reduces underperforming footprint while pursuing remodels and new openings elsewhere.
Retail and franchise observers may see parallels with recent local closures in other foodservice chains and with broader retail trends toward fewer, higher-performing locations.
Sources
- Starbucks Corporation (Form 8-K) — confirmed the Sept. 22, 2026 board action to close approximately 1% (about 250) of North America coffeehouses, the $300 million restructuring charge, and timing for completions.
- CNBC — reported the store-count figure, cited the internal letter by Mike Grams, and noted the revised guidance to about 440 net new openings for fiscal 2026.
- Forbes — provided reporting on company rationale and context for the round of closures.
