Starbucks' Second 'Pickup-Only' Store in the World is Opening in Downtown Toronto

Starbucks lovers rejoice: you'll soon have a new way to get your caffeine fix with the opening of the beloved coffee chain's first Canadian pickup-only store.

Designed for customers on-the-go, this is the first-of-its-kind store experience in Canada and the second in the world, following in the footsteps of New York City's Penn Plaza, which opened in November of 2019.

On Tuesday, February 4, the new store will open in Toronto's Commerce Court, encouraging coffee drinkers to make their orders through the Starbucks mobile app.

So here's how it works: Select your location as "Starbucks Pickup -- Commerce Court" and place your mobile order. Once you arrive at the location (more on the space below), you can track your drink on a digital status board. And when your beverage or menu item is up, you can pick it up directly from a Starbucks barista. Easy enough.

In addition to being fully dedicated to mobile orders, the new location is also unique in that it has a smaller store footprint and does not offer seating. However, it still offers the full beverage and food assortment found at local Starbucks cafés.

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“When it comes to convenience, it’s not just about speed. We’ve learned from our customers that convenience is also about the confidence and certainty of their experience,” explained Michael Conway, president of Starbucks Canada in a statement.

“That’s why this new store was built to be easily accessible while balancing handcrafted quality and the personal connection Starbucks customers have come to know and love.”

Rendering courtesy of Starbucks Canada

The coffee chain says the pickup experience is just one of the many ways it's modernizing and reimagining the customer experience in high-traffic urban areas. And, as customer behaviours evolve, Starbucks says it recognizes the importance of evolving its stores to provide experiences that reflect these needs.

So, if you're the type of person who doesn't like to interact with people before they get their caffeine fix, we highly recommend giving this new location a try.