Starbucks Closing All Stores for 3 Hours

All U.S. Starbucks Stores Closing for 3 Hours February 26th from 5:30pm Local Time

Facing up to the reality that point-and-click machines may have resulted in a less-well-trained barista workforce, Starbucks has announced that it will be closing ALL stores in the U.S. for three hours on February 26th from 5:30pm local time to allow for three hours of refresher-training for staff. The stores will reopen at 8:30pm.

The removal of the Starbucks' caffeine fix from loyal customers is necessary to stave off increasing competition, even from McDonald's which is preparing to launch its own specialty coffee shops under the brand name of "McCafe". Starbucks' CEO Howard Schultz, in announcing the surprising all-store closing stated that the refresher for all 135,000 U.S. employees is a push to "renew its focus on the customer".

My recommendation for Starbucks is to throw away all the dial-up point-and-click espresso machines and retrain all staff what it really takes to make a good espresso shot. Of course you know how to do that already by havning studied the extensive online-training in making espresso coffee drinks that I have provided here at EspressoCoffeeSnobs.com.