Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol wants his cafes to resemble Central Perk from the TV show Friends.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal published Monday, Niccol spoke about his “Return to StarbucksThe plan is a year-long process of reshaping the brand after several quarters of declining sales amid a deteriorating customer experience.
He told Alan Murray, president of the WSJ Leadership Institute, that the title “Back to Starbucks” helped his baristas “visually understand” the cafe experience he was trying to achieve.
“Because everyone remembers the episode of Friends or that experience in the coffee shop where I said, 'Back to Starbucks,' it's kind of a throwback to the memory of what I would call the barista-customer connection that we're looking for,” Niccol said.
The Central Perk coffee shop from Friends was a key part of the set for the sitcom's 10 seasons. In almost every episode, the cafe was the characters' favorite place.
The cast was often filmed sitting on various Central Perk sofas and chairs, ordering coffee and pastries, and chatting with bumbling manager Gunther.
Niccol's comparison of Central Perk to Starbucks comes after he spent more than a year there Starbucks rebrandingfrom what customers and employees called a soulless conglomerate chain to a warm and welcoming third place. He took over the top job in September 2024.
He simplified the menu, increased the number of seating and tables in the café, offered free coffee and tea refills, brought back the condiment station and ceramic mugs, and encouraged baristas to write little notes on coffee cups to interact with their customers.
However, its sales are yet to see a strong recovery. The company reported a 1% increase in its global comparable sales in the fourth quarter of this year compared to the same period last year. Its share price has fallen more than 6% since the start of the year.
