Retail

Starbucks and Amazon open combined ‘Just Walk Out’ store in NYC

Photo courtesy of Starbucks.

November 19, 2021

Starbucks and Amazon have introduced the companies' first joint store, Starbucks Pickup with Amazon Go, located in New York City at 59th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues. The store, anticipated earlier this month, utilizes the order ahead feature in the Starbucks app and Amazon Go's Just Walk Out technology to create an easy checkout experience, alongside a modernized lounge that features individual workspaces and expanded tables with power outlets and USB ports, according to a press release.

The new store offers the full Starbucks menu and a curated assortment of food and beverages in the Amazon Go market, including fresh-prepared salads, sandwiches, bakery items and snack options.

"Our goal with this new store concept is to give our customers the ability to choose which experience is right for them as they go through their day, whether it is utilizing the Starbucks and Amazon apps to purchase food and beverages on the go or deciding to stay in the lounge for the traditional third place experience Starbucks is known for," Katie Young, senior vice president of global growth and development at Starbucks, said in the press release.

"We're excited to now share Amazon Go's Just Walk Out Shopping experience and curated assortment of fresh-prepared food items and beverages with even more customers at this Starbucks Pickup location in New York City, and can't wait to hear how customers like it," said Dilip Kumar, vice president of physical retail and technology at Amazon.

Starbucks Pickup stores primarily accept orders that are placed through the Starbucks app prior to the customer arriving at the store. Customers can place and pay for their order by selecting the Starbucks on "59th between Park & Lex w/ Amazon Go" as their desired location in the app. Once the customer arrives at the location, they can find the status of their order on a digital screen in the store and then pick up their order directly from a Starbucks barista.

To enter the Amazon Go market and the store's lounge seating, customers can use the "In-Store Code" in the Amazon Shopping app, Amazon One or a credit card, and then shop the Amazon Go market like any other Amazon Go store.

Once inside, anything customers take off the shelf is automatically added to their virtual cart. Anything they put back on the shelf comes out of their virtual cart. When a customer is done shopping, they can either sit in the lounge area to enjoy their Starbucks beverage and food item selected from the Amazon Go market or be on their way. After the customer leaves the Amazon Go market, their card will be charged and they can access their receipt within a few hours, sometimes faster.

The selection includes fresh-prepared salads, sandwiches, bakery items and snack options that are available for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some of Starbucks customer favorites include Sous Vide Egg Bites, Breakfast Sandwiches and Protein Boxes, and from Amazon Go, items like the Amazon Kitchen Turkey and Cheddar Sandwich and the Buffalo-Style Wrap. Selection in the Amazon Go market also includes items from local kitchens such as Proper Foods, Epicured, Genji Sushi and York Street in addition to local bakeries including Dominique Ansel, Magnolia Bakery and Ess-a-Bagel.

The companies plan to open to additional stores in 2022, with the next location planned for The New York Times Building located at 40th Street & 8th Avenue in New York City next year.