Starbucks and Amazon open cashierless coffee shop
You can pick up your pumpkin spice latte and skedaddle at the New York City store.
Starbucks on Thursday opened a new store located between New York's Park and Lexington avenues -- and it features Amazon Go's "Just Walk Out Shopping" experience. Along with the ability to use the Starbucks app to order and pick up coffee and tea, Amazon Go lets you pick up snacks and go on your way without having to stop at a cashier.
This concept store combines Amazon and Starbucks products, so you can just stop for your Starbucks drink, or turn to the Amazon Shopping App to use an "In-Store Code" or Amazon One -- which allows you to use the palm of your hand as your identifier -- to enter the Amazon Go market and the store's seating lounge. Entering the Amazon Go market will be like entering any other Amazon Go store, allowing you to pick snacks off the shelf and automatically have them added to your virtual carts.
The Amazon Go market will include staples from both Starbucks and Amazon, like sandwiches, salads, bakery items, breakfast foods and sous vide egg bites.
This is the first of three stores that Starbucks plans to open with Amazon Go, with the next store planned to go live in 2022 in the New York Times building. The new method of shopping is the beginning of Starbucks' "trade area transformation strategy," looking to meet people's preference for convenience, quick pick up and contactless pay while still offering a lounge area where people can meet and work over a cup of Joe.
The Manhattan location's opening coincides with Starbucks' Red Cup Day, during which you can claim a free limited-edition reusable cup if you order a holiday or fall beverage at participating US stores.