We went to Starbucks' first investor day in 3 years, toured its new café model, and saw its comeback plan in actionNEWS | 02 February 2026Business Insider reporter Ashley Rodriguez previewed the model for Starbucks' new coffeehouses at its investor day.
Business Insider reporter Ashley Rodriguez previewed the model for Starbucks' new coffeehouses at its investor day. Ashley Rodriguez/Business Insider
Business Insider reporter Ashley Rodriguez previewed the model for Starbucks' new coffeehouses at its investor day. Ashley Rodriguez/Business Insider
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We were there Thursday morning when Starbucks' CEO, Brian Niccol, walked onstage at The Glasshouse in New York City, declared, "Our plan is working," and unveiled the next phase of his effort to engineer a comeback for the coffee giant.
Niccol, a turnaround champion known for his successful comeback campaign at Chipotle, received a round of applause from the investor audience while Panic! At the Disco's "High Hopes" played in the background.
The "Back to Starbucks" initiative, launched after Niccol took the helm in September 2024, has already brought changes to customer service, menu offerings, and café design. At investor day, two Business Insider reporters watched closely as executives made clear that the last 16 months were only the opening act and previewed what comes next.
The event — Starbucks' first since 2023 — followed a strong first-quarter earnings report that showed same-store sales in the US rising for the first time in eight quarters.
Here's what we saw.Author: Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert. Ashley Rodriguez. Source
