Starbucks is to reopen around 150 stores across the UK from Thursday.
The global coffee chain said it will open around 15% of its UK stores in the first phase of its reopening plans, which are predominantly focused on drive-thru stores.
It said it will also reopen a ‘handful of takeaway-only stores’ as it continues with preparations to allow all of its UK stores to be reopened.
Starbucks said it will open around 15% of its UK stores as takeaways and drive-thrus in the first phase of its reopening plan. Pictured, Starbucks employees working on the drive-thru in California, as the global coffee chain have already opened some US sites
Starbucks closed all of its UK sites in March after the Government-mandated lockdown was introduced.
The company said it has been ‘learning, testing and refining our operational standards every day’ behind closed doors.
It said the reopening plan – which will start with stores broadly spread across the UK – will focus on ensuring the health and wellbeing of its employees and customers.
It said it has ‘taken learnings’ from changes to its operations in China – where 90% of sites are now open – and the US in consideration of its UK sites.
Starbucks announced the news on Twitter. Their new safety measures include regular hand-washing, 2m social distancing, screens at payment areas and only using contactless payment
Starbucks said the reopened stores will offer Starbucks’ core range of drinks and a limited food range
New safety measures at UK sites will include regular hand-washing for at least 20 seconds, two metre social distancing, screens at payment areas and the use of contactless payment only.
Customers can use Starbucks’ store locator tool to find out if a chain near them has reopened.
The reopening menu will include Starbucks’ core range of drinks and a limited food range, it said.
Employees have been paid during the closure and the chain said it ‘will not be accepting any opt-in government support’ during the coronavirus crisis.
The reopening comes after fast food retailers, such as Burger King and KFC, have reopened drive-thru sites.
Meanwhile, some cafe chain rivals such as Pret a Manger have reopened UK sites for takeaway customers.
Starbucks has already reopened some of its sites in other regions, including the US and China.
How to make a Starbucks Frappucino and Iced Coffee at home
Cold foam cappuccino
Starbucks have reavealed how to make their cold foam cappuccino at home
INGREDIENTS
- 250ml of skimmed milk
- Your favourite coffee (Two shots of espresso or quarter cup of water with one teaspoon of instant coffee)
- Ice
METHOD
- Pour two shots of Espresso over ice
- Using a cafetiere, froth milk until its silky smooth
- Pour milk over ice in a glass
- Pour espresso over the top
Classic Iced Cappuccino
Starbucks also revealed their iced lattes are simply coffee and milk over ice
INGREDIENTS
- Milk (optional)
- Ice
- Sugar (optional)
- Coffee
METHOD
1. Prepare your favourite coffee as desired
2. Pour over coffee
Chocolate Frappucino
Starbucks also shared the very simple three-step method to making their frappes at home
INGREDIENTS
- One cup of milk
- Two teaspoons of cocoa powder
- One teaspoon of sugar
- Two cups of ice
- Whipped cream
METHOD
- In a blender, add milk, cocoa powder and sugar, and ice
- Blend until smooth
- Pour into a glass and add whipped cream for the perfect topping
Which other food and drink chains are already reopening in the UK?
TGI Fridays
TGI Fridays is launching Click & Collect as part of a controlled trial across 24 of its UK restaurants. Click & Collect launched Wednesday May 8.
Home Delivery will also be restored at the 24 locations with the company’s partners Just Eat and Deliveroo.
The new ordering system will allow customers to order their food and pay for it online then collect it from outside their nearest TGI Fridays restaurant, where social distancing measures will be in place.
The menu will consist of 22 of the restaurant’s favourite dishes, covering appetisers, mains, desserts and kids’ options.
The 24 selected restaurants are: Ashton-under-Lyne, Basildon, Birmingham Hagley Road, Birstall Shopping Park – Leeds (J27), Cardiff (Newport Road), Cheadle, Cheltenham, Cheshire Oaks, Edinburgh Fort Kinnaird, Enfield, Gateshead, Glasgow Fort, High Wycombe, Lakeside (West Thurrock Street), Leeds (Wellington Street), Northampton, Prestwich, Reading (Caversham Road), Sale, Sheffield, Southampton (Harbour Parade), Stevenage, Teeside and Watford North.
Five Guys
Five Guys kept 13 restaurants open for delivery and click and collect orders at the outset.
It then reopened 16 stores at the end of April for business and a further 16 will reopen on May 5 bringing the total to 45 out of 104 restaurants that will be open.
Stores opening on May 5 are: Ashton, Clapham, Bournemouth, Bullring, Canary Wharf, Derby, Canterbury, Cardiff – Caroline, Chester, Dundee, Harrogate, Leicester Cheapside, Maidstone, Richmond, Sheffield Valley.
Costa
Some Costa Coffee branches have been open inside hospitals to serve NHS staff through the lockdown.
But the decision to run a total 33 stores across Britain indicates that Costa Coffee is one of many chains seeking to kick-start trading.
On Monday, photos showed motorists queuing for hours to get a drink at a Costa drive-thru in Edinburgh, sparking fears people are ignoring lockdown measures as more high street chains reopen.
Drivers were seen queuing for a coffee at Costa Drive Thru, Cameron Toll, Edinburgh on Monday morning
Nandos
Popular chicken chain Nandos shut its door on March 23 due to the pandemic.
Nandos has now opened six restaurants with four in London and two in Manchester – for delivery only.
The restaurants to reopen are: London (Clink St, Camberwell, Canary Jubilee, Gloucester Road) Manchester (Fallowfield, Printworks).
Burger King
Burger King today announced on April 28 that they were opening the first drive-thrus for customers to use again. The restaurants are open in Havant, Hampshire, Dundee, Aberdeen, Reading, Hillington (Norfolk), Southampton, Merto, (London) Springfield Quay (London).
Drivers were photographed in a line around the block in Havant when the drive-thru first opened and staff were seen wearing masks and gloves over their uniforms as they handed burgers and fries to customers in Hampshire.
Wagamama
The popular restaurant offering Japanese and Asian food reopened its kitchens to deliver food to customers’ homes from last Thursday in Peckham and Hackney.
KFC
Fast food giant KFC announced on April 29 the reopening of another 80 branches for delivery as Britain continues to edge out of lockdown.
The fried chicken chain said 100 of its stores up and down the country would be able to bring orders to customers’ homes from May 4.
On Tuesday KFC announced it was reopening dozens more drive-thru services. From today it will run the drive-thru lanes at 55 restaurants, that are already open for delivery.
A spokesman said: ‘We’ve been working hard to responsibly reopen our restaurants and now we’re spreading our wings a little further.’
KFC’s that are now open for delivery AND drive-thru: Linwood – Paisley Leisure Park, Aberdeen – Great North Road, Leicester – Narborough Road, Bristol – Shield Retail Park, Swansea – Morfa Shopping Park, Aldershot – Ash Road, Hulme – Greenheys Lane West, Portsmouth – Pompey Centre, Birmingham – New Oscott, Birmingham – Great Bridge Retail Park, Heaton Chapel – Monarch Leisure Park, Tamworth – Ventura Retail Park, Enfield – Coliseum Retail Park, Glasgow – Great Western Retail Park, Glasgow – Pollokshaws Road, Wolverhampton – Bentley Bridge Pleasure Park, Northampton – Nene Park Sixfields, Newcastle under Lyme – Liverpool Road, Swindon – Delta Park, Deptford – Evelyn Street, Eastbourne – Lottbridge Drove, Mansfield – Fulmar Close, Coventry – Tile Hill, Govan – Helen Street, Bury – Moorgate Retail Park, Romford – Colchester Road, Tyburn – Kingsbury Road, Norwich – Mile Cross Lane, Grimsby – Birchin Way, Oxley – Bushbury Lane, Bloxwich – Leamore Lane, Wythenshawe – Rowlands Way, East Kilbride – Kingsgate Retail Park, Slough – Farnham Road, Colindale – The Hyde, Alperton – Western Avenue, Rochdale – Kingsway Retail Park, Manchester Fort Shopping Park, Farnworth – Albert Road, Ipswich – Cardinal Park, Ashford – Eureka Leisure Park, Broadstairs – Westwood Retail Park, Dover – Honey Wood Retail Park, Wakefield – Westgate Retail Park, Glasgow – Nitshill Road, Northampton – Towcester Road, Sheffield – Queens Road, Leyton – Lea Bridge Road, Weymouth – Jubilee Close, Bristol – Avonmeads Retail Park, Oldbury – Wolverhampton Road, Wolverhampton – Penn Road Retail Park, Durham – City Retail Park, Scunthorpe – Lakeside Retail Park.
Pret a Manger
It reopened 71 more cafes for takeaway and delivery on Monday May 11 after a successful trial.
Currently 30 stores already reopened, a further 71 shops have followed, including cafes in Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester.
Customers adhere to social distancing as they queue to enter a recently re-opened Pret-A-Manger shop in London. The sandwich chain announced they are opening a further 71 outlets from Monday May 11
It will bring the total number of reopened shops to more than 100.
Each shop will be fitted with Perspex screens at the tills, while restrictions will be in place on the number of customers allowed in the stores.
Greggs
It has opened stores in Newcastle as part of its trial period, including one of the shops reopened at Kingston Park shopping centre.
Greggs previously halted plans to reopen 20 of its stores after fears of overcrowding.
Only a small number of stores have currently reopened as part of their gradual reopening process.
McDonald’s
Restaurants preparing to offer a delivery-only service from 11am on May 13 are mainly in London and the surrounding counties – with three in Luton and another three in Chelmsford.