Starbucks to cut over 200 corporate jobs as its turnaround plan advances

Starbucks has submitted a WARN Act filing that outlines the termination of more than 200 corporate positions as part of the turnaround initiative launched two years ago under CEO Brian Niccol. Approximately 120 of the separations involve staff from the support team that designs and develops coffeehouses, who refused to move from Seattle, Washington, to the new regional office in Nashville, Tennessee. An additional 104 roles are being removed under the organizational changes announced in May.

The first layoffs are scheduled for Oct. 19, 2026, with all terminations completed by Nov. 1, 2026. The company stresses that the reductions will not alter its coffee-house strategy, which continues to focus on the "third place" experience and store improvements. Starbucks is investing $100 million in a new Nashville corporate campus for about 2,000 employees while retaining its headquarters in Seattle. The layoffs finalize the restructuring effort that also saw store closures, a freeze on many hires, and the earlier elimination of 900 non-retail roles.