(GeekWire File Photo) Starbucks continues to see a steady increase in the number of customers using its mobile app to buy coffee and other items.
The Seattle company said 31% of total transactions at U.S. company-operated stores were made via the app, as of Dec. 31. That’s a new record, and up from 27% in the year-ago quarter, and 25% two years ago.
Starbucks debuted its mobile order-ahead feature a decade ago. The company is now among the leading mobile payment providers in the U.S.
On the company’s earnings call this week, CEO Laxman Narasimhan said Starbucks is working to improve the accuracy of wait times on the app and focused on helping customers personalize orders, noting product search capabilities geared to dietary needs.
Narasimhan, who became CEO last year, also said more than 40% of the company’s nearly 7,000 U.S.-licensed stores now have mobile ordering capabilities.
Bloomberg reported in November that Starbucks was rolling out a new change on its in-store iPads this month that lets baristas pause mobile orders during busy times.
The company recently added a new feature that lets customers select their personal cup when ordering with the app.
Narasimhan said Starbucks is piloting a new partnership with delivery giant Gopuff, using Starbucks-trained baristas inside Gopuff fulfilment centers for delivery orders between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Other tech-related initiatives at Starbucks includes an ongoing partnership with Microsoft to boost generative AI and personalization capabilities, and with Amazon on cashierless checkout. It has also opened pickup-only stores designed for customers who order ahead with the app.
Starbucks continues to grow its loyalty program, with 34.3 million active members in the U.S., up from 30.4 million a year ago. Starbucks Rewards members accounted for nearly 60% of sales at company-operated U.S. stores in the most recent quarter.
Starbucks reported revenue of $9.4 billion in its most recent quarter, up 8%. Shares are down more than 10% in the past 12 months.
