Starbucks has partnered with Postmates to deliver food and beverages to customers in Seattle, Wash.
Starbucks brought its first Starbucks Green Apron Delivery to the Empire State Building in October, a service designed specifically for a dense urban environment and one of the most requested by Starbucks customers.
But customers aren’t just in office buildings – they’re at soccer games with their kids, at home with family, or gathering at the park with friends. In many of these cases, they also want the ease of getting Starbucks delivered where they want it, when they want it.
To bring this delivery experience to life, Starbucks is collaborating with leading on-demand delivery service Postmates for a pilot program, where customers can have Starbucks food or beverages delivered to them within designated areas in Seattle. Starbucks Delivery by Postmates, the latest addition to the company’s digital offerings, is an extension of the Starbucks Mobile Order & Pay feature, a popular aspect of Starbucks app.
“Our customers are highly engaged with Mobile Order & Pay, placing five million transactions a month, so delivery becomes a natural extension that provides another easy and convenient way to meet them where they are in their day,” said Adam Brotman, Starbucks chief digital officer.
Customers in the Seattle test area can now choose “Delivery” when placing their orders on the Starbucks iOS app. Unlike other food delivery services, having delivery built into Starbucks® Mobile App means customers have the customization options they enjoy at a Starbucks® store and can earn coveted stars, exclusive offers and perks through My Starbucks Rewards® loyalty program.
“At Postmates, we take great pride in being able to provide this convenience for Starbucks customers,” said Bastian Lehmann, Postmates Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer. “Local, on-demand delivery is the future of commerce and we’re excited to work with the incredible team at Starbucks to make this service available."
The Starbucks Delivery by Postmates pilot will start in downtown Seattle, South Lake Union, Capitol Hill, Madison Park and the Sodo area.
- Using the Starbucks iOS app, customers can choose “Order" then select “Delivery” and enter a delivery address.
- The customer builds a food and beverage order that is customizable with the same range of options available in Starbucks® stores.
- Once the order is complete it is transmitted to Postmates system whereby a Postmates courier is dispatched to the closest Starbucks® store. The Starbucks and Postmates systems select the closest location to the delivery address to ensuring customers receive the highest quality product.
- Customers can track the progress of the delivery by watching their Postmates courier travel in real-time on a map.
Just as with Starbucks® Mobile Order & Pay, Postmates couriers will be able to skip the line to pick up delivery orders. Initially, customers will be given a 60 minute window for delivery but most orders will arrive in less than 30 minutes.
