A Starbucks employee wears a facial covering while working the drive-thru during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on April 07, 2020 in Dallas, Texas.
Ronald Martinez | Getty Images
Starbucks is preparing to reopen cafes as some U.S. states report that the number of new coronavirus cases has plateaued or even declined.
“As we have experienced in China, we are now transitioning to a new phase that can best be described as ‘monitor and adapt,'” CEO Kevin Johnson wrote in a letter to employees on Thursday.
The coffee chain closed most of its U.S. and Canadian cafe lobbies on March 21, limiting service to delivery and drive-thru only. More than 60% of its U.S. cafes have a drive-thru lane. Starbucks initially said the closures would be for two weeks but later extended the measures until May 3.
Johnson said Starbucks field leaders will use the local status of the health crisis, guidance from officials, community sentiment and operational readiness of the individual location to inform…
