• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?

2

A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'

3

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'

1

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?

2

A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'

3

The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
RetailStarbucks

Starbucks is quieting its buzzy coffee shops with sound-absorbing materials to help cut down on wrong orders

Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
By
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
By
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
Reporter
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 10, 2024, 4:44 PM ET
Starbucks is adding sound-absorbing features to its new and renovated stores.
Starbucks is adding sound-absorbing features to its new and renovated stores. Putu Sayoga—Bloomberg/Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Starbucks’ lively coffee shops could soon get a little more low-key thanks to a few store adjustments that could help the chain save when it comes to order mix-ups.

Recommended Video

The Seattle-based coffee chain will enhance its new and renovated stores with ceiling baffles, which absorb sound and cut down on reverberations, as part of a framework to make its stores more accessible for people with disabilities. Other design changes include power-operated doors, lower counters, and a board for customers to see when their order is ready, a Starbucks spokesperson told Fortune.

The company predicts that, in particular, the baffles, which hang from the ceiling and can be installed with relative ease, will help baristas to better hear customer orders along with making its coffee shops more welcoming for those with hearing loss. The new accessibility framework was first announced in February and has already been implemented in a store in Washington D.C.’s Union Market neighborhood. 

The changes to reduce background noise could also cut down on barista mistakes, especially for those taking drive-thru orders in a noisy café. Cutting down on barista errors could be a boon for Starbucks, especially as it plans to invest big in drive-thrus over the coming years, said Sara Trilling, president of Starbucks North America, in an interview with Bloomberg. 

“Imagine you’ve got all that background noise happening, and then you’ve got a window open in front of you, and you’re trying to communicate with a customer,” she said, adding that improved acoustics “will translate to order accuracy and just a better customer experience overall.”

As of October, Starbucks had already reported a combined $68 million in costs related to increasing efficiency and bettering the customer and employee experience over its past two fiscal years in line with a major reinvention plan. The company recorded an 11.9% increase in net revenue between its fiscal 2023 ended in October and the year prior for both its company operated and licensed stores, according to its most recent 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

In part because of the complexity of its menu (possibly along with the noise) Starbucks employees are known to make errors—so much so that the phenomena has spawned a multitude of online memes. Some articles by former baristas even speculate on the telltale signs of an impending wrong order. 

@its_demonica_honey

When Starbucks gets your order wrong! #starbucks #coffeetiktok #softhumour #ididntorderthis #funny

♬ original sound – Angelica Bryant

The memes may be funny, but mistakes by baristas, along with the pickiness of Starbucks customers, have sometimes led to customer conflicts with employees. 

Starbucks new accessible design framework for its stores comes as it works to add 650 stores during its current fiscal year ending in October, with 20,000 to come in the long term. About 80% of stores opening this fiscal year will have a drive-thru, according to the company. The chain also wants to renovate 1,000 stores per year. 

Along with the ceiling baffles, the company is adding new systems in select stores to increase productivity. Still, while it has ambitious future growth plans, Starbucks is facing unionization efforts at hundreds of its locations. As of last summer, it was facing nearly 100 complaints from the National Labor Relations Board for alleged labor law violations, according to Bloomberg Law.

Earlier this year, the company agreed to work with one of its main unions to try to reach a collective bargaining agreement. 

The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.
About the Author
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezReporter
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Role: Reporter
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez is a reporter for Fortune covering general business news.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Retail

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Retail

Photo of former CEO David Wenig
LaweBay
eBay will pay nearly $50 million after employees reportedly sent a Massachusetts couple a bloody pig mask, cockroaches and death threats
By The Associated Press and Leah WillinghamJuly 28, 2026
3 hours ago
erling
Arts & EntertainmentJD Sports Fashion
The Erling Haaland boom: Norway’s ‘pop-up economy’ during the World Cup revealed in Visa data
By Catherina GioinoJuly 28, 2026
7 hours ago
arnault
C-SuiteLVMH
Bernard Arnault is denying a family rift—and any kind of real-life Succession. LVMH earnings tell a stranger story
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 28, 2026
10 hours ago
kfc
RetailAuction
‘He did wear clip-ons’: KFC founder Colonel Sanders’ pressure cooker, bow ties, former home up for auction
By Dylan Lovan and The Associated PressJuly 28, 2026
13 hours ago
No. 1 on the Fortune Global 500: Amazon’s Jeff Bezos on how his garage startup became the largest company in the world by revenue
MagazineAmazon
No. 1 on the Fortune Global 500: Amazon’s Jeff Bezos on how his garage startup became the largest company in the world by revenue
By Kristin StollerJuly 28, 2026
16 hours ago
magic
RetailMillennials
What Magic: The Gathering’s record year reveals about America’s stalled adulthood economy
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?
C-Suite
Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago
A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'
Success
A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'
By Sydney LakeJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Real Estate
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 25, 2026
4 days ago
LeBron James took a pay cut to maybe live in New York and commute to Philly by chopper, risking double taxation as NYC also tries to ban helicopters
Real Estate
LeBron James took a pay cut to maybe live in New York and commute to Philly by chopper, risking double taxation as NYC also tries to ban helicopters
By Catherina GioinoJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 28, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 28, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 28, 2026
13 hours ago
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
Retail
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
By Sarah GlodekJuly 27, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.