Niccol has named fiscal 2027 a “major tech modernization year,” describing a future where Starbucks explores recognizing participating customers as they arrive, presents personalized digital menus, and makes payment more effortless.
What Starbucks Has Committed To The clearest near-term plan is an AI-assisted drive-thru test aimed at helping baristas enter orders more accurately.
Roughly half of all Starbucks customers use the drive-thru, according to Niccol, making it a significant target for modernization.
The recognition and personalized-menu concept is far less defined than the drive-thru AI test.
The 2027 overhaul could deliver genuine value if Starbucks publishes a clear consent framework before testing begins, not after the pilot has already scaled.