There’s been a shakeup at everyone’s favorite readily available public bathroom (I’m told they also serve coffee).
After a year on the job, Laxman Narasimhan is stepping down from his position of Starbucks CEO. The change comes after a year in which Starbucks sales dropped 3% globally at stores that had been open for at least a year, including a 2% drop in all North American stores. High prices and changing market demands are cited as the primary reason for this, but the Starbucks powers that be just didn’t think Narasimhan was up to the task of righting the ship and getting profits back on track.
So, who’s the man for the job? What titan of industry did they bring in to make all right in the frappe and day-old breakfast sandwich world?
Who did Starbucks hire as their new CEO?
Why, that would be Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol.
Remember Brian Niccol? He’s the guy who insisted Chipotle’s serving sizes weren’t getting smaller yet more expensive despite the fact that they most definitely are. The one who suggested you 'give a look' to get more portions.
Starbucks poached Chipotle's CEO Brian Niccol, which means a new hack to get a lil extra coffee just dropped https://t.co/2Swxt50GL5
— Zack Guzmán (@zGuz) August 13, 2024
That’s the guy hired to right the good ship Starry Bucks. Oh good.
Social media reacts to the news
But the Internet has a long memory, so this news was not going to idly pass without some sort of (dark) roasting. And people, the portions of shade are anything but smallt.
Let’s take a look at some of the best social media jokes made about Niccol’s appointment.
How a cup of Starbucks coffee gonna look once former Chipotle CEO “optimizes” the brand pic.twitter.com/MdHyLIEbMN
— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) August 13, 2024
Starbucks orders after hiring Chipotle’s CEO pic.twitter.com/F62JCIh25E
— Dividend Hero (@HeroDividend) August 13, 2024
Starbucks drinks after hiring Chipotle’s CEO pic.twitter.com/nzXuoCgnDS
— Ramp Capital (@RampCapitalLLC) August 13, 2024
https://t.co/SHs1ZbttWQ pic.twitter.com/xBbl2JXN4U
— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) August 13, 2024
your drink at starbucks now that they hired the chipotle CEO pic.twitter.com/31kyWUQ8Qb
— alli (@sonofalli) August 13, 2024
Cream and sugar? That will be extra.
— Simon Holland (@simoncholland) August 13, 2024
-Starbucks now that they’ve hired the old Chipotle CEO.
I’m going to Starbucks
— David Teicher (@Aerocles) August 13, 2024
I’m going to Chipotle
I’m going to the combination Starbucks Chipotle pic.twitter.com/Rb3hFuaOJS
the CEO of Chipotle is now at Starbucks
— gaut (@0xgaut) August 13, 2024
Coming soon to a Starbucks near you pic.twitter.com/5to5mo6njw
Well done, all. Toast yourselves with a thimble of Guatemala Antigua!
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