Starbucks Updates The Look of Its Accessible Stores

Paresh Jadhav

9 months ago

Starbucks is actively working to increase accessibility in their stores, having recently tested hearing impairment masks as well as a coffee brewer with larger buttons and visual and haptic feedback functionality.

This new store design utilizes an Inclusive Spaces Framework and opened on Feb 16 at Union Market in Washington D.C.

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Light Fixtures

Starbucks announced plans to upgrade physical store designs and add digital technologies such as live speech-to-text technology and a board that alerts customers when their order is ready, going beyond ADA guidelines and being implemented across every newly built or renovated Starbucks location in the US.

The inaugural of these stores will open its doors in Washington, D.C. The store features adjustable lighting to minimize daytime glare and shadow patterns that interfere with visual communication; an acoustic dampening system to minimize noise and reverberation; and a power-operated door button with vertical push to make activation from various angles easier; plus Aira – a free service connecting blind and low-vision people to on-demand visual interpreters who guide them through the Starbucks experience via smartphone – which currently operates in seven U.S cities plus at its first Signing Store near Gallaudet University

Open Floor Plan

Starbucks has long marketed itself as an accessible “third place,” providing a place where people can meet outside of home and office for coffee and social interaction. Starbucks ensures all locations are easily accessible.

On Monday, the chain unveiled their Inclusive Spaces Framework that includes physical and digital enhancements. Physical improvements include optimizing acoustics and lighting to promote effective communication as well as accessible equipment designs to provide better employee experiences.

The company is exploring digital enhancements such as live speech-to-text technology to streamline communications between baristas and customers with hearing or visual impairments, while offering free access to Aira – an app connecting blind and low vision people with trained visual interpreters who can describe their surroundings through smartphone apps – for their mobile apps. In addition, large print menus and Braille menus are provided at all U.S. stores while 11 “signing stores” offer sign language services specifically to the Deaf community.

Order Status Board

Starbucks’ new store design incorporates a custom order status board to display where orders are in their queue like an airline flight status board, giving customers visual cues that their drinks are ready. They are also piloting live speech-to-text technology which streamlines communication between baristas and customers with hearing or visual impairments.

Other changes include an improved point-of-sale system with adjustable angle stand and customizable layout options, voice assist capabilities and screen magnification features, voice assistant options, as well as screen magnification features and screen magnification options. They have also introduced the Clover Vertica brewer with larger dial and buttons protrusion for easier reach as well as visual and haptic confirmation when brewing is complete.

Starbucks Accessibility Office and Tryer Center teams conducted research and consulted with inclusive design experts, their Starbucks partners, the disability community and organizations such as World Institute on Disability to develop the Inclusive Spaces Framework which will be implemented at newly constructed and renovated company-operated stores beginning this year.

Community Table

Just blocks away from Gallaudet University of Deaf Studies, this new store serves as a model for all company-owned locations. The accessible design features rounded edges and textural gradients to soften harsh corners while increasing flow. A custom order status board displays customer orders as they go into queue (like flight information boards at airports) while providing visual cues when their drink is ready.

Other new amenities offered at Starbucks stores include hands-free payment systems and the Clover Vertica Brewer with protruding dials and buttons that make for easier reach as well as visual and haptic feedback, cold cups with high contrast lines for measuring, as well as speech-to-text technology that alerts customers when their orders are ready. The company plans on testing speech-to-text technology as well as systems which will alert customers when their orders have arrived.

All this forms part of the company’s larger initiative to become a more “People Positive” business, including their commitment to opening 1,000 more community stores that will bring jobs and economic opportunity to underserved areas. Furthermore, they recently started offering free access to Aira’s mobile app which connects those with vision impairments to trained visual interpreters via live video chat.