Starbucks Opens First Drive-Thru Only Store in Puerto Rico

• Starbucks Dorado Express is the company’s first drive-thru only format in the Caribbean and the second store to open in Dorado.

San Juan, PUERTO RICO - Today, Baristas del Caribe, LLC, the operating licensee of Starbucks in Puerto Rico, announced the opening of its first drive-thru only Starbucks store in the market. At 660 square feet, the Starbucks Dorado Express is located near the José de Diego Highway (PR-22) exit on PR-693 Road in Dorado’s Maguayo neighborhood.

“This new store has been designed to provide a unique, convenient, safe and relaxed experience for our customers through the exclusive operation of a drive-thru service. We aim to balance speed and quality while remaining committed to elevating the Starbucks Experience for customers who are on-the-go through this area,” said Idis Ortiz-López, General Manager of Starbucks Puerto Rico.

The drive-thru only format, as its name implies, has been designed to serve our customers primarily through the drive-thru window, with most customer connections through this channel. A walk-up window is also available for customers that choose to park their car, walk-up, and order to go, or utilize our Starbucks Rewards Program.

With the introduction of this new store format, Starbucks is evolving the customer experience to meet Puerto Rican customers' needs of convenience, connection and personalization while creating new and meaningful experiences for them.

Starbucks opened its first Puerto Rico store in San Juan in 2002.  This new location marks the 29^th store in the market, with approximately 500 partners (employees) proudly wearing the green apron nationwide.

The Starbucks Dorado Express store is the eighth store in Puerto Rico that offers the Nitro method, an innovative process that infuses strained "cold brew" – coffee that is slow-steeped for approximately 20 hours – with nitrogen as it flows from the tap. The result is a velvety-smooth coffee with a subtly sweet flavor and a rich, creamy head of foam.

Starbucks welcomes its customers at the new store between 6:00 am to 10:00 pm daily.

About Starbucks

Since 1971, Starbucks has been committed to sourcing ethical suppliers and roasting the best quality arabica coffee. Today, with stores all over the world, the company is the leading specialty coffee roaster and retailer. Through an unwavering commitment to excellence and values, it seeks to bring the unmatched Starbucks experience into the lives of all its customers in every cup.

To learn more about Starbucks in Puerto Rico, visit www.starbuckspr.com.