Target going national with curbside Starbucks service

Target shoppers across the country will soon be able to add a latte to their Drive Up curbside pickup orders.

The discount giant is rolling out an option to place Starbucks orders as part of its Drive Up curbside pickup offering chainwide. Initially piloted at select stores in fall 2022, the service enables customers to add Starbucks menu items to their Drive Up order and have them delivered to their car.

Target is beginning to launch its Starbucks curbside integration this summer and plans to have it available at all the 1,700-plus locations with in-store Starbucks cafés and Drive Up service by October 2023. Target is the first retailer to offer this service, which was a top request in an earlier customer survey it conducted, at this scale.

How it works

1. After a customer places a Drive Up order at a participating Target store and receives notification that it's ready to pick up, they will indicate they are on the way in the Target app.
2. The customer will then receive a prompt in the app to place a beverage or food order from the Starbucks menu. They make their Starbucks selection, click "Add for Drive Up" and pay for the order.
3. The shopper parks in the Drive Up parking area and taps "I'm here" in the Target app. A Target associate then delivers the Starbucks order, along with the customer’s Drive Up purchase, to their car for free.

Target worked with Starbucks in the development of the experience and will continue to fine-tune it. The Drive Up with Starbucks national rollout comes on the heels of another recent enhancement to Target’s Drive Up service; the ability to make a product return free of charge.

"Our customers have long told us Drive Up is a game-changer, adding convenience to their daily life, especially when they're short on time," said Mark Schindele, chief stores officer, Target. "We've continued listening to our customers, who've told us overwhelmingly that Drive Up with Starbucks would bring even more ease and joy to every Target run. This one-of-a-kind service — available only at Target — is the latest example of how we're innovating every day to meet the needs of our customers." 

"Starbucks has a long history of adapting and innovating how we serve our customers, meeting them where they are," said Mark Ring, senior VP, U.S. licensed stores, Starbucks Canada and Siren Retail. "Offering the Starbucks Experience to the Target Drive Up guest is a great example of two iconic brands creating a joyful moment in a way that Starbucks and Target are uniquely positioned to do together." 

Minneapolis-based Target Corp operates nearly 2,000 stores and the Target.com e-commerce site. Seattle-based Starbucks Coffee Company operates more than 36,000 stores worldwide.