Starbucks CEO needs 200,000 Sharpies to bring back an old tradition

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol is tracking down Sharpies for an old company tradition.

Transcript

00:00Starbucks is going back to its roots with the return of a classic tradition,

00:03and it requires 200,000 Sharpies. New CEO Brian Nickell is hunting down Sharpies so baristas can

00:09return to scrolling names and notes on coffee cups. The tradition dates back to 2012 when

00:13Starbucks said it wanted to be on a first-name basis with its customers, with baristas wearing

00:18name tags and visitors leaving with personalized cups. A return to the classic Starbucks has been

00:22at the heart of Nickell's campaign since taking over the CEO position in August. On top of this

00:27new initiative, Nickell also outlined a list of measures to streamline the business and make

00:32service more convenient for customers. The coffee chain is eliminating upcharges for

00:36non-dairy milk alternatives and scaling back its overly complex menu.