For me, part of the charm of a good coffee house is the languorous pace. Those in a blood-pounding hurry aren't willing to wait while a frothy delight is put together.
Apparently, the staff at Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) has been a little too laid back, so the company is conducting time studies and training them to make every motion count. The stated goal is to free them up to engage the customer more, but I don't doubt that operating with fewer employees is also a consideration.
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