When Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol walks into a Starbucks store, he’s there for more than just coffee, egg bites, or a chocolate croissant. He chats up the company’s employees to take a measured business temperature.
According to Niccol, the baristas he speaks with have a vested interest in the company’s success. In a conversation with investors at the Starbucks 2026 investors day meeting, Niccol said many employees he encounters tend to ask him about the company’s stock. “When I walk into stores, they will ask me, ‘What do you think is going on with the stock price?’” Niccol said. “I love it because, you know, that means they care.”
