Starbucks’ remote ordering services surge amid coronavirus outbreak

Starbucks Korea’s remote services have spiked as customers try to minimize direct contact and staying time inside its cafes.

The company said Thursday its on-the-go ordering service Siren Order, available on its app, surpassed 8 million orders in the January-February period, a 25 percent increase on year.

Meanwhile, the coffee chain saw a 32 percent jump in drive thru users in the same period, 40 percent of them using My DT Pass service on the app. The automatic charging service allows drivers to skip the process of making a payment in the lane.

“Due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, a wider spectrum of customers are expected as the services allow them to pick up their orders without having to stay inside,” Starbucks official said.

By Kim Byung-wook (kbw@heraldcorp.com)