Starbucks lays off hundreds at Seattle HQ

Starbucks' latest layoffs are affecting 252 employees split between the company's Seattle headquarters and remote positions, according to a state regulatory filing Monday.

The layoffs are part of cuts that Starbucks announced last week, and are focused in the company's support center at the Sodo headquarters, according to the filing. But many of the roles included remote workers who don't necessarily live in the Seattle area but are designated at the office.

Roles affected included administrative assistants, managers and more than a handful of vice presidents.

The Seattle-based coffee giant announced last week that it was laying off about 300 employees, all of them in support center roles, though did not say which cities would be most affected. As part of the cut, Starbucks said it was also consolidating regional support offices by closing those in Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta and Burbank, Calif. The employees remaining at those locations would be designated as remote.

Going forward, the company will have support offices in its Seattle headquarters, its New York office and in Nashville, Tenn., where the company recently leased most of a new six-story office building.

The latest cuts will begin on July 17 and run through Feb. 1.

Starbucks' latest layoffs follow steady waves of workforce reductions that began in early 2025, a few months after CEO Brian Niccol took over. Niccol, through his Back to Starbucks" turnaround strategy, has been on a mission to slash costs throughout the company. He's closed down stores, including the marquee Reserve Roastery and Seattle Roastery locations, and has culled corporate ranks in an effort to drive Starbucks back to steady profitable growth.

Since February 2025, Starbucks has cut more than 2,300 Washington-based employees between corporate and retail roles, according to state data.

"We are taking further action under the Back to Starbucks strategy, building on our strong business momentum and working to return the company to durable, profitable growth," a Starbucks spokesperson said Friday. "Leaders have taken a hard look at their respective functions to further sharpen focus, prioritize work, reduce complexity, and lower costs.

During the company's most recent earnings call, Starbucks reported $511 million in profit on $9.5 billion in sales, both figures showing year-over-year growth.

Starbucks' restructuring plans will cost $400 million, between employee severance packages and reassessment of its real estate portfolio, according to a regulatory filing.

Copyright 2026 Tribune Content Agency. All Rights Reserved.