Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) and the Workers United union have agreed to bring in an outside mediator to advance contract negotiations. The coffee chain operator and Workers United noted in a joint statement that they have made progress over the last nine months of bargaining,

Starbucks customers should brace for another drastic change. However, shortly after the company revealed its latest sales performance, its CEO doubled down on another major change

Starbucks and its union representing more than 10,000 baristas have agreed to bring in an outside mediator to help resume halted bargaining talks, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday.

They’ve been negotiating a template for collective bargaining agreements covering more than 500 cafes in the U.S.

Shares of coffee giant Starbucks ( SBUX 7.37%) popped on Wednesday after the company reported financial results for its fiscal first quarter of 2025 -- the first quarter of its hopeful turnaround. Global transactions fell 6% but Starbucks stock was counterintuitively up 7% as of 12:30 p.m. ET. Here's why.

Starbucks fans can now get free refills for some drinks — but not all. The coffee chain is also bringing back its self-serve milk and sweeteners bar.

These customers will be able to enjoy free refills on hot brewed or iced coffee, or hot or iced tea during their visit. Starbucks says folks must have their first beverage served in a ceramic mug, glass or personal cup — no disposable vessels — to receive free refills.

Starbucks is cutting nearly a third of its menu. During the coffee chain’s earnings call on Tuesday, Jan. 28, CEO Brian Niccol announced a “roughly 30% reduction in both beverages and food." However, the chain has yet to announce which items are getting cut.

Just like its cafes, Starbucks’ menu is set to undergo a major overhaul. Starbucks chairman and CEO Brian Niccol said in a virtual quarterly update message that the company is planning a roughly 30% reduction of the menu,

This means one in 10 new type 2 diabetes and one in 30 new cardiovascular cases were due to sugar-sweetened beverages, according to Laura Lara-Castor, PhD, a postdoctoral scholar and first author of the study who conducted the research while at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol outlined the plan on Starbucks’ earnings call this week, saying the company will make a “roughly 30% reduction” in both beverages and food. While Niccol didn’t name specific items, he has said the coffee chain’s menu has become “overly complex” resulting in long lines, reports CNN.