Starbucks store revamp in works

Starbucks — ringing up record sales but struggling with low employee morale — plans to spend $450 million next year to make its North American stores more efficient and less complex.

The company also said it plans to open 2,000 net new stores in the U.S. by 2025, with an emphasis on meeting the growing demand for new types of service, including drive-thru, mobile ordering and delivery.

Customizable cold drinks — which now make up as much as 75% of Starbucks’ U.S. beverage orders — are also taxing employees in kitchens designed for simpler hot drinks. Starbucks debuted a new workstation that requires less movement and can cut 50 seconds off the process of making a blended iced mocha.