--- title: "Starbucks serves up 1st barista reward payout, new Bean Stock grants" url: https://burnaze.com/article/54987e8f-e56e-40d8-93a3-b726ef62c0c6 source: "FastCasual" original_url: https://www.fastcasual.com/news/starbucks-serves-up-1st-barista-reward-payout-new-bean-stock-grants/ category: "Coffee & tea" industry: "Restaurants" segment: "Coffee & tea" published: 2026-11-12T11:00:00.000Z modified: 2026-11-12T12:01:10.258Z image: https://nmgprod.s3.amazonaws.com/media/file/e5/1b/234a97956653f35e8c6164f33407/cover_image__f5S19fA8__Starbucks_Logo_Hi-res-768x615.jpg --- # Starbucks serves up 1st barista reward payout, new Bean Stock grants **TL;DR:** Starbucks announced the first payout of its Best of Starbucks Reward program and a new round of Bean Stock grants for hourly partners. The payouts will reach nearly 80% of eligible North American hourly coffeehouse partners on Nov. 13. *originally published in FastCasual on 2026-11-12. [Read the original](https://www.fastcasual.com/news/starbucks-serves-up-1st-barista-reward-payout-new-bean-stock-grants/).* ## Story Starbucks is sharing the gains of its turnaround with hourly coffeehouse workers, rolling out the first payout from its new Best of Starbucks Reward this week alongside a fresh round of Bean Stock grants. The program, created in 1991, gives eligible employees the chance to own Starbucks stock. Nearly 80% of eligible North America hourly coffeehouse partners will receive a reward payout on Nov. 13. That comes two days after nearly 200,000 full- and part-time partners worldwide received new Bean Stock grants, according to a letter from Chief Partner Officer Sara Kelly and Chief Operating Officer Mike Grams. The payouts follow Starbucks' fifth consecutive quarter of comparable-store sales growth. More than 80% of North America company-operated coffeehouses posted positive comps in the fiscal fourth quarter, up from less than 50% a year earlier. The company expects North America company-operated comps to grow about 4% in fiscal 2027. "Back to Starbucks started as a turnaround plan, and now Back to Starbucks is our growth plan," Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol said on the company's fourth-quarter earnings call. ## 1st reward payout The reward program was announced this spring. Eligible baristas and shift supervisors can earn up to an additional $300 each quarter when their coffeehouse meets and exceeds certain sales, operational and customer service metrics. "Rewards are calculated from a consistent set of performance measures against coffeehouse sales targets, inventory management, staffing and attendance, and Grow performance, which is our coffeehouse reporting program," a Starbucks spokesperson told Fast Casual in an email. "We believe partners should be rewarded for the experiences they create and the results they help deliver," Kelly and Grams said in the letter. ## Digital tips more than double Starbucks expanded digital tipping in July. Since then, customers have given more than $22 million in additional tips to eligible partners through those channels, more than doubling customer tipping activity, according to the letter. Although the fast casual industry has faced recent backlash over tipping fatigue, the spokesperson told FastCasual that Starbucks customers have said they want more ways to recognize great service. "Tipping is always optional, and expanded digital options make it easier for customers who choose to tip," they said. ## Bean Stock turns 35 This November, 130,000 partners have grants vesting from prior years. Since 1991, more than 2 million partners have received over $2.75 billion in pre-tax gains through the program. Starbucks said it was the first major retailer to offer stock grants to eligible full- and part-time hourly partners. "For 35 years, Bean Stock has reflected a belief we've held since Starbucks had just 100 stores: the people who help build this company should have the opportunity to own a piece of it," Kelly and Grams said. ## Part of Back to Starbucks According to the letter, hourly partner turnover is nearly half the industry average, and more than 3 million people applied to join Starbucks in North America last year. "When partners thrive, Starbucks thrives," the duo shared in the letter. Starbucks ended fiscal 2026 with 41,607 coffeehouses globally, including 18,176 in North America. Its partner benefits include health coverage, 100% upfront tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor's degree, and up to 18 weeks of paid parental leave for eligible partners. ## Entities - Restaurants (sector) - Starbucks (company) - FastCasual (publication) - North America (location) - Brian Niccol (person) - turnaround plan (topic) - Mike Grams (person) - employee rewards (topic) - stock grants (topic) - digital tipping (topic) - barista payouts (topic) --- Originally reported by FastCasual (https://www.fastcasual.com/news/starbucks-serves-up-1st-barista-reward-payout-new-bean-stock-grants/). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/54987e8f-e56e-40d8-93a3-b726ef62c0c6).