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☆ A man who's been to nearly 20,000 Starbucks locations describes how the chain could get its 'third-place' status back
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-16 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementOne Starbucks customer has been working on visiting every Starbucks store since 1997. Later this month, a man named Winter plans to set foot in his 20,000th Starbucks store. AdvertisementAt the time, new Starbucks stores were popping up around the US, and Winter said he visited stores around Dallas as they opened. He logs each store visit in a Microsoft Access Database and on his website. Related storiesNot all Starbucks stores that Winter visits are as welcoming as that Houston location where he played chess with friends back in 1995.

Persons: Winter, I'm, Brian Niccol, Howard Schultz, he's, He's, Niccol, baristas Organizations: Starbucks, Business, Microsoft, Niccol Locations: Houston, Plano , Texas, Italy, Arkansas , Oklahoma, West Texas, China, Dallas, Japan, South Africa

☆ McDonald's wants to make flatulent cows less of a problem for the environment
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-15 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Burgers at McDonald's could soon involve fewer greenhouse gas emissions thanks to a new cattle feed. Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest on the culture & business of sustainability — delivered weekly to your inbox. McDonald's is working with seed company Syngenta and Lopez Foods, one of McDonald's meat suppliers, to feed cattle Syngenta's Enogen corn, the companies said in a statement on Thursday. Related Video How McDonald's is using data and its loyalty program to make new promotions like the adult Happy MealThat easy digestibility could mean fewer greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming. McDonald's global sales were down during the company's third quarter as many consumers saved money by eating at home.

Persons: chow, Syngenta, Lopez, Enogen, McDonald's, It's, McDonald's Kendra Levine Organizations: Service, Mac, Lopez Foods, Environmental Protection Agency, Sustainability, McDonald's Locations: McDonald's

☆ Amazon targets smart glasses that could guide delivery drivers to where to drop off packages, report says
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-11 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Amazon is reportedly developing smart glasses that its delivery workers could use. Amazon has offered Echo Frames, its smart glasses for consumers with voice assistant Alexa integrated, since 2019. Sales of the latest version of Echo Frames totaled fewer than 10,000 over the past year, according to the report. Over the years, some Amazon delivery workers have said that Amazon has highly ambitious delivery targets and expects them to deliver more packages than they can during their shifts. AdvertisementAre you an Amazon delivery or retail worker?

Persons: —, Amazon's, Amelia, Alexa, Brian Olsavsky, they're Organizations: Amazon, Reuters, Service Locations: Amazon

☆ Some Uber and Lyft drivers are asking riders to avoid the apps and pay in cash
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-09 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Some Uber and Lyft drivers are striking deals with passengers for rides outside the apps. AdvertisementSome drivers for rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are offering passengers an alternative: Ditch the apps entirely, agree on a price, and pay them in cash or through an app like Venmo. But some rideshare drivers' pay is considerably lower than that — as little as $9 an hour, BI previously reported. AdvertisementRideshare drivers told BI that they often make less than half of what riders pay for the trip. One Uber driver in Massachusetts shared screenshots of a recent Uber trip that cost the rider about $156 — and paid the driver roughly $74 after Uber deducted its share plus taxes.

Persons: —, Uber, Michael Moya, Lyft, Moya Organizations: Service, Drivers, Business, Facebook, Uber Locations: Boston, Massachusetts

☆ The 4 most interesting things from Airbnb's earnings
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-08 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Airbnb reported earnings after the market closed on Thursday. AdvertisementAirbnb's third-quarter earnings report showed that the company keeps growing — and that 2025 will be the year it breaks into a new business. Here are the highlights from the earnings report:Airbnb's third-quarter revenue grew despite a slow startAirbnb's revenue for the quarter rose 10% to $3.73 billion. Bookings were slow early in the quarter but picked up later, CEO Brian Chesky said on Thursday's earnings call. "We'll remain focused on accelerating growth while preparing for Airbnb's next chapter, which will take us beyond accommodations," the press release read.

Persons: Airbnb, Brian Chesky, —, Chesky, Airbnb's, Axel Springer Organizations: Service, Reuters, Inc Locations: Airbnb

☆ Starbucks' app is down on the first day of the chain's holiday menu
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-07 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Starbucks' mobile app appeared to be down during the morning coffee rush on Thursday. AdvertisementSome Starbucks customers could not place orders through its mobile app on Thursday, the first day of the coffee chain's holiday menu. The message that some Starbucks app users saw on Thursday. Alex Bitter/BIDowndetector, a website that tracks website outages, showed a spike in user reports of problems with the Starbucks app around 8 a.m. Related Video Meet the Amazon warehouse workers paying the price for fast, free shippingThursday is the first day Starbucks' holiday offerings are on sale.

Persons: —, Alex Bitter, chai, Gould 🖤, rinks., rian Organizations: Starbucks, Service, Business Locations: Washington ,, New York City

☆ Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus has died at 95
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-05 | by ( Alex Bitter | Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Bernie Marcus, who co-founded The Home Depot with Arthur Blank, has died at the age of 95. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementBernard Marcus, the co-founder of Home Depot, has died at the age of 95. Along with Arthur Blank, Marcus opened the first two Home Depot stores in Atlanta in 1979. Here's how Marcus and Blank built Home Depot.

Persons: Bernie Marcus, Arthur Blank, Marcus, Blank, —, Bernard Marcus, Bernie, Here's Organizations: Service, Home, Home Depot Locations: Atlanta

☆ Watch the AI robots that Jeff Bezos just invested in fold laundry and put eggs in a carton
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-04 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Jeff Bezos just invested in an artificial intelligence startup creating digital brains for robots. Videos from the company show robots folding laundry, bussing tables, and assembling boxes. At Physical Intelligence (π) our mission is to bring general-purpose AI into the physical world. Physical Intelligence, a representative for Bezos, and the other VC firms reportedly in the funding round did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider. OpenAI and Microsoft have invested in humanoid robot startup Figure AI.

Persons: Jeff Bezos, — Organizations: Service, Physical Intelligence, Amazon, Lux Capital, The New York Times, Business

☆ Election Day stress is affecting some companies' sales
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-26 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Companies from United to Nestlé have talked about a sales slowdown due to the presidential election. AdvertisementOther companies have invoked the election but not provided details about the dynamics leading consumers to pull back. AdvertisementPeople under 34 were also more likely than older consumers to put off a major financial commitment until after the election, 84.51 found. AdvertisementMany companies are also forecasting that demand will return after either Trump or Harris wins the election. Polls show that the race between Trump and Harris is close to a toss-up just over a week ahead of Election Day.

Persons: Nestlé, —, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, Trump, Brian Olsavsky, Olsavsky, Anna Manz, Alex Trott, Trott, Gen, Ron Hill, Harris, George W, Bush, Hill Organizations: United, Service, Constellation Brands, Delta, Nestlé, Business, Research, Boomers, BI, Deutsche Bank, Harris, Modelo, Constellation, Kogod School of Business, Trump, White Locations: Modelo, Butler , Pennsylvania

☆ McDonald's supplier recalls onions and tells a burrito chain to stop using the ingredient
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-24 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

McDonald's supplier Taylor Farms recalled some yellow onions due to potential E. coli contamination. AdvertisementA major McDonald's supplier is reportedly recalling some of its yellow onions as the fast-food chain deals with a deadly E. coli outbreak. Taylor Farms did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. The letter, which was obtained by the Colorado Sun, told customers with certain batches of Taylor Farms onions to destroy them. McDonald's did not respond to a question from BI during the call about whether other restaurants relied on the same supplier for onions.

Persons: McDonald's, —, Taylor Organizations: Taylor Farms, Colorado Sun, Service, Bloomberg, Business, Food, US Foods, for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC Locations: Colorado, Arizona, McDonald's

☆ Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries arrested in sex-trafficking case
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-22 | by ( Alex Bitter | Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries has been arrested, a person familiar said. A lawyer for Jeffries told BI that the ex-CEO would respond to the allegations in court. AdvertisementFormer Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries has been arrested on charges related to sex trafficking, a source with knowledge of the situation told Business Insider. A third man who allegedly facilitated the trafficking was arrested in Wisconsin, the Journal said. Abercrombie & Fitch declined to comment to BI.

Persons: Mike Jeffries, Jeffries, —, Jefferies, Matthew Smith, Brian Bieber, Smith, Fitch Organizations: Abercrombie, Fitch, BI, Service, Business, Street Journal, Brooklyn US, BBC Locations: Florida, Wisconsin, Brooklyn

☆ McDonald's is the latest election battleground for Trump and Harris
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-21 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

It was the latest in a long tradition of presidential candidates invoking the fast-food chain. On Sunday, former President Trump reportedly served fries and handed them out at the drive-thru window of McDonald's in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, for about 15 minutes. Visitors to the drive-thru had to be screened by the Secret Service and didn't get to choose what Trump handed them, the Post reported. AdvertisementIn response, Harris' campaign has confirmed her early job at McDonald's — and questioned Trump's familiarity with the middle class. Candidates like Harris and business leaders like Jeff Bezos have often mentioned their work at McDonald's as a formative experience.

Persons: Donald Trump, McDonald's, —, Donald Trump's, Trump, Mitt Romney, Bill Clinton's, didn't, Kamala Harris, Harris, Ian Sams, Jeff Bezos, Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney's, Ryan, Derek Giacomantonio Organizations: Service, Washington Post . Visitors, Secret, Trump, Hobart, SEC Locations: Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Feasterville , Pennsylvania, McDonald's, America

☆ Fall has become its own shopping season
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-19 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Fall has become its own sales season for major retailers. AdvertisementFall has arrived in the US — and it's not just a season, but a shopping event. Products include Glazed Pumpkin Spice donut holes and sandwich cookies shaped like jack-o-lanterns, both sold under Target's Favorite Day brand. "We know consumers are eager for their apple and pumpkin spice favorites," Gomez said. However, sales of pumpkin spice products alone totaled about $802 million in the 12 months to July 2023, according to NielsenIQ.

Persons: —, it's, Ronald Hill, Hill, Rick Gomez, Gomez, Joe's, It's, Bill Boltz, Skelly, University's Hill Organizations: Service, National Retail Federation, Retailers, Kogod School of Business, Business, Products, Aldi Locations: Aldi

☆ Uber's potential bid for Expedia is the latest example of Dara Khosrowshahi's 'super app' vision
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-17 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The potential deal would take Uber closer to "super app" status, according to one analyst. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has said he wants to make Uber a one-stop app for transportation and delivery. AdvertisementUber's reported interest in travel booking website Expedia points to one way the ride-hailing app could get closer to CEO Dara Khosrowshahi's vision of an everything app. AdvertisementHowever, in a May interview with Skift, Khosrowshahi resisted describing Uber as a potential "super app," calling the term "loaded." Meantime, Uber might not need to buy Expedia in order to offer Expedia bookings, according to Gordon Haskett's Mollins.

Persons: Uber, Dara Khosrowshahi, —, Dara Khosrowshahi's, Gordon, Robert Mollins, Khosrowshahi, Elon Musk, Skift, Gordon Haskett's Mollins, Mollins Organizations: Financial Times, Service, Uber, Twitter Locations: China

☆ Netflix beat expectations yet again
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-17 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

New-subscriber numbers beat analysts' expectations at 5.07 million. The streaming service is trying to grow new sources of revenue, such as gaming and advertising. New subscribers to the streaming service totaled 5.07 million, the company said Thursday. Analysts surveyed by Bloomberg were expecting 4.5 million; Netflix gained 8.76 million paying viewers in the same period a year earlier. Going into Thursday's earnings report, analysts who follow Netflix said they expected the boost from the password-sharing crackdown to diminish in the future.

Persons: — Organizations: Netflix, Service, Bloomberg

☆ Companies are talking about how Election Day will impact them, from slowing beer sales to people flying less
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-16 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Earnings season is offering insight into how the US presidential election may impact big companies. So far, companies are commenting on how Election Day itself could sway their financial results. Delta expects a hit to revenue as fewer people travel around Election DayPeople will likely hold off on other kinds of spending around Election Day. Delta saw something similar happen after the 2016 election, Hauenstein said at the time. AdvertisementCompanies are issuing debt ahead of Election Day, according to CitigroupInvestment banking fees rose 44% during Citigroup's third quarter, CEO Jane Fraser said.

Persons: —, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, they're, William Newlands, Newlands, Glen Hauenstein, Hauenstein, Delta, Jane Fraser, Fraser, Goldman Sachs, Harris, Trump Organizations: Citigroup, Delta, Service, Constellation Brands, Corona, Modelo, Constellation, Air Lines, Citigroup Investment, Bank of America

☆ It's the first day for Nike's new CEO. He has a long road ahead.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-14 | by ( Alex Bitter | Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Nike veteran Elliott Hill started as the new CEO on Monday. Hill, a Nike veteran who retired in 2020, is tasked with getting the sneaker and apparel giant back on track. Related storiesThree decades with Nike — and now, a new chapterHill joined Nike in 1988 as an apparel sales representative intern, according to his LinkedIn profile. AdvertisementIndeed, Hill's long history at Nike is a contrast with his predecessor, John Donahoe, who joined the company as CEO in 2020. He will serve as president and CEO and hold a director position on Nike's board.

Persons: Elliott Hill, Hill, Nike, —, He'll, Louise Deglise, he's, Thomas Roulet, John Donahoe, Donahoe, Matthew Friend Organizations: Nike, Service, Air Force, Air, Favre, GlobalData, Bloomberg, Nike —, University of Cambridge's Judge Business School, eBay

☆ Starbucks store workers want their new CEO to take action on these 4 issues
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-12 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol has been in his new role for about a month. Employees at Starbucks stores say they're eager to see what changes he makes. Business Insider has spoken to 10 Starbucks store workers — whom the company calls "partners" — since the chain announced Niccol would become CEO. "It's no longer the third place," one Starbucks store manager in Florida previously told BI. Starbucks should hire more workers to shorten wait timesShifts at Starbucks stores are often short-staffed, multiple partners have told BI.

Persons: Brian Niccol, —, Niccol, Laxman Narasimhan, Howard Schultz, Kevin Johnson, I've, Narasimhan, there's Organizations: Employees, Service, Starbucks, SEC, Partners Locations: U.S, Florida, North America, North Carolina, South Dakota

☆ Chipotle's prices vary across the US. Here's how to see the difference.
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-10 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

One patron pulled pricing data and found some wide differences between Chipotle locations. It shows that the same meal can cost up to 40% more at some Chipotle locations than others. "Me and my friends loved going to Chipotle," Cohen said. It's common for prices to vary at US restaurants depending on the cost of living where they're situated. A five-minute drive away, another Chipotle location was charging $10.95 for the same order when Cohen pulled the data.

Persons: Chipotle, —, Adam Cohen, Cohen, — Cohen, Chicken Al Pastor, Adam Cohen Adam Cohen Cohen, chipotlecost.com, I've Organizations: Service, Binghamton University, East, Taco, Purdue University, West Lafayette Chipotle Locations: New York, —, West Lafayette , Indiana, The Bronx, New York City, West Lafayette, Brea , California, West Coasts, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Ohio, Oklahoma, taconomical.com, Taco Bell, Indiana, West, Chipotle

☆ PepsiCo is giving shoppers a break on chips after years of snackflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-08 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

PepsiCo is selling bigger packs of chips to win over inflation-weary shoppers. It's the latest sign that shoppers are getting some relief after years of rising food prices. PepsiCo is adding more chips in packs without raising prices, company executives said during an earnings call on Tuesday. PepsiCo is also adding two or three extra bags of chips to variety packs, which typically contain around a dozen small bags of chips, he said. Executives at PepsiCo, one of the world's largest snack and beverage makers, had indicated in July that relief from higher snack prices was on the way.

Persons: —, There's, Ramon Laguarta, Laguarta, Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Madeleine Dean, Mills, Warren, Dean, Kamala Harris Organizations: PepsiCo, Service, snackers, Frito, Lay Locations: America

☆ One of Walmart's big bets is paying off in its retail battle against Amazon, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-07 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Walmart's logistics business is pressuring Amazon's own, according to Wells Fargo analysts. But Amazon "is no longer the only scaled marketplace in North America," Wells Fargo analysts led by Ken Gawrelski wrote in a research note on Monday. They pointed to Walmart's announcement in August, for instance, that third-party sellers would be able to use Walmart's fulfillment network for orders placed outside of Walmart's website. The analysts cited the pressure from Walmart's fulfillment business as just one of the challenges facing Amazon's income. Amazon's stock slid more than 3% on Monday to about $180.50 after the Wells Fargo analysts published their note.

Persons: Amazon's, Wells, Wells Fargo, —, Ken Gawrelski, Gawrelski Organizations: Walmart, Service, Amazon, Wells, Amazon Web Services Locations: North America, Walmart's

☆ Amazon's Prime Big Deals might surprise you this October
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-06 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

It shows how Amazon is expanding holiday sales — and trying to get Prime members to buy more. AdvertisementMany of the deals that Amazon is advertising for its Prime Big Deal Days this month aren't your typical holiday gifts. To be sure, the company describes the sales event as "epic deals ahead of the holiday season" (note the "ahead" here). It added the fall version in 2022 (though Prime Day 2020 also took place in October that year due to delays from the pandemic). Walmart's Holiday Deals sale starts on October 8, the first day of Prime Day, and runs through October 13.

Persons: —, Luc Wathieu, Wathieu, Dyson, Barbie, Lowe's, Canaves Organizations: Deal, Walmart, Service, Apple, Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, Amazon, Business, Home Depot, July's Locations: Emarketer, Amazon

☆ There's a catch in OpenAI's $6.6 billion funding deal that no one is talking about
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-04 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

There's an important stipulation on OpenAI's historic $6.6 billion funding round. AdvertisementOpenAI's historically large $6.6 billion funding round is bringing in checks from some of the biggest technology and venture capital investors. If the ChatGPT-maker doesn't complete its transition to a for-profit company within two years, investors in the latest round could ask for their money back, multiple outlets have said. But "if there's disagreement within the entity, then it's much harder for the regulators to approve it," he said. AdvertisementStill, the legal experts said that though OpenAI's transition to a for-profit company is a complicated one, it's doable.

Persons: —, there's, doesn't, OpenAI, Jill Horwitz, Horwitz, Alexander Reid, Reid, doable, Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Musk, Altman Organizations: Service, University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, Internal, SEC, IRS, Employees Locations: OpenAI, Delaware, California

☆ Starbucks' new CEO wants people to hang out in stores, but some workers say his plan has a big problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-03 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Workers say they're struggling with mobile ordersEven former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said in a May LinkedIn post that current Starbucks leadership should "reinvent the mobile ordering and payment platform." "We believe a visit to Starbucks should be effortless and delightful, whether ordering through the Starbucks app or at our stores." Still, some workers — whom the company calls "partners" — have pointed to issues with the mobile ordering system in interviews with BI. Starbucks' rewards program is a big driver of all those digital orders, a partner at a Starbucks store in South Dakota told BI. "They deserve to have that moment where things are corrected and they're leaving happy, but we can't deliver on it always," the partner told BI.

Persons: Brian Niccol, —, Hottovy, Howard Schultz, Niccol Organizations: Starbucks, Business, Service, Workers, LinkedIn, BI Locations: North Carolina, South Dakota, Florida

OpenAI's $6.6 billion funding raise attracted some big names across the industry. The $6.6 billion round gave OpenAI a $157 billion post-money valuation and minted it into one of the most valuable startups in the world. MicrosoftMicrosoft invested a little under $1 billion into OpenAI's latest funding round, according to The Wall Street Journal report. FidelityFidelity also participated in OpenAI's latest funding round. AdvertisementAltimeter Capital ManagementAltimeter Capital Management also contributed to OpenAI's latest funding round, according to reports.

Persons: —, Sam Altman, OpenAI, Here's, Anderson Cooper, Josh Kushner, Instagram, Kushner, Altman, josh, SoftBank, Masayoshi Son, Son, Marco Bello, Wood, Morningstar, Bing, Jensen Huang, Sam Yeh, Elon Musk's, Brad Gerstner, Gerstner, Vinod Khosla, Vaughn Ridley, Khosla, MGX Organizations: Service, Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, Getty, Capital, Business, VC, Wall Street, Reuters, Vision Fund, Venture, ARK Invest, ARK Venture Fund, SpaceX, Microsoft Microsoft, Wall, Rival Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia Nvidia, Nvidia, Tiger Global Management, Fidelity Fidelity, Elon, Elon Musk's xAI, Fidelity, Capital Management, . Khosla, Getty Khosla Ventures, Sun Microsystems, United Arab, Bloomberg Locations: OpenAI, Silicon Valley, OpenAI ., Tokyo, Saudi, ARK, AFP, IPOs, America, United Arab Emirates

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