Starbucks Korea expands Fast Serve program, delivering 90% of orders within 3 minutes

Starbucks Korea said Friday it is stepping up its Fast Serve service.

The company has operated Fast Serve since April, offering quick order fulfillment during peak hours such as the morning commute and lunchtime. It is currently the only coffee brand in South Korea running such a service.

Fast Serve is now available at about 930 stores, roughly 40 percent of Starbucks Korea's total 2,185 locations. The company is expanding the service into shopping malls and other commercial districts as customer demand grows.

An internal review of Fast Serve locations found that about 90 percent of all orders are delivered to customers within three minutes of being placed. The top 50 fastest stores averaged just one minute and 30 seconds per order.

The Fast Serve lineup currently covers 12 beverage options, including brewed coffee and cold brew. The selection is updated and expanded based on customer demand.

Last month, Starbucks Korea added food items to the program. The food lineup includes seven products: Haru Han Cup RED+, Premium Banana, Hangyeran, Egg Club Sandwich, Cranberry Chicken Sandwich, B.L.T. Sandwich and Faye Non-Fat Greek Yogurt.

Ha Ik-seong, head of planning at Starbucks Korea, described Fast Serve as "a service that reflects Starbucks' sincere wish for customers not to miss the comfort of a cup of coffee, even on their busiest days."