Starbucks Scores Top Customer Satisfaction Rating in American Customer Satisfaction Index

Business Wire, May 20, 2008

SEATTLE -- Starbucks (Nasdaq:SBUX) scored the top rating for customer satisfaction among the U.S. largest Limited Service Restaurant chains in the 2008 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) released today.

"I'm so proud of our dedicated partners (employees) who work hard every day to deliver the unique Starbucks Experience," said Howard Schultz, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Starbucks Coffee Company. "The top ACSI rating underscores the relentless focus we have on our customers and our brand promise to deliver on their expectations."

Starbucks is the only specialty coffee retailer in the ACSI Limited Service Restaurants industry and has consistently received top ratings; tying Wendy's last year (2007) and second only to Papa John's in 2006. A complete list of measured companies and scores may be viewed at www.theacsi.org.

Produced by the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, in partnership with the American Society for Quality (ASQ) and CFI Group, the American Customer Satisfaction Index is a national economic indicator of customer evaluations of the quality of products and services available to household consumers in the United States.

About Starbucks

Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with over 16,000 stores in 44 countries, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit us in our stores or online at www.starbucks.com.