The plan applies to the more than 11,000 company-owned stores in North America, rather than the roughly 18,000 combined company-owned and licensed stores, Starbucks said. Niccol says the model is a foundational element of his turnaround strategy for the company,

Leadership Experience 25 aims to set new customer service standards and reinforce the company's commitment to hospitality.

Leader Brian Niccol took over as CEO in September with a plan to return the chain to its coffeehouse roots, focusing on the in-store experience.