The little-known reason Starbucks has round tables & it’s really heartwarming for customers

STARBUCKS has a strong grip over its customers.

There’s something about the coffee joint that makes customers come back for more — and the reason is more psychological than you think.

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The layout of Starbucks is extremely beneficial to its business model[/caption]

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Round tables make people look less alone[/caption]

According to Karen Blumenthal, a Wall Street Journal veteran who wrote the book “Grande Expectations: A Year in the Life of Starbucks’ Stock,” the coffee chain’s use of round tables is purposeful.

Research has shown that round tables are a lot more “friendly” than square ones.

In her book, Blumenthal writes: “round tables are more welcoming than those with square edges, and people look less alone while seated at a round table.”

Although many people opt to drink their coffee and work solo, Starbucks’ tables make them at least feel less lonely.

Additionally, round tables create a more informal and democratic environment.

There is no head of the table or inherent social hierarchy, which is something Starbucks aims for.

The circular, tight-knit style encourages conversation between all of the table’s inhabitants, whereas the edges and spacing in a square table deters that fluidity and creates distance between people.

Besides promoting relationships and conversations, round tables also allow a greater capacity of customers within a restaurant, because you have more freedom with how you arrange and fit tables in the space.

And if you’ve ever tried to work for an extended period of time at one of Starbucks’ small round tables, you know how uncomfortable it gets after a certain amount of time.

That’s also part of the business model: round tables encourage customers to drink their coffee and get out, rather than linger.

This means a quicker turn-around of new customers entering the shop and purchasing coffee.

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Round tables are also less comfortable for extended periods of time than sturdy square ones[/caption]