Starbucks' app is down on the first day of the chain's holiday menu

Core Insights - Starbucks' mobile app experienced outages on the first day of its holiday menu launch, preventing customers from placing orders [2][4][5] - The app has been a significant growth driver for Starbucks, but it has also created operational challenges for employees due to the volume of mobile orders [3][5][6] - The company acknowledged the outage and stated that it was a temporary issue affecting the order ahead and pay feature, while still serving customers in stores and drive-thrus [4][5] Group 1 - The outage occurred during a peak time for coffee orders, with reports of issues starting around 8 a.m. ET [3] - Customers reported being directed to place orders in-store instead of through the app [3][4] - The holiday menu includes new offerings such as a gingerbread-flavored chai and themed merchandise [4] Group 2 - Starbucks has seen a growth in mobile orders over recent years, but employees have expressed feeling overwhelmed by the volume, especially with customized drinks [5] - The new CEO, Brian Niccol, mentioned plans to implement "guardrails" on mobile orders to simplify the process for baristas [6]