Starbucks China Added a 14th-Month Pay Benefit for Full-Time Store Staff

This is an English adaptation of a FoodBud historical article originally published on November 12, 2021.

Starting in October 2021, Starbucks China said all of its full-time store retail partners would receive “14-month pay” for the first time.

The company announced on November 12, 2021 that eligible full-time store employees would receive an additional one month of salary as a bonus at the end of each fiscal year. The benefit adds one extra month on top of the existing 13-month pay structure.

The policy covered nearly 40,000 full-time partners, ranging from Star Baristas to district manager level.

Pay and Market Context

The article noted that, compared with other domestic coffee brands in China at the time, Starbucks’ base pay appeared lower, though employees could gain more training and experience.

Based on listings from recruitment platforms cited in the article:

• Starbucks barista roles showed monthly pay of RMB 3,000-4,000.
• Luckin Coffee barista trainee roles showed monthly pay of RMB 5,400.

Broader Benefits Upgrades

In addition to the 14th-month pay benefit, Starbucks China said it was continuing to increase investment in partner benefits. The upgrades included:

• Competitive annual performance-based salary adjustments.
• Improved early- and late-shift allowances.
• Higher housing-assistance subsidies in some cities.
• The “Partners Explore the World” program, encouraging employees to gain experience in different cities.