CHINA — Starbucks has shut down half of its stores in China amid the coronavirus outbreak in order to protect its staff and support government containment efforts.
NPR reports that the coffee behemoth has temporarily shut more than 2,000 outlets as the number of infected have skyrocketed throughout the country.
According to the BBC, Starbucks warned that the latest epidemic could affect its financial performance. Which is all anyone really cares about, right?
The Beebs reports that the coffee chain has almost 4,300 stores in China, making it the company's biggest market outside the U.S.
Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said the company was "navigating a very dynamic situation."
As the Wuhan coronavirus threatens to spiral out of control, Chinese authorities have tried all types of measures including the locking down of a bunch of cities with tens of millions of people.
According to Business Insider, other fast food chains such as McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut have also been shutting down stores in response to the virus.
