The Illini Union Starbucks opened this semester with a modernized look after undergoing renovations over the summer to introduce a new layout, the ability to serve six types of coffee and mobile ordering.
The three Starbucks locations on campus — Union, Illini Union Bookstore and the Sidney Lu Mechanical Engineering Building — receive major updates every ten years and minor refreshes every five years, according to Clint Cissell, assistant director for food and beverage operations at the Union.
Cissell, who oversees the University’s licensing agreement with Starbucks, said renovations occurred at the Union location first because it was showing its age and was the only location on campus without mobile ordering.
“This semester has been very popular with students,” Cissell said. “Everybody’s getting a lot of caffeine to make it through the semester. I know (the beginning of the school year is) always a tough kickoff for students.”
The Illini Union Bookstore is up next for renovations in the summer of 2026, Cissell said. The Sidney Lu Building’s Starbucks opened in 2021.
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Mykaylah Kirby, sophomore in LAS, has worked at the Union Starbucks since Fall 2024. She said the renovations have opened up working space, so she is not running into people. Speed and quality of drink production have increased as a result.
“We used to write on cups before, so (mobile ordering) saves a lot of time and keeps us really organized with going exactly in order of who placed their order,” Kirby said.
Katie Crawford, a sophomore in LAS, said she goes to Starbucks between her classes to study and meet friends. While she has not used mobile ordering yet, some of her friends have.
“It’s kind of a convenience if they can place (their order) while they’re walking to (Starbucks), with the assumption that it’ll be done by the time they get there,” Crawford said.
In past years, customers sometimes would wait almost 20 minutes to order, Cissell said, but mobile ordering has sped up the wait. Since the changes, there has also been a 10% to 15% increase in traffic.
These changes have brought on some challenges, though. According to Kirby, during the times when there is a surge in mobile orders, people sometimes take the wrong drinks or food or steal others’ orders.
As the Union Starbucks employees adjust to their renovated space, Kirby said she wants customers to remember that employees are coming there from class as well.
“We’re students too,” Kirby said. “We just want to give you the best experience we can.”
