- Starbucks has opened its first store directly on a Shinkansen bullet train platform in Shin-Yokohama Station, Japan.
- Customers order via touchscreen terminals, with a limited menu of brewed coffees and quick-grab food items, and cashless payment is required.
- The store utilizes an automated system with lockers for drink delivery, and receipts include a QR code for potential refunds.

A: Hey! Did you hear about the new Starbucks?
B: No way! What’s new?
A: They opened one *inside* Shin-Yokohama Station, right on the Shinkansen platform!
B: Seriously?! That’s so Japan! How crazy!
A: Yeah! It’s on Platform 11, outbound. It’s called “JR Shin-Yokohama Station Shinkansen Outbound Platform No. 11 Store.”
B: Wow, that's a mouthful! Is it hard to get coffee there?
A: A little bit different, yeah. It's takeout only – no seats! You order on a touch panel outside the store.
B: A touch panel? Like a vending machine?
A: Exactly! And the menu is limited to brewed coffees - tall sizes only. Hot or iced, a few bean choices.
B: No lattes or frappuccinos? That's a bummer.
A: I know! They have some snacks too, like cookies and chips, but you can only order one of each.
B: Cashless only, right? No Starbucks cards?
A: Yep, only credit card, electronic money, or QR code. There's someone there to help if you get stuck, though.
B: How much does a coffee cost?
A: Around 437 yen, like US$2.81. They say the Sumatra coffee is really good. Chocolate cookies are a good pairing too!
B: How do they even serve the coffee?
A: They have a special machine that grinds the beans, puts the coffee in a locker, and a staff member hands it to you.
B: That’s so clever! What about the receipt?
A: It has a QR code! If there’s a problem with your order, you can get a refund online.
B: It sounds a little complicated, but kind of fun too! It must get crowded.
A: It can! So allow extra time. It's the first of its kind in Japan, right? A super cool, innovative experience!