Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson, whose company saw the coronavirus hit China back in December, believes the U.S. is on a "very similar" track with COVID-19.

And he's more than a bit optimistic of what's to come in the U.S. given the brand's overseas experience with the pandemic.

"The recovery is unfolding in China and that is what gives us confidence that we know how to manage through this," Johnson saidon CNBC's Squawk on the Street program, acknowledging recovery from the infectious virus may take a bit longer for the U.S.

Starbucks intends to follow the model it created for the China recovery effort. The brand has temporarily shuttered its U.S. and Canada locations but is still providing service via delivery and drive-thru options.

It has reopened nearly 95% of its China stores after they were shuttered for 45 to 60 days.

"We've have been dealing with COVID-19 for nine weeks now in China and throughout that entire nine-week journey we have learned the playbook and the curve in terms of when you shut down what happens to consumer behavior and as you go through this what happens when you open stores," he said.

Please check herefor more news and insight on how COVID-19 is impacting the fast casual industry.

Copyright © 2020 Networld Media. All rights reserved., source Industry News