Ski-in/ski-out Starbucks brings takeaway coffee to the slopes

The new Starbucks in Squaw Valley, California, is the first to offer a drive-through style ski-in/ski-out service.

We’ve already seen California’s Mammoth Mountain create snowcats with built-in kitchens in order to get snacks and drinks to skiers on the move, and now we’re seeing a major brand setting out to make refreshments more accessible for those on the slopes as well. Starbucks has recently opened its first outlet to be located on the side of a mountain with a ski-in/ski-out service. Launched earlier this month, the coffee shop allows snow sports enthusiasts to enjoy a Starbucks beverage while skiing or snow boarding around Squaw Valley in California. It is the first Starbucks to operate a ski-in/ski-out policy, meaning skiers can pull up to a small drive-through style window on the side of the coffee shop, purchase a drink, and ski away, without having to take off their gear. The restaurant will be open from 9am to 4pm throughout the winter season, weather permitting. Although the coffee shop will inevitably face logistical challenges that branches in cities will not, the new Starbucks will surely reap the rewards from offering such a convenient service to skiers on the move. Those working in snow sports and restaurateurs everywhere, an idea to try out for yourself? Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann