Dublin Airport Starbucks: Where To Find Your Coffee Fix

Dublin Airport previously had a Starbucks outlet in Terminal 1, but it was replaced by a Vista Coffee branch in January 2024. This change came amidst a boycott of Starbucks that began in October 2023, after the company sued a union that posted in support of Palestine on social media. While Dublin Airport has stated that Vista Coffee is a temporary brand, they have not confirmed whether Starbucks will return. Starbucks has also commented that the closure was due to their lease expiring and that customers can still visit their other locations near the airport.

Starbucks closed its Dublin Airport store in December 2023

The decision to close the Dublin Airport store was part of Starbucks' regular review of its portfolio. In a statement, a Starbucks spokesperson said that they "regularly review [their] portfolio to ensure [their] stores are in places that are relevant for [their] customers while also maintaining healthy business growth." They confirmed that the closure occurred when their lease expired at the end of December.

At the time, Dublin Airport assured customers that they would still be able to get their caffeine fix, stating that a new operator had taken over the unit. They also hinted at upcoming changes to the food and beverage offerings in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, promising exciting new brands.

The former Starbucks unit in Terminal 1 was temporarily replaced with a Vista Coffee outlet, which opened in January 2024. Dublin Airport referred to Vista Coffee as a "temporary brand," suggesting that another permanent brand would move into the unit in the future. Despite the change in branding, some customers speculated that Vista Coffee was a "front" for Starbucks, as the store continued to display Starbucks menus.

The closure of the Starbucks store at Dublin Airport came amidst a backdrop of controversy. There had been calls for a boycott of Starbucks since October 2023, when Starbucks sued a union organised by its workers after the union shared a social media post in support of Palestine. However, it is unclear if the closure of the Dublin Airport store was directly related to this controversy or simply a result of Starbucks' portfolio review.

The store closed due to the end of their contract and the lease expiring

Dublin Airport's Starbucks store closed down due to the end of their contract and the lease expiring. The Starbucks outlet, which was located in Terminal 1, shut its doors on December 31, 2023. This closure was confirmed by both a Dublin Airport spokesperson and a Starbucks representative.

The decision to close the store appears to be a result of the lease expiring and the contract coming to an end. In their statement, the Dublin Airport spokesperson mentioned that a new operator has taken over the unit, indicating that the lease was not renewed with Starbucks. The spokesperson also hinted at upcoming changes to the food and beverage offerings in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, suggesting that the closure of Starbucks is part of a larger overhaul.

In the meantime, the new operator has opened a temporary coffee outlet called Vista Coffee in the same unit. According to Dublin Airport, Vista Coffee is a "temporary brand," and the unit will eventually change to a different, permanent brand. Despite speculation in the comments section of Dublin Airport's post, Vista Coffee is not a front for Starbucks. Instead, the new operator has simply made a deal with Starbucks to use their fixtures, fittings, and products on a temporary basis.

The Starbucks spokesperson's statement also aligns with the idea that the closure was due to the end of the contract and lease. They mentioned reviewing their portfolio to ensure their stores are in relevant locations while maintaining healthy business growth. The statement confirmed that the closure of the Dublin Airport store was a result of the lease expiring and assured customers that they could still visit three other Starbucks locations within the airport.

While the Starbucks outlet at Dublin Airport may have closed, it appears that this decision was a result of the natural end of their contract and lease. The closure makes way for new food and beverage options as part of Dublin Airport's ongoing enhancements to their offerings. In the meantime, coffee lovers can still get their Starbucks fix at the three remaining locations within the airport.

The unit was replaced with a Vista Coffee outlet

Dublin Airport's Starbucks outlet in Terminal 1 closed at the end of December 2023 when their contract ended. The unit was replaced with a Vista Coffee outlet, which opened on 4 January 2024. Dublin Airport has stated that Vista Coffee is a "temporary brand" and that the unit will change to something else soon. The airport also mentioned that this change is part of a major overhaul of food and beverage offerings in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, with several units operating under generic brands temporarily.

The new Vista Coffee outlet is located airside in Terminal 1, just past The Loop, in the unit previously occupied by Starbucks. Despite the change, Starbucks menus were still on display at the Vista Coffee branch, leading to speculation that Vista is a "front" for Starbucks. However, a Starbucks spokesperson confirmed that the Dublin Airport outlet closed on 31 December 2023 when their lease expired. Customers can still enjoy Starbucks beverages at three other store locations within the airport.

The replacement of the Starbucks unit with Vista Coffee may be related to a boycott of Starbucks that has been ongoing since October 2023. The boycott was called for after Starbucks sued a union organised by its workers, following a social media post by the union in support of Palestine. As a result of the boycott and negative publicity, Starbucks stores experienced vandalism and protests. In an open letter published in December 2023, the CEO of Starbucks, Laxman Narasimhan, called for peace and cited "misrepresentation" of the company's views as a reason for the vandalism.

While the Vista Coffee outlet may be a temporary solution, Dublin Airport has assured passengers that exciting changes and fantastic new brands will be announced soon, promising an enhanced food and beverage experience for travellers in the coming months.

The Starbucks closure is part of a major overhaul of food and beverage options at the airport

Dublin Airport's Starbucks outlet in Terminal 1 closed at the end of December 2023, with a new operator taking over the unit. This is part of a major revamp of food and beverage options in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, which will take place over the coming months. The airport has stated that several units will operate on a temporary basis under generic brands while fit-out works are completed.

The former Starbucks unit is now occupied by Vista Coffee, which opened in January 2024. However, Dublin Airport has stated that Vista Coffee is just a "temporary brand" and that full details of the new permanent brand will be announced soon. Despite this, Starbucks menus are still on display at the unit, leading to speculation that Vista is a "front" for Starbucks.

The closure of Starbucks at Dublin Airport follows a boycott of the chain by some consumers in recent months, in conjunction with the conflict between Israel and Palestine. The boycott was sparked by Starbucks' decision to sue a union organised by its workers after the union shared a social media post in support of Palestine.

Dublin Airport's Terminals 1 and 2 offer a variety of food and beverage options, including well-known brands such as Burger King, McDonald's, and Butlers Chocolate Café. With the overhaul of food and beverage options, passengers can expect to see new and exciting brands and concepts introduced at the airport.

The closure may be related to a boycott of the chain that began in October 2023

Dublin Airport did have a Starbucks, but it closed at the end of December 2023. The closure may be related to a boycott of the chain that began in October 2023.

Starbucks faced backlash and calls for boycotts after Starbucks Workers United, a Philadelphia-based union, posted "Solidarity with Palestine!" on Twitter. The post was up for about 40 minutes before it was deleted. The union posted this message without the authorisation of union leaders, following which Starbucks sued the union. This incident sparked a boycott of the coffee chain, with some people accusing Starbucks of not supporting Palestine in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

In response to the backlash, Laxman Narasimhan, the CEO of Starbucks, published an open letter in December 2023, calling for peace and citing the "misrepresentation" of the company's views as a reason for vandalism of its stores. In his letter, Narasimhan expressed concern about the state of the world and condemned violence, hate speech, and lies. He also mentioned that Starbucks stores had experienced incidents of vandalism due to protestors influenced by the misrepresentation of the company's stance on social media.

Following the Starbucks closure at Dublin Airport, a new operator has taken over the unit, introducing a temporary brand called Vista Coffee. Dublin Airport has stated that Vista Coffee is a "temporary brand" and that the unit will change to a different brand soon. Some people have speculated that the airport's decision to rebrand may be a way to distance itself from the Starbucks boycott, as the chain's menus are still being used at the Vista Coffee location. It is worth noting that Dublin Airport has three other Starbucks locations that remain open.

Frequently asked questions