By The Straits Times | Created at 2026-06-11 09:22:08 | Updated at 2026-06-14 04:29:49
2 days ago
SEOUL - Payments at Starbucks in South Korea rebounded within three weeks of the “Tank Day” campaign that sparked nationwide backlash, industry data showed.
The total value of debit and credit card transactions at Starbucks reached 24.21 billion won (S$20 million) in the first week of June, according to Mobile Index, a data analytics service operated by IGAWorks.
The figure was up 12.8 per cent from 21.46 billion won recorded in the previous week, May 25 to 31, and marked the highest weekly payment volume since the controversial campaign launched on May 18.
Still, spending remained below pre-backlash levels.
Starbucks recorded 32.16 billion won in card payments during the week of May 11 to 17, nearly 8 billion won more than the latest figure.
The recovery extended beyond in-store spending. Starbucks reclaimed the top spot in the cafe category in KakaoTalk’s in-app gift shop, having briefly lost its lead during the controversy.
Industry observers said the figures suggest Starbucks may be bouncing back from its sharp decline in sales seen in late May, although it remains unclear whether the US coffee chain can fully restore its brand image.
The controversy centered on Starbucks’ “Tank Day” promotion, which critics say referenced language associated with Korea’s May 18, 1980, Gwangju Democratic Uprising, accusing the company of being insensitive.
The backlash prompted Chung Yong-jin, chairman of Shinsegae Group, the conglomerate behind Starbucks Korea, to issue a public apology. Starbucks also offered full refunds for prepaid balances on its mobile app and gift cards. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
