Is Starbucks Open On Labor Day 2023?

Not just for furniture sales and backyard barbecues, Labor Day is also the time for coffee, frappuccinos, and delicious iced tea. Labor Day is celebrated on the first Monday in September, which this year falls on September 4 — well after Starbucks typically brings back its seasonal fall menu. Fans can sip a PSL on the beach this holiday if they please. The time to stop wearing white and start guzzling pumpkin spice is nearly upon us, and on that note, is Starbucks going to be open on Labor Day 2023? The short answer is: Yes... probably.

In moments of desperation, caffeine-heads in need know they can find a Starbucks open on Christmas, New Year's, and Thanksgiving Day. For most stores, a normal schedule means somewhere in the ballpark of 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Still, while Starbucks is technically open chain-wide on Labor Day, some closures are location-specific. It's unclear who determines the decisions by the store here, but some stores may be shuttered or otherwise implement special reduced holiday hours. Coffee lovers should check the Starbucks mobile app or store locator to verify whether their local haunt is open or to find out about special Labor Day hours.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Labor Day is all about recognizing the hard work of the American workforce, and it originated during the late 1800s as part of the organized labor movement "when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions workers have made to America's strength, prosperity, and well-being." In other words, "solidarity forever," quoth Labor Day.

Starbucks' selective store closings are perhaps fitting, considering that, before it was a federal holiday, the earliest iterations of Labor Day were only recognized by labor activists and individual states who chose to do so. It's almost deliciously ironic considering Starbucks' partners (its name for employees) have been locked in an intense, high-publicity unionization struggle against the corporation for nearly two years that has already driven former-CEO Howard Schultz into a Senate hearing under threat of subpoena for unlawful union-busting tactics. 

Chain-wide, Starbucks was open on Labor Day in 2022 and in 2021, so foodies have no reason to expect the chain to shutter for Labor Day in 2023. However, this year, in addition to the fact that last year's store closures and hours varied from one location to the next, newly-acquired unionization status could influence open statuses when the holiday rolls around. Since December 2021, 336 Starbucks stores have successfully won their union elections, so hours may vary more widely than usual.