The staggering reason Starbucks’ CEO earns more than every rival

Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleStarbucks has paid its CEO more than $120 million since he joined in late 2024. What makes him worth it? (AFP/Getty)Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol earned $31 million in 2025, making him the highest-paid fast-food or fast-casual restaurant chief in the United States. Niccol's compensation, which included $96 million for four months in 2024 largely to offset forfeited Chipotle shares, has drawn criticism, notably from Senator Bernie Sanders, due to the significant disparity with typical Starbucks worker wages. He was brought in to revitalize Starbucks, which was struggling with declining sales, a falling stock price, unionization efforts, and operational challenges under his predecessor, Laxman Narasimhan. Niccol has a proven track record of successful turnarounds at Taco Bell and Chipotle, where he implemented innovative strategies and significantly boosted company performance. Under Niccol's leadership, Starbucks' stock has risen over 23% year-to-date, and revenue has remained positive for five consecutive quarters, leading some experts and the company to believe his high compensation is justified by the results. In fullThe Starbucks CEO is paid $31M a year. Why does he make double most of his competitors?More bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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