CHINA — Starbucks has shut down half of its stores in China amid the coronavirus outbreak in order to protect its staff and support government containment efforts.<br /><br />NPR reports that the coffee behemoth has temporarily shut more than 2,000 outlets as the number of infected have skyrocketed throughout the country. <br /><br />According to the BBC, Starbucks warned that the latest epidemic could affect its financial performance. Which is all anyone really cares about, right? <br />The Beebs reports that the coffee chain has almost 4,300 stores in China, making it the company's biggest market outside the U.S. <br />Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said the company was "navigating a very dynamic situation." <br />As the Wuhan coronavirus threatens to spiral out of control, Chinese authorities have tried all types of measures including the locking down of a bunch of cities with tens of millions of people. <br />According to Business Insider, other fast food chains such as McDonald's, KFC and Pizza Hut have also been shutting down stores in response to the virus.
