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HMSHost files layoff notice as Sea-Tac Terminal A Starbucks contract ends

HMSHost files layoff notice as Sea-Tac Terminal A Starbucks contract ends

Money Moves Seattle, WA local

Two Sea-Tac Starbucks set to close as HMSHost contracts expire; 135 workers face layoffs by year-end

October 23rd, 2026: HMSHost files WARN notice for 135 workers

Overview

Updated Nov 1

HMSHost filed a layoff notice with Washington state on October 23 covering 135 Seattle Starbucks workers. Thirteen work at the Terminal A store at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, which closes December 31 when its contract expires.

A second Sea-Tac Starbucks is also set to close as another HMSHost contract ends, the Puget Sound Business Journal reported Oct. 26. Local operators are lined up to replace the departing stores, the paper said. The Port of Seattle's competitive bidding process ended HMSHost's Terminal A contract, which Starbucks called a 'SeaTac concession decision,' not a corporate closure.

Why it matters

Airport food-service jobs are tied to concession contracts that airports re-bid; when a contract ends, workers lose jobs even if the airport is busy.

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Key Indicators

135
Workers covered by WARN notice
HMSHost filing covers baristas, utility workers and managers at Seattle-area Starbucks locations.
13
Terminal A positions eliminated
Layoffs at the closing airport location are scheduled between Dec. 31 and Jan. 13.
2
Sea-Tac Starbucks stores closing
Terminal A plus a second location, as HMSHost contracts expire.

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Organizations Involved

HMSHost
HMSHost
Airport concessions operator (subsidiary of Avolta)
Filed WARN notice covering 135 workers; Terminal A Starbucks closes Dec. 31; second Sea-Tac store also set to close as contracts expire

HMSHost operates food and beverage concessions at airports, including the Starbucks locations at Seattle-Tacoma.
Port of Seattle
Port of Seattle
Public port authority
Ran competitive bidding that ended HMSHost's Terminal A contract; local operators lined up to replace departing Starbucks stores

The Port of Seattle owns and operates Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and runs competitive bidding for concession space.
Starbucks
Starbucks
Coffee company
Brand owner; other SEA locations remain open; not party to the closure decisions

Starbucks is a global coffee chain whose concessions at Sea-Tac are operated by HMSHost, not by Starbucks itself.

Timeline

September 2026 December 2026

3 events Latest: October 23rd, 2026 · 3 weeks ago

  1. Terminal A Starbucks closes; layoffs begin

    Upcoming Closure

    Planned permanent closure of the Sea-Tac Terminal A location; layoffs continue through January 13.

  2. HMSHost files WARN notice for 135 workers

    Latest Legal Filing

    Notice covers 135 Starbucks workers in Seattle, including 13 at the closing Terminal A store at Sea-Tac.

  3. Starbucks announces Washington closures

    Statement

    Five Starbucks stores in Seattle, Redmond, Spokane, and Vancouver added to 250-store North American closure plan.

Scenarios

1

Layoffs Proceed as Filed: All 135 Workers Out

Likely Resolves by Jan 31, 2027

Discussed by: WARN notice itself; reporting by KOMO News, KIRO 7, and MyNorthwest

If no transfers materialize, HMSHost lays off all 135 workers across its Seattle Starbucks locations between December 31 and January 13. The WARN notice lists baristas, utility workers, and managers. The Terminal A closure accounts for 13; the remaining 122 come from other Seattle-area sites not yet specified.

2

Transfers Cap Actual Layoffs Below Notice

Possible Resolves by Jan 31, 2027

Discussed by: KIRO Newsradio and MyNorthwest, citing Starbucks' transfer-and-severance policy

Starbucks said it will transfer employees to other stores if possible or provide severance support. If many of the 135 accept transfers to other HMSHost-run Starbucks or other airport locations, actual layoffs fall below the WARN notice figure, which is a statutory maximum, not a minimum.

3

Port of Seattle Awards Terminal A Space to New Operator

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Not yet reported; speculative based on standard airport RFP practice

The airport's RFP process for the Terminal A concession space could award the spot to another operator, who might hire some displaced HMSHost workers. Starbucks said it 'hopes to work with the airport to expand our presence' — a new contract could bring Starbucks back under a different operator.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

September 2025

Starbucks September 2025 store closures

Under CEO Brian Niccol, who joined in 2024, Starbucks closed 627 stores in North America and Europe in a single round. Company Chief Operating Officer Mike Grams said the locations weren't delivering acceptable financial results or couldn't provide the experience Starbucks wanted.

Then

Starbucks shed over 600 locations in its largest closure round in years, beginning a wave of store rationalization.

Now

Niccol continued pruning, announcing 250 more North American closures in September 2026, and retrofitting 1,500 stores by the end of fiscal 2026.

Why this matters now

Contrasts with the Sea-Tac closure: Starbucks' corporate closures are driven by store performance, while the Terminal A closure is driven by the airport's concession contract re-bid, not by Starbucks.

September-October 2026

Starbucks October 2026 closure of 250 stores

Starbucks announced 250 North American store closures in September 2026, then confirmed five Washington locations on September 24, affecting 51 workers in Seattle, Redmond, Spokane, and Vancouver.

Then

The Washington closures were scheduled between November 14 and December 4, 2026, with some employees offered transfers.

Now

Part of the same performance-driven retrenchment under Niccol that will leave Starbucks with a smaller, retrofitted North American footprint.

Why this matters now

These closures are Starbucks' own decisions based on underperformance; the Sea-Tac Terminal A closure is a separate, airport-driven concession decision affecting HMSHost workers.

Sources

(6)
Washington Employment Security Department KOMO News Yahoo Finance via KIRO 7 MyNorthwest Puget Sound Business Journal TheStreet via Rock Hill Herald