The group currently has nine drive-thru stores in Britain with the first opening in Cardiff in 2008, and it said the step up in the opening programme follows strong customer response and will establish the company as the market leader in this area.
"I welcome Starbucks' announcement, and I am glad to see continued investment and job creation in the private sector," said British Prime Minister David Cameron in a statement.
Kris Engskov, managing director of Starbucks UK & Ireland, said, "We are able to create quality jobs at a time when they are most needed and because half of our baristas are under 24 years old, this will particularly benefit young job-seekers at a time of record youth unemployment."