Can Starbucks Lure You to Stores With Pokemon?

Update 12/8: Niantic on Thursday officially announced another Pokémon Go partner: Starbucks.

Starting today, 7,800 Starbucks stores in the US will become PokéStops and Gyms. Starbucks is also creating a "special-edition Pokémon GO Frappuccino," for players to buy when they're in the store hunting Pokémon.

"Whether you're on your daily morning commute or just out exploring your neighborhood with your loved ones, make sure you collect items from the new Starbucks PokéStops or battle in the new Gyms with your favorite Pokémon," the Pokémon Go team wrote in its announcement.

Original Story 12/7:
Sprint has a surefire plan to get more bodies into its stores: It's teamed up with Pokémon Go developer Niantic to make its brick-and-mortar locations PokéStops.

Starting Dec. 12, trainers can visit more than 10,500 Sprint, Boost Mobile, and RadioShack stores across the US to collect in-game items like Poke Balls, Potions, Eggs, and Razz Berries. While you're there, you can also charge your phone if it's running low on juice from all your hunting. The collaboration also gives players "a go-to location where they can take Pokémon into battle … at Sprint-sponsored Gyms," the companies said in a news release.

The release also tips some "new Pokémon coming to the game" on Monday. At this point, however, we don't have any other info about the new characters making their debut.

Sprint, of course, is using this partnership as a way to push its data plans. Those who switch at least one line to Sprint and sign up for the carrier's Unlimited Freedom plan with AutoPay will get unlimited data, talk, and text starting at $20 per month per line until Jan. 31, 2018.

Meanwhile, Sprint isn't the only company taking advantage of the Pokémon Go craze. Citing leaked internal documents, Ars Technica reports that Starbucks is also planning to launch a Pokémon Go promotion in the US this week. Starting this Thursday, most of the chain's stores will become PokéStops and Pokémon Go Gyms, according to the report.