Final answer:
Starbucks eliminated the signature requirement for credit-card purchases under $25 to reduce transaction times and improve the customer experience, taking advantage of improved payment technology.
Step-by-step explanation:
Starbucks stopped requiring signatures on credit-card purchases under $25 in an attempt to reduce transaction times and improve the customer experience. The idea behind this decision is to streamline the payment process, especially during peak hours, which can lead to long lines and wait times. By eliminating the need to sign for small purchases, checkouts become faster, allowing more customers to be served in less time. It's also a response to advances in payment technology, where the increased security of chips and contactless payment methods makes signatures less necessary as a form of verification.