Is Your Go-to Starbucks Order About To Disappear?
The chain is removing 13 drinks, including several Frappuccinos, from its menu on March 4.
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Starbucks has been shaking things up lately. CEO Brian Niccol has enacted significant policy changes over the past few months in an attempt to streamline service and create a warmer environment for customers. He also promised to eliminate about 30 percent of the “overly complex” menu. Now we know some of the beverages on their way out.
13 drinks — nine of them Frappuccinos — are being retired on March 4.
“We will remove a selection of less popular beverages from our menu, including several Frappuccino blended beverages, the Royal English Breakfast Latte and the White Hot Chocolate,” the company announced in a press release. “These items aren’t commonly purchased, can be complex to make, or are like other beverages on our menu.”
A Starbucks representative shared the full list of beverages being eliminated with Food Network:
- Iced Matcha Lemonade
- Espresso, Caffè Vanilla, Java Chip, White Chocolate Mocha, Chai Crème, Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème, Double Chocolaty Chip Crème, Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème and White Chocolate Crème Frappuccinos
- White Hot Chocolate
- Royal English Breakfast Latte
- Honey Almondmilk Flat White
The Starbucks representative also suggested alternatives for the disappearing drinks. For example, the Green Tea Lemonade has a similar citrus flavor to the Iced Matcha Lemonade, and the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino can be customized to taste like various Crème Frappuccinos.
However, baristas and customers on Reddit are already speculating that this move could backfire. Though the intention is to declutter the menu and speed up orders, commenters worry that more modifications will frustrate baristas and slow things down further.
“I think this will backfire incredibly, the point is to make us faster,” one barista says. “Maybe it’s just me but the more customizations I see the slower I am and the more error prone I become.”
Another person adds that customers may give up on Starbucks altogether if their favorite drink is retired, even if similar items remain.
“Everything on the list of 13 items being discontinued can still be ordered with customizations, but it could drive more people away if they see their usual on this list of things being removed,” they say.
Starbucks has already eliminated its olive oil drinks, which were only launched nationwide last year, and its iced energy drinks. The company says more cuts are coming this year to meet its goal of a 30 percent menu reduction. And, beyond the menu changes, Starbucks announced on Monday that it’s eliminating over 1000 corporate jobs, CNN reports.
Meanwhile, new additions are coming to the menu. The chain recently introduced its first cortado and confirmed that it’s bringing back last year’s lavender drinks in March. Hopefully, one of the new items can become your next go-to drink.
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