slo's WEDNESDAY 2/26 poll - Starbucks Discontinuing Drinks

[DVCjj]

As long as they don’t get rid of Iced Peppermint Mocha, Skim, Whip I’m just fine.

 

[tony67]

I mostly avoid Starbucks unless I am on vacation somewhere where there are no other options - like Universal.

I always get the extra large black cold brew - which is way overpriced - I make this at home for pennies.
When they have it I also get the pistachio cold foam.

Same for espresso - I make it at home - a good machine pays for itself pretty quickly.

 

[tvguy]

My choice for getting a Foo Foo coffee is Dutch Bros. But even they have cut back on what they offer. They will make anything you want if they have all the ingredients. But they cut way back on the variety of Torani syrups they have so some drinks they can't make anymore And they haven't had an Egg Nog Lattee in the past three years over the holidays. They had some sort of "Nog" this past Christmas, but it wasn't make with Egg Nog.

 

[disneychrista]

No surprise. Companies need to be planning ahead so they can stay ahead of the slow down. Removing the least ordered items with likely some of the higher priced ingredient costs is smart move

But most of these changes are to individual items where they will still have the ingredients and the drinks can still be made. This is different than discontinuing items that are unpopular items . For example why discontinue a Chai Creme Frappuccino when they are still offering hot or iced chai drinks?

 

[ford family]

Rarely go to Starbucks here in the UK, preferring independent coffee shops and we don't drink complicated coffees.

However, when we are in US we've found they are a great place for a hot tea. Their Earl Grey with skimmed milk is excellent, always piping hot and you have control of how strong it is because you control the teabag!

ford family

 

[HopperFan]

But most of these changes are to individual items where they will still have the ingredients and the drinks can still be made. This is different than discontinuing items that unpopular items . For example why discontinue a Chai Creme Frappuccino when they are still offering hot or iced chai drinks?

You don't remove items that are popular and cost effective (profitable). You keep the most profitable. That would include ingredients, time it takes barista to make (perhaps they are going to reduce staff), how much equipment you need to meet all orders and maybe some items can have pre-prep done. Smaller menus are often the most profitable.

 

[hardcorestitch]

No more chai crème frappes???? That is criminal.

 

[monsterkitty]

99% of the time my Starbucks order is either black iced tea, light water or green iced tea, light water. The only other drink I will get is the Java Chip frap no whip cream but only when I have enough points to pay for the drink.

I might have to buy a java chip this weekend.

 

[disneychrista]

No more chai crème frappes???? That is criminal.

There is no reason you can't still order it. You will likely pay more than you did before because you are modifying a vanilla bean Frappuccino and adding the chai. But as long as they are making hot or iced chai's there is no reason they can't still make it.

 

[disneychrista]

You don't remove items that are popular and cost effective (profitable). You keep the most profitable. That would include ingredients, time it takes barista to make (perhaps they are going to reduce staff), how much equipment you need to meet all orders and maybe some items can have pre-prep done. Smaller menus are often the most profitable.

But most of the items they removed take no more time, effort or equipment to make than the items that remain on the menu. They aren't saving anything by removing these items, other than maybe having a smaller menu board in stores.


They removed the raspberry syrup a few years ago, I assume because it wasn't very popular. This is a change that makes sense. No menu items included it and it was only available for modifications. I was one of those that was disappointed that they removed it. But at least it made sense. Most of these changes make absolutely no sense.

 

[C.Witch]

I'd rather they have a limited regular menu and more frequent seasonal features.

 

[HopperFan]

But most of the items they removed take no more time, effort or equipment to make than the items that remain on the menu. They aren't saving anything by removing these items, other than maybe having a smaller menu board in stores.


They removed the raspberry syrup a few years ago, I assume because it wasn't very popular. This is a change that makes sense. No menu items included it and it was only available for modifications. I was one of those that was disappointed that they removed it. But at least it made sense. Most of these changes make absolutely no sense.

But Starbucks has decided they are no longer worth making, and that likely is a financial decision. I'm sure it makes perfect sense to them.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Every now and then I would get an Iced Frappucino with chocolate and share it with other family members as a dessert type treat and I liked that they would give a Puppichno to my dog which was always super cute. The coffee would tear me up and give me panic attacks so it's never been a consistent thing, I only ever got Blonde on vacation when it was that or the eww hotel breakfast quality.

I suppose now it will be be when there is nothing else on vacation - seems like bad timing to ditch Iced Frappucinos right before the summer but maybe the stuff they are keeping has a better profit.

In WDW I make it a point to get to Kona or Wawa instead.

 

[happybaker]

They are taking away DH's only drink when his work get's something as it's the mainly only one without caffeine - Java Chip frap. I did occasionally order the Royal English Breakfast latte when I wanted a tea but they messed it up many times using the earl gray. I don't like Earl Gray so if they still offer the tea in general I might see if I could get it. I don't like their reasoning that the Earl Gray is the same as English Breakfast. Definitely not; English breakfast is a rather standard tea. The others I just started trying so not too heart broken. they haven't taken away my usual ones thankfully.

I would also occasionally get the Royal Englis Breakfast latte (light foam) as a treat because I don't like coffee, so I'm a little sad to see it go.

And you are right, Earl Grey is not the same. I'm not fan of Earl Grey either. I think it's the bergamot that's in Earl Grey.

 

[disneychrista]

But Starbucks has decided they are no longer worth making, and that likely is a financial decision. I'm sure it makes perfect sense to them.

Really, they only decided to take them off the menu. It is similar to Peppermint Mocha's. Peppermint Mocha's can be made year round but are only on the menu during the holiday's. As long as they have the ingredients and allow for customization of drinks most of these can still be made.

 

[cabanafrau]

Starbucks is useless for me. I like coffee, but it doesn't like me. I stick to tea.
I'm not sure if they're just shifting locations or what, but here it seems like lots of Starbucks have closed. I know I heard that one in particular moved when it was discussed and another one that had closed and another business moved into the space is now going to return as Starbucks again. So IDK what the deal is.