Starbucks is paring down its menu in hopes it can boost sales and unburden baristas.
Starting March 3, the coffee giant will remove 13 drinks from its menu, a company spokesperson confirmed to Quartz in an email. The move is part of a broader “Back to Starbucks” initiative. By the end of Sept. 2025, roughly 30% of certain food and drink items will be permanently removed from the menu to make room for new options.
Drinks like the Iced Matcha Lemonade and Espresso Frappuccino will be phased out in favor of more straightforward, popular options. CEO Brian Niccol has emphasized the importance of getting Starbucks (SBUX) back to its coffeehouse roots, which includes brewing fresh coffee in just four minutes.
While these items are disappearing, Starbucks customers can still create similar beverages through custom orders. However, there are additional limits. As of early February, customers are restricted to 12 items when ordering through the Starbucks app.
Other recent changes include the reintroduction of ceramic mugs and baristas writing handwritten notes on cups. The Sharpie-led efforts, however, have created some chaos.
Moreover, not all changes have been well-received. Starbucks is standing by its reversal of the open-door policy, stating that it would rather close locations than reverse its stance from 2018, when the company faced backlash over the arrest of two Black men at a Philadelphia location.
These menu cuts and operational shifts come as Starbucks faces a dip in sales and rising competition in global markets. In China, it’s second-largest local brand Luckin’ Coffee (LKNCY), and the $1 bubble tea chain Mixue Group have been snagging market share from the Seattle-based chain.
We’ve compiled a list of the items Starbucks is saying goodbye to. Let’s take a look.
