Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs
Starbucks is changing a latte.
The coffee chain will be cutting “roughly 30%” of food and drink options from its menu by late 2025, CEO Brian Niccol said.
The slimmer menu is part of the “Back to Starbucks” initiative, a plan to simplify offerings and return to its roots.
When Niccol first took charge of the company last September, he noted that one of his priorities to accelerate growth would be to simplify the “overly complex” menu so baristas can speed up service.
“In the coming months, you’ll see us begin to optimize our menu offerings, resulting in roughly 30% reduction in both beverages and food SKUs by the end of fiscal year 2025,” Niccol shared Tuesday during Starbucks’ quarterly earnings call, per Axios.
Menu items already booted include Starbucks’ olive oil-infused drinks, which were only around for one year. These controversial drinks left the menu officially on Nov. 7.
However, this doesn’t mean new menu items are out of the question. Niccol said that new food or drink will be added by “being responsive to customer trends and their changing preferences.”
Company officials shared that Starbucks’ sales in the U.S. fell 4% in the first quarter and transactions were down 8% — but Niccol said that going back to the basics with customer-focused changes is what is driving store traffic.
The coffee giant will also be making changes to mobile ordering, testing out changes such as a “capacity-based time slot model that allows customers to schedule mobile orders,” Niccol revealed.
While there’s no “definitive timing” as to when the mobile order changes will roll out, Niccol said that a mid-year update will “simplify customization options, improve upfront pricing and provide real-time price changes as customers customize beverages.”
Starbucks has already implemented some of its other plans to help customers reconnect with the coffee shop.
This week, Starbucks reinstated its free-refill policy — with a catch. Customers who are ordering in-store will now be asked if they would like their drink “for here” or “to go.”
Those who order “for here” will get their drink served in a ceramic mug, glass or a personal cup. These people will be able to get free refills during their visit on hot brewed or iced coffee, or hot or iced tea. Customers must have their first drink served in one of these reusable cups in order to receive free refills, according to Starbucks.
Additionally, patrons will once again be able to use the old-school self-serve stations, where they can find milk, sugar, sweeteners, spices and stirrers.
Starbucks also recently changed their code of conduct, reversing their open-door policy which allowed anyone to hang out at the cafes or use its restrooms without a purchase.
“We want to ensure our spaces are prioritized for use by our customers,” Starbucks’ website says. “Our Coffeehouse Code of Conduct is something most retailers have and is designed to provide clarity that our spaces – including our cafes, patios and restrooms – are for use by customers and partners.”
The company is also bringing back Sharpies, having baristas handwrite customers’ names on their drinks.
They’ll also bring back comfy chairs to some of its stores, further giving some Starbucks outlets an old-school vibe, where customers can sit for hours relaxing or doing remote work.
