Starbucks Is Cutting 13 Drinks From Its Menu Starting Next Week, And Here's A List Of What Is Being Discontinued
In case you didn't know, Starbucks has been facing some challenges lately. Sales declined last year, and as Forbes recently noted, the company has lost the customers' goodwill.
Last September, the company brought in Brian Niccol (who had previously been chairman and CEO of Chipotle) to help turn things around. In a call to investors in October, he said, "Our problems are fixable — most of what we need to do is within our control."
Unfortunately, Starbucks announced Monday that part of its solution is laying off 1,100 corporate employees globally.
And yesterday, it announced that starting March 4, it would be cutting 13 "less popular beverages" from its menu because they "aren't commonly purchased" and "can be complex to make." This is being done to offer a better in-store experience and reduce wait times.
According to the AP, the drinks that will be removed next week are the Iced Matcha Lemonade, Espresso Frappuccino, Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino, Java Chip Frappuccino, White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino, Chai Crème Frappuccino...
...Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino, Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino, Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino, White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino, White Hot Chocolate, Royal English Breakfast Latte, and the Honey Almondmilk Flat White.
Starbucks also added that they would be making further beverage and food menu item cuts "throughout the coming months" and that by the end of 2025, they will have a roughly 30% reduction in their menu offerings.
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Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Chipotle's brand chief on turning up the heat where brand meets culture
This story was originally published on Marketing Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Marketing Dive newsletter. The opening stretch of 2025 presented a steep challenge for restaurants as economic uncertainty dragged on performance at nearly every quick service, fast casual and casual dining chain. Even the usually consistent Chipotle saw same-store sales decrease in Q1 — its first such decline since the beginning of the pandemic led to restaurant closures. Like other restaurants, Chipotle is turning to marketing to weather choppy waters, with executives citing a need to make the brand more visible, relevant and loved. Apart from current macro headwinds, Chipotle in the last few years has also seen a step down in business during the summer — an additional challenge that it will look to overcome through marketing, CEO Scott Boatwright said on an April earnings call discussing the company's Q1 results. 'The marketing initiatives that are in flight are really just to maintain our position as it relates to relevance with the consumer throughout the summer months when our competitors continue to spend at high levels,' Boatwright said. First up this season is a 'Summer of Extras' effort that will give away more than $1 million in free burritos, followed by future campaigns centered around Chipotle's long-running commitment to real ingredients. The latter component feels especially timely considering conversations around food additives spurred by the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement. 'The good news is… none of that stuff is in any of the Chipotle foods. We don't really have to change anything,' said Chris Brandt, president, chief brand officer, at Chipotle. 'There's so much price-point comparison going on ... what we want to emphasize from Chipotle is a quality standpoint.' Chipotle has long made its approach to sourcing simple ingredients through sustainable agriculture a focal point of its marketing. That has allowed the brand to stay true to its tenets without the need for repositioning to meet the contemporary moment. 'We really want consumers to understand our difference … and get them maybe not only to buy the brand, but buy into the product proposition that Chipotle has,' Brandt said. 'When we get that, then we have a customer for life.' Brandt continues to look for opportunities to find an intersection between Chipotle and culture. Partnerships over the years have embraced a shared sense of value between Chipotle and brands including cosmetics marketer E.l.f. and workwear icon Carhartt. 'One of the good witness tests is when you hear the collab is happening, and you go, 'Wow, that makes a lot of sense,'' Brandt said. Chipotle's latest collaboration is with Cobra Golf and professional golfer Max Homa. At last month's PGA Memorial Tournament, Homa, a brand ambassador, used a club headcover that resembles the chain's silver burrito wrapper. The $90 item sold out in minutes — viral success that Chipotle has seen with previous releases, including a car napkin holder, a lemonade cup candle and a college freshman essentials kits. When different people in his life ask if these oddball collaborations are real and where they can get one, then Brandt knows Chipotle has a winner on its hands, the executive explained. Beyond teaming with other brands on wink-and-nod novelties, Chipotle has relied on official (and unofficial) relationships with sports leagues and players, whether through its multiyear partnership with the NHL or its Real Food for Real Athletes platform. The latter has opened up channels to players including NBA star Anthony Edwards and tennis pro Taylor Fritz. The growing prevalence of name, image and likeness rights deals with college athletes has given brands an opportunity to connect with the next generation of stars. But while many marketers focus on top players, Chipotle's NIL work with Ohio State University doled out free burritos weekly for every Division I athlete at the school, which shares a hometown with a company outpost. 'These athletes have now grown up with Chipotle. They've been having it since they were in grade school and it's been a part of their life, so we have legitimate, honest, organic stories to tell,' Brandt said. Chipotle has also been a first-mover in many digital spaces, including Roblox. The chain first ventured onto the gaming platform in 2021 and used a burrito roller experience to give out real-world rewards for completing virtual activities. While Chipotle had been dormant on the platform for several years, some of Roblox's 85 million daily active users were still patronizing its world space. That led Chipotle to reengage on Roblox, debuting a national TV ad and tapping into trading card mania on the platform earlier this year. 'Sometimes marketers get tired of stuff before consumers really do,' Brandt explained. 'We weren't necessarily tired of it, but we were waiting for the next big idea.' As it looks to bounce back from a tough Q1, Chipotle will 'meaningfully' ramp up marketing spend, increasing activity in digital and social channels and leveraging its rewards platform, Boatwright said on the April earnings call. The company expects to spend in the high 2% range of sales on marketing for the full-year. 'Now we're at a place where we can really pour the gas on some of these other channels that give us a really high return, and we can experiment and do some things differently,' Brandt said. Along with the Summer of Extras, Chipotle will continue to run its influencer-focused 'YourPotle' campaign that launched in April and introduce new spots in its long-running 'Behind the Foil' platform that provides behind-the-scenes looks at its kitchens, employees and farmers. Those campaigns continue telling the stories the brand has centered on since its founding in 1993 and could help it navigate choppy economic waters, even as its competitors turn to discounting. 'We think our food and our food values really hold up, so it's incumbent upon us, from a marketing standpoint, to find new and interesting ways to talk about that,' Brandt said. 'There's going to be various periods of ups and downs, but we'll stay the course, and find creative ways to keep telling our story and keep highlighting our difference. We think that will both build the brand for today, but also build the brand for tomorrow as well.' Recommended Reading How restaurant chains are updating their marketing menus in tough economy Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
San Francisco Chronicle
7 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
S.F. landmark will be torn down as part of major Fisherman's Wharf redesign
Alioto's Restaurant, the classic seafood spot that was a gathering place for Bay Area families for nearly 80 years before shuttering in 2020, will be demolished and replaced by a new public plaza as part of a $10 million plan by the Port of San Francisco to reimagine the historic heart of Fisherman's Wharf. Port Director Elaine Forbes said the agency spent several years looking for a new operator for the 11,000-square-foot Alioto's, but the sheer size and dilapidated condition of the three-story structure — and the multimillion-dollar investment needed to make it structurally sound — made it a tough sell. 'It's just a relic, essentially, a relic of an important history, but it is not the future,' Forbes said. Knocking down Alioto's and building a plaza are the centerpiece of a package of wharf improvements that will include the lighting of the lagoon and the demolition of a crumbling former smokehouse that has been used for storage in recent years. The port expects to complete the first phase next year while starting work on a longer-range project that will include seismic and sea-level rise protections. Forbes said removing Alioto's would give the public access to the lagoon where San Francisco's fishing boats are docked and where locals can line up to buy fresh fish and crab off the vessels. The view of the lagoon that lured so many families to Alioto's for graduation and birthday celebrations — the brightly-painted Monterey Hull fishing boats with the Golden Gate Bridge beyond — would be available to anyone visiting the new public piazza. Alioto's was one of six major Fisherman's Wharf restaurants that closed, and didn't reopen, when the pandemic lockdown started more than five years ago. The port has found new operators for three of the spaces: Chasca Rio will open at 340 Jefferson St., which used to house Pompei's Grotto; Everett & Jones Barbeque will take over the former Lou's Fish Shack; and Castanola's will reopen with a new operator and concept, which has yet to be announced. But three legacy spots overlooking the lagoon at the foot of Taylor Street — Alioto's, Fisherman's Grotto #9 and Tarantino's — proved to be too spacious and run-down to be attractive at a time when there is little demand for cavernous seafood eateries designed to cater to groups of 10 or 12. Having a trio of shuttered waterfront structures discourages visitors from continuing past Taylor Street as they meander north on the waterfront from Pier 39, according to Mike Rescino, who docks his charter fishing boat Lovely Martha in the lagoon near Alioto's. It has put a damper on his business. 'When they see a row of closed restaurants all they do is say, 'Nothing is here,' and turn around and walk back to Pier 39,' Rescino said. For decades the port, which owns 7.5 miles of San Francisco waterfront, managed Fisherman's Wharf with benign neglect. Its restaurants were humming, its crab stands packed, its bread bowls full of chowder, and its stalls along Jefferson Street bright with Alcatraz-themed fleece. With many of the city's piers crumbling, the wharf was the least of the port's problems. 'It was working magically,' Forbes said. But while cioppino and crab continued to draw millions of visitors to the wharf, even before the pandemic it was clear that the jumbo, family-friendly seafood joints that were so popular in the '60s and '70s and '80s were becoming obsolete. Revenue was down and it was unclear that the three businesses would survive until the end of their 66-year leases, which expire in 2036. What had been 'a private economic engine that the port was there to support,' was now 'in need of more defined intervention,' said Deputy Port Director Michael Martin. Taryn Hoppe, who owns several businesses in the neighborhood and is the president of the Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District, said she feels 'a little wistful' about the history that will vanish with the removal of Alioto's, but said 'overwhelmingly, this is a big deal in a good way.' 'This is what we have been asking for,' she said. 'There is really no other option. You can't lease that space. It's falling apart, and we have always wanted to open up more access to the fishing fleet and that lagoon area.' She credited the port, an enterprise agency that mostly funds its activity through rent from its properties, with proposing a $10 million project that will not directly generate revenue. 'We needed the port to kick-start something major, a turn of the tide of that Taylor Street area where these buildings are impossible to lease and falling apart,' she said. What will become of the two multilevel vacant restaurant spaces next to Alioto's — Fisherman's Grotto #9 and Tarantino's — remains to be seen. The two buildings will be activated with temporary ground-floor uses while the plaza is built, according to the port. It's possible that one or both could benefit from overlooking the new plaza — a food hall or interactive museum, perhaps — but the structures could also eventually be demolished to expand the open space and access to the lagoon. Alioto's got its start in 1925 when Sicilian immigrant Nunzio Alioto Sr. began selling crab and shrimp cocktail at Stall #8. By 1938, the family had built the first restaurant at Fisherman's Wharf. It became known for its cioppino, a fish stew, as well as the turquoise and black sign that sits on top of the building. Woody LaBounty, executive director of the preservation group San Francisco Heritage, called Alioto's 'a long-standing stalwart for people who grew up in San Francisco.' Its sign was part of a cityscape that was seen in movies and television shows like 'The Streets of San Francisco.' He compared the sign to the Golden Gate Bridge and the cable cars. 'It's really sad. Alioto was one of our top 10 legacy bars and restaurants, we hate to lose those sort of things,' he said. But, he said a preservation campaign to save the building is unlikely. 'If you ask anyone who grew up in the city, 99% of people are going to say, 'Do not let that go,'' he said. 'But it's hard if there is not a business model that can be successful right now.' Port spokesman Eric Young said the termination agreement for the Alioto lease gave the family the rights to the restaurant name and the 'number 8,' but the sign and other property left behind belong to the port. 'The port welcomes an engagement with the Alioto family to develop interpretive signage at the plaza that would honor the family's contribution to the wharf,' Young said. He said the port would 'safeguard the signs from the restaurant.' The new chapter comes as the wharf remains one of the most visited places in San Francisco in 2024, with 10 million visitors, a number which is down from 15 million in 2019. Forbes emphasized that the investment is part of a larger effort to make sure the wharf is relevant, both to locals and tourists. Other efforts include attracting the Skystar Observation Wheel, the ferris wheel that was moved in 2023 from Golden Gate Park; installing new furniture, greenery and pop-up containers on the promenade along Little Embarcadero; and building a new $6 million floating dock along Al Scoma Way to enhance off-the-boat fish sales and waterside excursions. 'We are the custodian of Fisherman's Wharf,' Forbes said. 'It's been this endurable, magical place for San Francisco that has really driven economic well-being, but also the identity of who we are as a city.' David Beaupre, who operates planning for the port, said it's important that the work on the Alioto's property start as soon as possible. Removing the heavy 11,000-square-foot building will relieve pressure on the pier substructure that 'has not seen major investment since the 1960s.' 'We are hoping to do it quickly, because time is not on our side,' he said.
Miami Herald
8 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Beloved iconic local restaurant closing after 42 years
Unless you truly live in the middle of the woods, you probably have your fair share of restaurants to choose from when you want to grab lunch or dinner. Even in rural areas, it's common to have a variety of options. And in major suburbs and cities, your choices might be plentiful. You could walk down the street and choose from among a number of popular cuisines without having to search far and wide. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Still, when there's a restaurant you've known and loved for years, losing it can be a big blow. Related: Beloved Mexican restaurant closing iconic location after 63 years There might be a similar restaurant five minutes away that serves almost the exact same menu. But if a go-to restaurant of yours has the one special dish that always tastes great, it can be a very sad thing to see that establishment disappear. The past few years have been tough for restaurants across the board. In 2020, dining establishments had to close to in-person service for a period of time thanks to the Covid pandemic. And even once restaurants reopened, many grappled with supply chain issues, labor shortages, and rising costs. Related: Chipotle wants to give out more free burritos Lingering inflation has also driven a lot of people away from restaurants. When living costs are high, consumers have to prioritize. That means they can't drop $80 on dinner for two when that same amount of money could potentially buy food for an entire week. Not surprisingly, a number of popular restaurant chains have filed for bankruptcy and/or closed their doors since 2020. About a year ago, Red Lobster filed for Chapter 11, despite having a loyal fan base. And fast-casual chain TGI Fridays filed for bankruptcy about seven months ago, citing financial challenges. You'd think that restaurants situated in major cities would see their fair share of business. But sometimes, being centrally located can be a mixed bag. Being in a prime location gives you access to more customers. But it's sort of like being in a mall. When there's just too much competition around, you can easily lose business. Related: Costco makes surprising food court change to iconic menu item Also, when you're occupying prime real estate, it can be challenging to negotiate favorable lease terms with your landlord. Or, your landlord might decide it wants to do something different with its space. Despite its popular location along West Hollywood's Sunset Strip, beloved restaurant Chin Chin has announced that it's slated to close at the end of July. The restaurant first opened its doors to West Hollywood customers in 1983 and is known for its classic Chinese menu, including its signature Chinese chicken salad with wonton strips. Chin Chin has additional locations in Brentwood, Studio City, and Las Vegas that will remain open. The West Hollywood location is shuttering after the restaurant's landlord opted not to renew its lease. "At the last minute, I think the landlord had a change in vision for the place, and as much as we wanted to be part of that, Chin Chin just wasn't part of their vision," David Choi, a partner in the restaurant, told the LA Times. "It was just a very sudden change, and so we were kind of left scrambling." Chin Chin does hope to reopen in a new location but is still searching for its next home. In the meantime, the restaurant has launched a GoFundMe campaign to support employees during the transition. In an Instagram post announcing the closure, Chin Chin said, "We are heartbroken to announce that Chin Chin will be unexpectedly closing its doors at our Sunset Plaza location." More Fast Food & Restaurant News: Starbucks makes shocking pricing move customers will loveBankrupt restaurant chain offers new deal, stiff drinkNew Taco Bell menu items combines multiple classics Fans can still dine at the West Hollywood location through July 27. Related: KFC's newest restaurant concept has customers obsessed The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
