Starbucks brings back ‘best drink of all time' in US for a limited time this summer season. Check details
The Seattle-based company
Starbucks
has launched a "Back to Starbucks" campaign aimed at returning to its core identity in an effort to reverse declining foot traffic and sales. As part of this strategy, the company eliminated 13 longtime beverages from its menu in early March, with plans to reduce the overall menu by about 30% by September.
Beginning Tuesday, May 20, Starbucks will introduce new limited-time beverages, just in time for the upcoming summer season. The new
Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
joins is returning fan-favorite Summer-Berry Starbucks Refreshers Beverages and a new Strawberries & Cream Cake Pop, the coffee giant said in a press release.
Summer-Berry Starbucks Refreshers return
Starting Tuesday, Starbucks is reintroducing its popular
Summer-Berry Refreshers
for a limited time. Originally launched as part of the 2024 summer menu, the drinks quickly became a customer favorite.
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The Refreshers feature a blend of raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry flavors shaken with ice and water, poured over raspberry-flavored pearls. Customers can also opt for variations like the Summer-Berry Lemonade Refresher or the Summer Skies Drink, which is made with coconut milk.
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Also joining the menu is the Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, inspired by the traditional Latin American drink. This new offering combines blonde espresso, oatmilk, and horchata-flavored syrup for a blend of cinnamon, vanilla, and subtle nutty notes, reminiscent of rice milk-based horchata. Starbucks notes that horchata recipes vary by region and are often dairy-free.
The summer lineup also includes a new Strawberries & Cream Cake Pop, adding a seasonal twist to Starbucks' bakery selection. Starbucks reports that its Iced Shaken Espresso lineup, introduced in 2021, is the fastest in company history to reach $1 billion in sales. The new food and drink items will be offered for a limited time in the United States this summer.
A true fan-favorite has returned to Starbucks' ever-rotating drink menu this week, but according to some, it tastes different. The Summer-Berry Starbucks Refreshers officially returned to menus this week. The drink originally graced the menu last summer, and fans were devastated when it disappeared with the change of the season. The drink can be ordered with lemonade or coconut milk, both options being hugely popular with fans online, according to The Irish Star.
Some eager fans who rushed to stores to enjoy their favorite drink after a year-long wait were left disappointed. Many claimed that Starbucks must have changed the recipe, insisting the beverage just didn't taste the same. On Reddit, one user shared, 'The Starbucks Summer Berry Refresher was the first drink that got me hooked. I was heartbroken when it was discontinued last year, and I've been counting down the days until its return.'
'I picked one up for breakfast today, but the boba is noticeably different—it has a thicker texture and a different flavor,' the user continued. 'I thought it was just me, but I called my sister who lives 90 minutes away and asked if she had tried it. She went and got one too and said the exact same thing. Did Starbucks change the boba, or am I just imagining it?'
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Another user chimed in to validate the concern: 'Last year, some stores received these weird, globby pearls that were tough to pop. But at the beginning of the season, the boba was amazing—I loved those early batches.'
Starbucks is launching a "Back to Starbucks" campaign aimed at returning to its roots in an effort to reverse declining foot traffic and sales.
The company reported a 1% drop in comparable sales for the quarter ending April 29, marking its fifth consecutive quarterly decline. In the past, seasonal menu launches have helped boost both traffic and sales.
Quick background: Since CEO Brian Niccol—formerly of Chipotle—took the helm in September, Starbucks has initiated a series of changes to reposition its cafes as welcoming community coffeehouses.
In late January, the company rolled out a new code of conduct, reintroduced condiment bars, and began offering free refills, following the elimination of the nondairy milk surcharge in November. Then, in early March, it removed 13 long-standing beverages as part of a plan to streamline the menu by about 30% by September.
Most recently, a new barista dress code went into effect last week, sparking protests and strikes among workers at several unionized locations.
They added, 'When our store got this year's shipment, I checked immediately. Thankfully, we got the good ones like the ones from the start of last season.'
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Another Redditor speculated, 'It sounds like some stores were sent the older version again. The Starbucks near my work got the 'globby' ones this year too.'
Starbucks has made a number of significant changes in recent months, but insists that the recipe of the Summer Berry Refresher has not changed.
And it seems some customers are unfazed by the boba being a different texture. On X one user wrote: 'Never drink Starbucks anymore but they brought back the summer berry lemonade refresher… whewwwww.'
Additional beverages and food items are expected to leave the menu "throughout the coming months," with the roughly 30% menu reduction happening by September 2025, Starbucks has said. Company officials said this will "make way for innovation."
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