Starbucks is planning to trim its menu in a significant way.
On Jan. 28, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol spoke during the company’s first quarter fiscal year 2025 earnings call, revealing that the coffee giant would be reducing its food and beverage offerings by nearly a third by the end of 2025.
“In the coming months, you’ll see us begin to optimize our menu offerings, resulting in roughly 30% reduction in both beverages and food,” Niccol said during the call.
While Niccol didn’t name specific items on the chopping block, he did elaborate on the changes in an interview with Yahoo! Finance on Jan. 29.
“It’s a little bit of everything is how I would describe it,” Niccol said. “Really what we focused on is what are the items that are not, frankly, selling a lot every day?”
Niccol added that the chain is aiming to “clear the noise” for “better innovation” on its menu.
This mission seems to have started in early November, when Starbucks axed its controversial line of Oleato beverages, coffee “infused with Partanna cold pressed extra virgin olive oil,” in U.S. stores.
Starbucks’ other changes under Niccol
Starbucks has undergone several changes since Niccol took over last September in his mission to return to what he calls its “coffeehouse community roots.”
On Jan. 27, Starbucks announced it is now offering free refills on hot brewed or iced coffee, or hot or iced tea served in a ceramic mug, glass or a personal cup. It is also bringing back condiment bars, allowing customers to add their own sweetener, milks and more to their own beverages — a practice that was taken away during the height of the pandemic.
Earlier in January, Starbucks reversed its open-door policy, which allowed anyone to lounge in its cafes or use its restrooms without buying anything. The policy was instituted in 2018 after two Black men waiting for a friend were arrested for trespassing in a Starbucks in Philadelphia, leading to public outcry.
