USA Today reports that Starbucks intends to cut back on specialty limited-time-only drinks - such as the Unicorn Frappuccino - by as much as 30 percent in the current year.
The reason? According to the story, “The shticky drinks, which have become a Starbucks mainstay, are available only for a few days and are very photogenic -- the right recipe for an Instagram hit.
“That’s exactly what the fabled Unicorn became, as thousands flocked to Starbucks and shared their thoughts about the bright pink drink on social media -- both praise and revulsion.”
And, some of that revulsion came from baristas, who hated making them.
The story says that “The chain will focus a bit more on other drinks, including cold brews and teas, according to chief operating officer Rosalind Brewer, Starbucks also is bringing its expanded food menu, called Mercato, to many more markets -- 1,800 stores by the end of the fiscal year.”
The reason? According to the story, “The shticky drinks, which have become a Starbucks mainstay, are available only for a few days and are very photogenic -- the right recipe for an Instagram hit.
“That’s exactly what the fabled Unicorn became, as thousands flocked to Starbucks and shared their thoughts about the bright pink drink on social media -- both praise and revulsion.”
And, some of that revulsion came from baristas, who hated making them.
The story says that “The chain will focus a bit more on other drinks, including cold brews and teas, according to chief operating officer Rosalind Brewer, Starbucks also is bringing its expanded food menu, called Mercato, to many more markets -- 1,800 stores by the end of the fiscal year.”
- KC's View:
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The thing is, you can only do so many things at one time. Plus, there may be a good clue about the reasoning behind this decision in the word “shticky” - for my money, Starbucks would be better off working on increasing line speed and keeping some of their stores a little cleaner on a consistent basis.
