NEW YORK (AP) — Starbucks is making cuts to its menu, with some of the coffee giant’s “less popular beverages” set to take their final bow next week.
In an announcement Monday, Starbucks outlined plans to remove a selection of its drinks — including several blended Frappuccino beverages, the Royal English Breakfast Latte and the White Hot Chocolate — starting on Tuesday, March 4.
“These items aren’t commonly purchased, can be complex to make, or are like other beverages on our menu,” Starbucks wrote. The Seattle-based company added that simplifying its menu would allow it to “focus on fewer, more popular items, executed with excellence.”
Starbucks says these cuts will reduce wait times, improve consistency and “make way for innovation.” The chain says it will continue to introduce a handful of other new items and seasonal specials, such as its Cortado beverage introduced last month and a new “Iced Cherry Chai” set to debut in the spring.
The menu changes arrive amid wider restructuring at the Seattle-based company. Starbucks also said that it would be laying off 1,100 corporate employees globally this week — with CEO Brian Niccol citing needs to “operate more efficiently.” Niccol joined the chain as CEO in August.
Beyond next week’s menu cuts, Starbucks says that additional beverages and food will also exit its menu in the coming months — representing a roughly 30% reduction by the end of the 2025 fiscal year in the U.S. But here’s a list of the drinks that are set to be removed on March 4, which the company shared with The Associated Press:
- 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
- Honey Almondmilk Flat White
Meanwhile, Starbucks plans to lay off 1,100 corporate employees globally as new Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol streamlines operations.
In a letter to employees released Monday, Niccol said the company will inform employees who are being laid off by midday Tuesday. Niccol said Starbucks is also eliminating several hundred open and unfilled positions.
“Our intent is to operate more efficiently, increase accountability, reduce complexity and drive better integration,” Niccol wrote in the letter.
Starbucks has 16,000 corporate support employees worldwide, but that includes some employees who aren’t impacted, like roasting and warehouse staff. Baristas in the company’s stores — who make up most of the company’s 361,000 employees worldwide — are not included in the layoffs.
Niccol said in January that corporate layoffs would be announced by early March. He said the company needed to reduce complexity and ensure that all work is overseen by someone who can make decisions.
“Our size and structure can slow us down, with too many layers, managers of small teams and roles focused primarily on coordinating work,” Niccol wrote.
Starbucks’ layoffs come as other big companies make similar moves. Southwest Airlines said last week it was eliminating 1,750 jobs, or 15% of its corporate workforce, in the first major layoffs in the company’s 53-year history. And last month, tire maker Bridgestone Americas closed a plant in LaVergne, Tennessee, and laid off 700 workers there.
Starbucks hired Niccol last fall to turn around sluggish sales. He has said he wants to improve service times — especially during the morning rush — and reestablish stores as community gathering places.
Niccol is also cutting items from Starbucks’ menu and experimenting with its ordering algorithms to better handle its mix of mobile, drive-thru and in-store orders.
Starbucks’ global same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, fell 2% in its 2024 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 29. In the U.S., customers tired of price increases and growing wait times. In China, its second-largest market, Starbucks faced growing competition from cheaper rivals.
However, in its most recent quarter, the company topped most sales expectations after Niccol made changes that were visible to customers, such as the decision to stop charging extra for non-dairy milk.
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