As the world worried about the impending "doom" of Y2K, in 1999, Starbucks was busy focusing on future growth. It had opened a record 625 new stores that year and forged a new partnership with Target, which was also rapidly expanding at the same time. The two chains entered a licensing agreement for the megastore to sell Starbucks products, as well as have actual Starbucks cafes brewing up new business near the front of the house.
Niccol was expected to be a turnaround artist due to his track record at Taco Bell and Chipotle. His magic at Starbucks has been a line of statements primarily about how Starbucks might return to its roots as a community coffeehouse where baristas are friendly and well-dressed. When people order, their orders will come fast. The baristas will remember people's names.
Coffee chain Starbucks released a $43.95 "Bearista" glass cold cup Thursday as part of its new holiday collection, and not only did the hat-topped tumbler sell out almost immediately, but videos circulating online show customers fighting each other to get their paws on one. Empty-handed fans who lined up before dawn are sharing their outrage on social media, re-sellers are listing them for as much as $1,400 on eBay,
Starbucks unveiled on Wednesday its "Bearista Cold Cup," selling for $29.95. The item sold out within hours, with some customers complaining of people in line shoving one another to stake a claim over the product. Some able to buy the Bearista cup have taken to reselling it online, with many cups going for more than $300-even up to an eye-popping $50,000.
Yes, it's true! In a world where protein powders and boosters have creeped into our most common, beloved foods (pancakes, cookies, and chips, to name a few), Starbucks hopped on the protein train and released protein lattes and cold brews on September 29, 2025, and the internet has been talking about them since. The drinks feature whey protein isolate, which is unflavored, gluten-free, and derived from cow's milk.
According to Starbucks' website, the Glass Starbucks Bearista Cold Cup is a glass vessel intended for the chain's cold drinks. In addition to helpfully keeping your iced lattes or matchas chilly, this cup is shaped to look like a bear - a gummy bear, really. It's wearing a green Starbucks-branded beanie, which holds a striped reusable straw. At $29.95, it's easy to see the Bearista cup's collectible and giftable appeal.
There was a time when the Starbucks cake pops were having a viral moment, but sadly they no longer live up to their heyday for a few reasons. First, the quality just isn't there. When we ranked 17 Starbucks pastries, the cake pop nearly came in last place thanks to bland, one-note flavors and underwhelming sweetness. The second reason Starbucks cake pops leave something to be desired is because they aren't great value.
Leena Robinson/Shutterstock Who needs a calendar when you have regular trips to Starbucks? As lights start twinkling, tinsel begins draping, and festive choruses commence ringing from radios, there's another tell-tale sign that holiday festivities are knocking: Starbucks holiday cups. The chain's signature red products have become synonymous with winter, and fans eagerly await the new patterns each year. Still, there's something many people don't know: these designs weren't always red.
With the brand's whipped cream topping and whole milk base, Starbucks fraps are the definition of a robust drink. They're the perfect option if you want something akin to a milkshake; however, Starbucks' Frappuccinos are the heaviest menu item, and it may start to feel a little cumbersome after the first few sips. If you're craving the flavor but with a lighter taste, ask the barista to swap part of the milk or cream with the Refreshers concentrate.
Which justice was responsible for the addition of Starbucks coffee in the Supreme Court cafeteria? Hint: The most recently appointed justice serves on the Court's cafeteria committee, so they've all had a go at the job.
Starbucks Workers United, the union representing more than 12,000 workers across 650 stores nationwide, is planning to picket and stage rallies outside 60 locations of the coffee chain this weekend. Seventy rallies and pickets will take place from today through November 1, the union said. Today the union will begin voting on a work strike authorization, stemming from demands for new contracts that address better staffing hours, higher pay, and "resolution for hundreds of outstanding unfair labor practice charges," according to the union.
There are many discontinued foods at Starbucks that are sorely missed, with customers lamenting the loss of treats like the Morning Bun, Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant, Almond Croissant, and S'mores Frappuccino. Unfortunately, many of them are seasonal Starbucks items that we will never see again - and the Holiday Turkey & Stuffing Panini is one treat that has customers begging the chain to bring it back.
Starbucks' fall items aren't just limited to the commencement of the coffee chain's signature pumpkin spice latte. To celebrate spooky season this year, Starbucks is launching a new limited-time merchandise, Starbucks Halloween 2025 cups - many of which glow in the dark. But according to an announcement about the seasonal merchandise on Starbucks' website, you won't find two of its glowing cups in regular Starbucks stores. Instead, they can be found exclusively lurking in licensed Starbucks in "airports, grocery stores, hospitals, colleges, universities, and more."
The Juniper Latte is one limited-time Starbucks drink that we never want to see back on the menu, and we're not the only ones who think so. The drink, which was released in 2018, was described by Starbucks as like being in an "enchanted forest dusted with fresh snow." The flavor profile consisted of juniper, sage, evergreen, and citrus, and the recipe included espresso, steamed milk, green pine-citrus sugar, and juniper-flavored syrup. If you don't think that sounds great, you're not alone.
As Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol explained in an earnings call, the pickup-only stores have a "transactional" feel, lacking "the warmth and human connection that defines our brand." While Niccol also touted the mobile-order options at its traditional coffee shops, I see Starbucks's move as an attempt to return to its roots as a " third place " -a destination between home and work where people can gather and connect.
Initially, we had taken the tactic like 'hey, we just got to get this business turned around and then we'll start talking about what's going on,' and the reality is we needed to get into conversation from day one so people understood, transparently, what we are trying to do with Starbucks,
When the weather cools down, the coffee heats up (goodbye iced lattes and fraps). But for those in the know, the absolute best Starbucks hot drink can do more than just warm your tummy on a cool, foggy morning; it can double as a dessert. Starbucks' White Chocolate Mocha (WCM) is part of its "classic" array of drinks (tried-and-true long-timers with a loyal following that sticks around year after year).
In late September, Starbucks launched its new variations of its popular cold foam add-on to top cold drinks. The $2 foams add 15 grams of protein and flavors like chocolate, vanilla, banana, and pumpkin to any iced drink - and they're surprisingly tasty.
The cost of a Starbucks Corp. ( NASDAQ: SBUX) "short" cup of coffee, which is 8 fl oz, is $3.65. It comes in four versions: Blonde Roast - Sunsera, Pike Place Roast, Featured Dark Roast, and Decaf Pike Place Roast. Each has five calories. No matter what else Starbucks does to improve its tattered fortunes, it needs to charge less. The price of a cup of coffee brewed at home is $0.40. Factoring in electricity and water adds a few pennies. A coffee brewing machine costs as little as $15. The value of that machine per cup can be measured over years and thousands of cups.
it has also debuted protein-enriched milk and cold foams for specialty drinks like the Iced Banana Cream Protein Matcha (24 grams of protein) and the Chocolate Cream Protein Cold Brew (19 grams). The banana number was mostly inoffensive (and flavorless) but the juiced-up matcha smacked of a musky, powdery flavor that was unpleasant. The chocolate cold foamed coffee had an actual cocoa flavor that worked well with the robust cold brew, and the double whammy protein-spiked vanilla latte and cold foam was sweet, but tasty.
Starbucks isn't your average espresso bar or even coffee shop. The world famous chain not only has espresso and drip coffee, but dozens of tea, chocolate, and creamy creations for all ages and tastes. Plus, with the ability to customize any drink, there are literally hundreds of drink variations to choose from. We tasted and ranked 29 popular Starbucks hot drinks that run the gamut of flavors and bases. The worst hot drink from Starbucks isn't necessarily bad, it's just basic.
Many Starbucks tea creations come as dried powders that instantly infuse into hot or cold liquid, but not the Iced London Fog Latte. This tea drink is made the old-fashioned way by steeping Earl Grey teabags in hot water and vanilla syrup before adding cream and ice. Baristas will thus place the steeping tea off to the side for at least five minutes to fully infuse, often forgetting about it as they prepare countless other drink orders that quickly pile up.
Well, here's an obvious win for Starbucks: The company is releasing a few new protein-ified offerings (it seems the protein craze is never-ending, with everything from protein sodas to protein-packed pasta being all the rage these days). I'm not mad about it. Who could say no to incorporating some nutrients into a drink that's already routine? Starting September 29, 2025, the company is launching several Protein Lattes alongside a few Protein Cold Foams, the latter of which can be added to any cold drink.
"This is literally the only reason I go to Starbucks over Dunkin. The cold foam," wrote one Redditor, proving that the whipped topping is the deciding factor for some customers. Starbucks' cold foam - added to everything from iced coffee and matcha to frappuccinos - also has the advantage over Dunkin's because it's made to order and can be customized with different flavors and milk alternatives. Unlike Dunkin', Starbucks also offers a non-dairy cold foam that makes the topping more adaptable to different diets.