Starbucks has made a major change to its menu that will save customers money after years of price increases.
The coffee giant announced that it will no longer charge extra for dairy alternatives in its drinks.
The surcharges applied to milks such as almond and oat milk can reach 80 cents in some chain stores.
The change, which was announced Wednesday, will reduce the cost of some customers’ drinks by up to 10 percent.
The new policy goes into effect on Thursday, November 7, and follows years of customer complaints.
Starbucks just announced a major change to its menu that will save customers money
Starbucks has seen sales decline in the United States as its higher prices have put off customers.
“This is just one of many changes we will make to ensure a visit to Starbucks is worth it every time,” CEO Brian Niccol said of the change.
According to Starbucks, ordering a milk alternative is the second most requested customization by customers.
This is only posted by those who order an extra shot of espresso.
Currently, a customer can add up to four ounces of non-dairy milk to an order at no additional charge.
However, other drinks made with more milk, such as latte, incur a charge.
The coffee retailer began offering plant-based milk in 1997, when it added a soy option to its menus.
As alternative milks continued to gain popularity, others were added, including coconut milk in 2015, almond milk in 2016, and oat milk in 2021.
Starbucks first offered dairy-free milk alternatives in 1997
Niccol took over as CEO last month and announced his mission to reverse the chain’s declining sales.
The company unexpectedly released its earnings report early last month, which revealed that sales had fallen sharply for the third consecutive quarter.
Sales in the United States fell 6 percent as cash-strapped customers have been increasingly put off by high prices and long wait times for drinks.
“The main problem is that consumers are buying less Starbucks coffee to save money,” Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail, told DailyMail.com.
Offering more promotions doesn’t appear to have worked, Saunders said, and the chain announced it was reducing discounts offered through its mobile app earlier this month.