Starbucks has announced a new pricing strategy in the US and Canada for drink modifications, introducing a flat fee of 80 cents for any combination of sauces and syrups, regardless of the number of pumps.
The change, effective from 24 June 2025, aims to provide better value for customers by simplifying the cost structure for customising drinks, as reported by Bloomberg.
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Customers can now add or substitute any sauce or syrup to a pre-flavoured beverage at no additional cost, so that vanilla syrup can be added to a mocha beverage for free, and classic syrup can be added to any drink without charge.
Other extras will be priced by portion. Additional matcha powder will cost $1 per scoop, chai concentrate is priced at 80 cents per serving, and dried fruit rations are 50 cents each.
There are some restrictions, such as the cost of extra matcha scoops not exceeding that of upgrading to the next largest matcha drink size.
In a separate development, Starbucks is testing a new mobile app feature which will display price changes during drink modifications, allowing customers to see cost adjustments before checkout.
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By GlobalDataThis initiative is part of the efforts of Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol, who took over in September 2024, to address a sales slump.
Niccol has identified complicated pricing as a challenge for customers who want upfront pricing clarity.
He is also focusing on enhancing service speed, improving comfort and revamping the menu to boost Starbucks’ appeal.
Starbucks recently announced the introduction of a banana protein cold foam, a new offering that taps into the growing trend of protein-enriched foods and beverages.
The product was unveiled at the Starbucks Leadership Experience 2025, held on 10 June and 11 June in Las Vegas, in the US state of Nevada.
