Starbucks has started testing a beta app within ChatGPT designed to recommend beverages based on a customer’s mood.

Launched yesterday (15 April), the feature is part of the coffee chain’s broader push to make menu discovery feel more personal and intuitive.

According to a CNBC report, customers need to enable the Starbucks app via ChatGPT’s app directory to start using the beta version.

After enabling it, they can type a message that includes “@Starbucks” and describe their current “mood” or upload an image that reflects their “vibe”.

The beta app will then generate a list of Starbucks drinks that align with the provided description or photo.

Once customers select a recommended drink, they can customise it, choose a store, and start an order in ChatGPT before completing checkout in the Starbucks app or on the website.

In a blog post, Starbucks digital and loyalty senior vice-president Paul Riedel said: “Over the past year, one thing has become clear: customers aren’t always starting with a menu. They’re starting with a feeling.

“People open chat tools to think out loud – to describe the kind of moment they’re in, or imagine something they want to create. We want to meet customers right in that moment of inspiration and make it easier than ever to find a drink that fits.

“The beta Starbucks app in ChatGPT is a huge step to make that possible. And it does it in a way that still feels unmistakably Starbucks – warm, inviting, and rooted in creativity.”

The coffee chain noted that it has also recently updated its mobile app by adding a trending beverage category and a so-called secret menu, reflecting customer customisation that happens on social media and in stores with baristas.

The new ChatGPT integration is intended to extend that approach into an AI-powered setting.