‘Tall’ size returns to Starbucks’ drive-through menus

By Emily Bryson York
Posted Sep. 14, 2010 at 4:23 p.m.

Last month Starbucks rolled out a “simplified” drive-through menu which removed the company’s small-sized drink, referred to as a “tall.” But the experiment will be short-lived. Starting Thursday, the company will update drive-through menu boards again, to indicate the tall size is still available.

“We want to be sure there is no confusion and that our menu reflects a range of price points,” spokeswoman Deb Trevino wrote in an email. “We listened to feedback and starting Thursday the 16th, stores will be updating their drive-through menu boards, highlighting that tall size is available.”

The updated drive-through menu caused critics to say Starbucks was trying to upsell customers. But food experts said Starbucks may have been preparing for mandatory calorie posting, likely to go into effect sometime next year as a result of health care reform.

The additional requirements are expected to cause problems for all fast-food chains. Most of them have menus that are already crammed with options, and they’ve been under pressure to add more choices to promote healthier eating.

Trevino added that the tall size, along with everything else Starbucks sells, has always been available at its drive-throughs. The decision to remove tall from the menu, Trevino said, was also based on consumer feedback, that the drive-through menu was too confusing. The updated design features fewer products, and more pictures.

Starbucks has drive-throughs in 37 percent of its 11,000 locations. Many of these drive-throughs are in suburban areas.

 

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5 comments:

  1. Amirona Sep. 14, 2010 at 6:02 pm

    The menu is too confusing? I don’t even think these morons should be on the road in a car if they can’t figure out a Starbuck’s menu.

  2. Tedd Sep. 14, 2010 at 7:09 pm

    Starbucks tried to upsell? No way. Not possible.

  3. Jeeper Sep. 14, 2010 at 8:42 pm

    So the cost of removing the “tall” size from the menu board, then the cost of adding it back in, will be added to the price of all coffees.

  4. Mike Sep. 14, 2010 at 8:52 pm

    This is news because??? It sounds to me like someone from Starbucks may have slipped the Trib a few “bucks” on the sly to get some publicity.

  5. kreader22 Sep. 14, 2010 at 10:28 pm

    Can we just say small, medium and large please?