Starbucks drinks with soy, oat, almond, or coconut milk will no longer cost extra.

Starting next week, Starbucks customers will no longer be charged more for adding nondairy milk to their orders. According to the corporation, removing the non-dairy milk premium will result in customers paying around 10% less than they did previously.

In recent years, Starbucks has seen an increase in orders with milk replacements, similar to non-dairy alternatives in grocery shops. Starbucks began offering oat milk on its menu in 2021. After adding a shot of espresso, non-dairy milk is now the second most popular order change at Starbucks.

Starbucks Is Making A Popular Add-On Free Of Charge

Starbucks has significantly changed since new CEO Brian Niccol took over the troubled company in September.

Starbucks said on Wednesday that sales and customer visits were down for the third consecutive quarter.

Starbucks’ global revenues at outlets operating for at least a year fell 7% last quarter, while customer transactions decreased by 8%.

“Our financial results were very disappointing,” Niccol stated during the company’s quarterly earnings call. “It is clear we need to fundamentally change our strategy to win back customers and return to growth.”

Bringing back condiment stations and Sharpies.
Starbucks is moving swiftly under Niccol.

Starbucks is reducing promotional discounts through its mobile app to encourage customers to pay full price for its coffees and teas. Niccol aims to redefine Starbucks as a luxury brand that avoids discounting.

Despite reducing discounts, Niccol stated that the company had no plans to hike pricing next year. Starbucks has raised its costs in recent years, driving away some customers.

Starbucks also announced this week that it is removing its contentious olive oil-infused drinks from the menu, less than a year after its introduction.

The “Oleato” drinks will be removed from Starbucks’ menus in the United States and Canada beginning in early November as part of Niccol’s aim to simplify a menu he recently described as “overly complex.”

Starbucks Is Making A Popular Add-On Free Of Charge

In addition, Niccol stated on Wednesday that Starbucks intends to reinstate self-service condiment stations in locations. The business eliminated them at the start of the Covid-19 epidemic in 2020.

“Both our customers and our baristas say it would help them speed up orders,” he said.

Baristas who write customers’ names on drink orders in marker will also return as part of Niccol’s aim to create a coffeehouse ambiance at the business and give it a “human touch.”

Starbucks (SBUX) shares were steady during regular trading but rose 0.5% after hours.

SOURCE | CNN

Despite a deadly E. coli outbreak related to its Quarter Pounders, McDonald’s insisted Wednesday that customers can order from its locations with confidence.

McDonald’s U.S. President Joe Erlinger stated in an interview with “Today” that the business has withdrawn the Quarter Pounder from its menu in the ten states where dozens of people were sickened, as well as in several additional states.

McDonalds Tries To Reassure Customers After Deadly E. Coli Outbreak

According to a preliminary study by the United States Food and Drug Administration, raw onions placed on Quarter Pounders are a potential source of contamination, and McDonald’s says its initial results indicate that some of the reported illnesses are linked to onions from a single supplier. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is looking into the hamburger meat.

“What’s important today is that we’ve taken the action to protect the American public and promote public health,” according to Erlinger. “We’re confident that we’ll see our way through this and will restore confidence for the American consumer to come to McDonald’s.”

The epidemic was reported late Tuesday by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It stated that 49 infections were detected between September 27 and October 11 in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. One person died in Colorado, and ten others were hospitalized. All of them mentioned eating Quarter Pounders, which are beef burgers topped with pickles, slivered onions, and a sesame seed bun.

E. coli has a short incubation time, so anyone infected would notice symptoms right away, according to Donald Schaffner, a food safety expert at Rutgers University. “If you ate these burgers in September and now it’s the middle of October and you didn’t get sick, you’re probably OK,” remarked the gentleman.

McDonald’s Tries To Reassure Customers After Deadly E. Coli Outbreak

E. coli bacteria can be found in animals’ stomachs as well as in the environment. Infections can produce severe symptoms such as fever, stomach cramps, and bloody diarrhea. People who suffer signs of E. coli contamination should seek medical attention immediately and disclose what they ate.

According to Erlinger, the infected product may have already made its way into McDonald’s supply chain. However, the corporation will work closely with the authorities and cooperate with the investigation, he stated. Erlinger declined to identify the source or confirm whether it serves other restaurant companies or grocery stores.

McDonald’s shares plummeted 4.5% in early trade on Wednesday.

SOURCE | AP

Cooking a Thanksgiving turkey involves a number of particular issues, including keeping it from drying out and ensuring that it is appetizing. But thawing out a multi-pound frozen bird is the first major challenge.

Butterball has a solution in the form of a new frozen turkey, which the brand claims eliminates the hours-long thawing process. This week, the country’s leading turkey manufacturer debuted a new “Cook from Frozen” turkey that requires only two steps to prepare: unwrap it and pop it in the oven.

While the firm claims it is merely for the convenience of use, Neil Saunders, a retail analyst and managing director at GlobalData Retail, believes it is especially appealing to those who are just starting to host Thanksgiving on their own.

Butterball Is Making The Worst Part Of Cooking A Thanksgiving Turkey Much Easier

“This product seems to solve a lot of those issues, and it’s particularly appealing to younger consumers who may be hosting Thanksgiving for the first time,” Saunders told the news organization. “It is also focused on convenience which, on a very busy day, is important to all consumer groups.”

Thawing a turkey is one of the most common questions Butterball’s Turkey Talk-Line receives each year, according to a business news release, so the company developed a specially crafted frozen turkey that attempts to reduce stress and mess by removing the neck and giblets.

The “innovative offering” eliminates other time-consuming aspects of turkey preparation, such as basting, brining, and seasoning. Butterball created a “specially formulated” brine that keeps the meat juicy during the approximately 5-hour roasting procedure.

Butterball Is Making The Worst Part Of Cooking A Thanksgiving Turkey Much Easier

However, by cooking a turkey in simple mode, one of the most typical components is eliminated: chefs are not permitted to fill the turkey because doing so would “pose a food safety risk,” according to the website. Butterball recommends preparing the filling separately.

The new turkey is available in Harris Teeter, Publix, select Walmart and Kroger outlets, as well as other chains owned by the company, such as Fry’s and Ralphs.

SOURCE | AP