Pretty soon Starbucks customers will be able to order an alcoholic beverage. Chief Operating Officer Troy Alstead told Bloomberg that the coffee-chain is going to start selling alcohol at thousands of stores. The rollout, which will take several years to complete, will expand Starbucks' evening menu to include wine, beer, bacon-wrapped dates, truffle mac n' cheese, chocolate fondue and other bar-type fare.
"We've tested it long enough in enough markets - this is a program that works," Alstead said. "As we bring the evening program to stores, there's a meaningful increase in sales during that time of the day."
Starbucks first tested an alcoholic evening menu back in 2010 at a Seattle store. It was then expanded to 25 other locations in Chicago, Southern California and Atlanta in 2012. Alstead told Bloomberg that not every Starbucks location will see the new menu because it tends to do better in urban areas where its near other restaurants and theaters. So far, 40 locations have the new evening menu.
For years the company has been looking for ways to boost their revenue by selling items outside of just coffee and croissants. Starbucks also announced that they will soon start selling a celebrity-endorsed beverage. Oprah Winfrey recently announced at Starbucks' annual meeting that she is backing the company. Chief Executive Officer Howard Schultz revealed that Starbucks and Teavana stores will begin selling "Oprah Chai Tea" on Apr. 29.
The former talk show queen tasted a variety of teas and helped the chain create the perfect blend, which features black and rooibos teas.
"This felt like something that I really loved, that I really cared about," Winfrey told Schultz at the meeting, according to Bloomberg.
Starbucks is also updating their smartphone mobile app and will soon begin testing mobile-orders, which would allow customers with smartphones to place an order through their device and walk into store and pick it up without having to wait in line. According to the Washington Post, customers will also be able to tip baristas through an iPhone app.
