Starbucks Is Reversing A Big COVID Policy Change

It's no secret the COVID-19 pandemic had an enormous effect on the restaurant industry. For some eateries, it was necessary to remove elements from the restaurant that were too difficult to keep COVID-compliant — and that applied to the condiment bar at Starbucks. Pre-pandemic, every location of the coffee chain had a small counter with different types of milk, sweeteners, and spices folks could use to customize their coffee themselves. However, since the middle of 2020, all condiment bars have been removed, and all customization requests, no matter how small, have to be done by the barista. As important as this change was at the time to keep people safe, it has since become a bit of an annoyance for customers and, one would assume, baristas. But luckily for the coffee-lovers out there, the condiment bar is about to make a comeback.

During Starbucks' most recent quarterly earnings call, CEO Brian Niccol revealed a few big changes for the business. On the call, Niccol announced, "We plan to bring back condiment coffee bars in all our cafés by early 2025. It's a great customer experience and will help with speed of service." Hopefully, this will make your favorite genius Starbucks ordering hacks even easier.

This announcement, along with other notable policy changes, comes on the heels of almost a year of declining customer interest and diminishing financial returns. For the past few quarters, Starbucks customers have had issues with rising prices and convoluted menus, while its employees struggle to keep up with the demand. This is a large part of the reasoning behind bringing the condiment bar back. As Niccol explains, the Starbucks baristas "are saying it would help them deliver the speed of service they want to provide."

Without the condiment bars, the baristas are responsible for every extra drop of milk or sprinkle of sugar a customer wants added to their drink. The ordeal is frustrating for staff and guests alike since it makes wait times longer and gives baristas even more to do on top of their already heavy workload. The hope is that the condiment bar will take some weight off the baristas. Changes like this, along with the recent decision to simplify the menu and redesign the dining room, make it seem like Starbucks is trying to return to its cozy caf´´ roots. Only time will tell if this strategy pays off. In the meantime, start imagining how you will put the finishing touches on your latte — a bit of oat milk, a dash of cinnamon. Maybe the brand will even add the preferred Starbucks olive oil for Oleato coffee to the bar and really open up the possibilities.