Starbucks’ new strategy: it now aims to boost sales after noon with cold drinks, matcha, and food
Ayer, 16:25
Starbucks wants to turn the afternoon into its next major growth opportunity. After recovering traffic during the morning, the chain is using cold beverages, matcha, food, and products with little or no caffeine to attract customers after midday. The strategy began to deliver results during the third quarter of fiscal 2026. The company reported transaction growth across all dayparts, although mornings continued to contribute the largest increase in absolute terms.
Brian Niccol, chairman and chief executive officer of Starbucks, explained that the “Back to Starbucks” plan established two priorities: first, recover morning consumption and then develop afternoon sales.
Although operations improved during both periods, the company acknowledges that afternoon growth has yet to reach the pace seen in the morning. To close that gap, it is betting on a combination of beverages, food, marketing, and operational improvements.
What does Starbucks sell in the afternoon?
Refreshers has become one of the main tools for winning over customers during this daypart. The platform posted double-digit revenue growth in the United States during the third quarter.
Performance was supported by customizable energy beverages and flavors such as Blue Coconut and Mango. The chain is also preparing Blended Refreshers, new Orange Cream beverages, and the return of the Unicorn Frappuccino.
Another relevant category is matcha, as it allows Starbucks to create customizable cold beverages and respond to consumers looking for alternatives to traditional coffee.
Starbucks has also identified greater demand for beverages with little or no caffeine during the afternoon. This preference opens opportunities to compete with soft drinks, energy drinks, juices, and other specialty chains.
The company will also begin testing carbonated beverages in selected markets, although it did not disclose which countries will participate or confirm whether they will be available in Mexico.
Food helps create new consumption occasions
The afternoon strategy does not depend solely on beverages. Starbucks believes that combining food and drinks can increase traffic and raise order values after midday.
Food attachment reached a third-quarter record at company-operated Starbucks stores in the United States. Growth occurred across all dayparts, but the largest gains were recorded during the afternoon.
The company is testing products such as wraps to expand the options available after breakfast and offer alternatives that are better suited for lunch or a light meal.
Higher food attachment also contributed to a 3.6% increase in the average ticket in the United States. Starbucks clarified that price increases contributed less than one percentage point; the remainder was related to delivery, customizations, and food.
Starbucks adapts its menus depending on the time of day
The company is installing digital menus to change the products promoted throughout the day. Starbucks estimates that between 80% and 90% of its U.S. stores will have these screens by September 2026.
In the morning, menus can highlight coffee and breakfast products. After midday, the screens can give greater visibility to Refreshers, matcha, Frappuccino, food, and other cold options.
Niccol said this segmentation is already helping build the afternoon business because stores can better communicate which products are available and relevant for that time of day.
Digital menus will also be incorporated into coffeehouses included in Starbucks’ remodeling program. The company has surpassed 1,000 renovations in North America and now aims to complete at least 1,500 before the end of fiscal 2026.
Faster operations to serve every channel
Starbucks is seeking to eliminate obstacles that limit the number of orders it can serve during the afternoon. The chain is working to improve speed and accuracy at the counter, drive-thru, mobile ordering, pickup, and delivery.
The Smart Queue system helps organize orders coming from different channels. The company said it achieved its target service times across all access points during the quarter despite the increase in transactions.
Food availability is also approaching 99%, approximately 10 percentage points above the level recorded a year earlier.
With these measures, Starbucks aims to ensure that growth is no longer concentrated primarily around breakfast. Cold beverages, matcha, food, and menus tailored to different dayparts will be the main tools for turning the afternoon into a new growth engine for its more than 41,000 coffeehouses.
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