On November 7, 2024, Starbucks customers in the U.S. and Canada can swap regular milk for plant-based alternatives without paying extra. That’s right—no more getting sticker shock when you ask for oat milk in your latte!
What’s Changing?
Remember that annoying upcharge you’d see every time you ordered almond, oat, soy, or coconut milk? It’s gone! Starting with Starbucks’ holiday menu launch on November 7, customers at company-owned stores in the U.S. and Canada won’t pay extra for customizing their drinks with non-dairy milk options.
This isn’t pocket change we’re talking about either. The surcharge can reach up to 80 cents in some markets, and customers who regularly customize their drinks could save about 10% on their orders.
Why This Matters
Here’s something that might surprise you: asking for non-dairy milk is the second most popular customization at Starbucks, right behind adding an extra shot of espresso. Translation? A lot of people have been paying these extra fees for a long time.
Almost half of Starbucks customers in the U.S. who pay to modify their beverages will see their bills drop by about 10%. That adds up fast if you’re a daily coffee drinker!
The Backstory: Years of Customer Complaints
This change didn’t happen overnight. Vegan and lactose-intolerant customers, along with animal rights organizations, have been pushing for this change for years. The pressure included:
- A Change.org petition with over 38,000 signatures
- PETA protests at Starbucks headquarters that lasted over 100 days
- Even Sir Paul McCartney wrote a letter to Starbucks asking them to drop the fee
- A 13-year-old boy was arrested while protesting at a Florida Starbucks
What Starbucks’ CEO Says
Brian Niccol, Starbucks’ chairman and CEO, explained, “Core to the Starbucks Experience is the ability to customize your beverage to make it yours. By removing the extra charge for non-dairy milks, we’re embracing all the ways our customers enjoy their Starbucks.”
Niccol, who joined Starbucks in September after running Chipotle, sees this as part of a bigger makeover for the coffee giant. The company has been struggling with declining sales as higher prices have driven away customers already stretched by inflation.
The Bigger Picture
Starbucks isn’t the first to make this move. Their UK locations dropped the upcharge in 2022, followed by Germany and France in 2023. Now North America is finally catching up.
The Plant Based Foods Association called the decision “significant on multiple fronts,” noting that charging extra for dietary preferences or necessities raises equity concerns. As one advocate put it, people shouldn’t have to pay a penalty for making thoughtful dietary choices.
What’s Next?
This change is part of Starbucks’ broader strategy to win back customers. The company has committed to not raising menu prices at company-owned North American stores through fiscal year 2025 and is also working to simplify their confusing customization pricing system.
They’re also cutting back on discounts and promotions that haven’t been effective and are discontinuing their olive oil-infused drinks (which, let’s be honest, not many people were ordering anyway).
The Environmental Bonus
Beyond saving customers money, this change could encourage more people to choose plant-based options, which are generally better for the environment since they require fewer resources to produce and don’t involve dairy farming.
The takeaway? Your morning oat milk latte just got more affordable, and Starbucks is betting that happier customers will mean better business. It’s a win-win that’s been a long time coming!
