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February 4, 2008
Say Goodbye to Starbucks' Breakfast Sandwiches
You may have heard that February is Breakfast month here at LAist, in which we celebrate the glory that is the morning meal. But our celebration is twinged with sadness for those who may have been fans of the a.m. food fare served up at Starbucks. The company has announced they are ditching their breakfast sandwiches and declaring that their Mission: Lure Customers Back from Fast Food Joints that Sell Breakfast Eats that Include Some Form of Protein was ultimately unsuccessful.
The sandwiches, which are heated up in a press when served, had a more "gourmet" angle than, say, a McGriddle. Foodie site Slashfood reported on a taste-testing when the sandwiches debuted in 2006; the Eggs Florentine with Baby Spinach and Havarti was a favorite, and the Low Fat Turkey Bacon, Cholesterol-free Egg and Reduced Fat Cheddar the least popular. I'll admit I only ever tried one, and one was all it took to set in my mind that breakfast does not equal Starbucks, unless we're talking a muffin with my coffee while waiting to board a plane at LAX. Of course, the one time I rolled through my local drive-thru Starbucks, I picked the grossest one, hoping that having a "healthier" on-the-road breakfast option would be a reality. (I've since taken up eating a packet of oatmeal at my desk when I get to my office in the morning.)
Starbucks says they'll phase out the 'wiches by the end of the year, which will initially cost them, since they actually "boost a typical store's annual revenue by $35,000." Their new plan, which is in the testing stage right now, could be a smaller, cheaper cuppa joe; they're testing "$1 extra-small cups of drip coffee with free refills in some Seattle stores" and are preparing to announce "five bold innovations" at their annual meeting next month, per Chairman and Chief Executive Howard Schultz. They will also open fewer new stores than planned nationally and abroad this year, in response to the country's troubled economy.
So, so long breakfast sandwiches. Now, let's see if you can figure out how to put the sprinkles on your peppermint mochas next holiday season!
Photo by < cleverCl@i®ê > via Flickr
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I try not to eat them all the time, but when the wife and I are jamming for an AM appointment downtown, they're better than the alternatives, and I actually like them too. Gonna be pissed when it happens (muffins make me cranky in the morning).
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Traveling to LA from DC. Stopped at a starbucks this morning. I felt like almost every sandwhich, except a Spinach and Feta option (I don't like Feta) had bacon. It they had a yummy healthy option (not just gourmet) I would have tried one.
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This is terrible news. Starbucks pastries suck, but the breakfast sandwiches are yummy - especially the spinach feta wrap.
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Ha! I never got to try them because they were only in limited locations. Having spent most of the year at Gower Gulch, it was pastries (not so good) or yogurt parfait (only marginally better) - or nothing.
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Well, Donna, you have a few months left, if you're up to trying them, since they'll still be around for a while.
Maybe I'll bite the bullet and try another one, since that low-fat cheese and turkey bacon was like, well, biting a bullet, come to think of it.
I like their yogurt/granola "parfaits" in the morning too, and since I've boycotted fast food, my options are marginal. I'd rather grab a protein bar/drink, though, if pressed.
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that's so funny, i just tried to get one at my regular downtown starbucks and heard the abd news! i'm really sad about it -- i really liked those sandwiches, plus they kept me full for like 5 hours. the barista told me they were phasing them out because "people didn't like the smell of cheese at a coffee shop." so crazy.