Starbucks announced on Monday that its stores will bring back the condiment bar it dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic and free refills of certain drinks for dine-in customers.
The condiment bar will once again feature milk, creamers, sweeteners, and stirrers almost five years after they were taken away over health concerns. The coffee shop giant shared that reinstating the condiment bar will free up baristas, hopefully giving them more time to make other drinks.
However, that’s not the only change Starbucks announced on Monday, as it will once again offer reusable ceramic coffee mugs and glasses for customers who order drinks “for here.”
Those who order any drink “for here” in one of Starbucks' reusable cups or mugs or a clean personal cup will be eligible for free refills of hot or iced brewed coffee or tea during that same visit at participating locations.
However, the chain’s lemonades, cold brew, and flavored ice teas are not available for free refills.
In an emailed statement to CBS News, a spokesperson shared that Starbucks is bringing back the reusable cups to help cut down on its overall waste, with 75% of the company’s US sales being cold drinks, often served in plastic cups.
“Offering customers who sit and stay their beverages in ceramic mugs and glassware is one way we’re returning our cafes to warm welcoming coffeehouses,” the Starbucks spokesperson said. “It’s also another way that Starbucks is reducing waste and making each visit a more sustainable choice.”
Starbucks said last year that it was looking to reduce its overall waste by 50% by 2030. Part of that initiative includes the redesign of cups, as they are now made with up to 20% less plastic, the AP reported at the time.
Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol, the former head of the fast-casual Mexican eatery Chipotle, said last year that he wanted Starbucks to become “a welcoming coffee house where people gather and where we serve the finest coffee.”
Other policy changes instituted by Niccol include a reversal to its open-door policy, which now requires customers to make a purchase if they want to hang out or use the restroom inside the coffee shops.