Starbucks customers notice that TALL isn't on the new drive-thru menu boards

On August 17, Starbucks Gossip visitor "Legendary or Bust" wrote in the comments section: "Why is no one talking about the new Drive Thru menu boards that go into effect Aug 31 that will NOT show tall size?" Well, the menus have been up for a week and customers are noticing -- and constantly asking: "Can I still order a tall?" Dumb move, Starbucks! || Read "Why Does My Starbucks No Longer Advertise 'Tall' Coffees?"

Comments

[Mrs. Tillinghamshackles]

Personally, it surprised me that especially with this economy they haven't put the short size BACK on the menu.

[ImChiquita]

Seriously?

This is an issue?

SBUX always changes their menus when it's time for another Siren's Eye rotation (we ALL know that).

There isn't enough room on the DT-menu boards to promote every single beverage we handcraft.

[Coffee Soldier]

I went to Wendy's today...their menu boards only listed the the medium and large size...I said, "Can I get a small?" the person answered back, "Yes," just like we would do too!

[Is Pike a Bold?]

But Starbucks isn't in the Fast food business. It positions itself as a purveyor of primarily wholesome offerings.

OK, don't laugh TOO hard

[Christinschu]

short isn't always on the menu either.

green tea frapuccinos aren't always on the menu.

Tall is still on the regular menus.

This seems like a non issue.

[A-dubz]

Its not like people ever say what size they want anyway. It's always "I want a caramel macchiato, extra caramel, iced" or "can I get a white mocha with whip cream and an extra shot of vanilla?"

People can't order their own drinks right, regardless if the DT menu says 'tall' or not.

[Jim Romenesko]

It's probably an issue to the drive-thru employees who are asked a million times a day: Do you still have tall drinks?

[arabica bean]

I worked at several DT stores last summer, having only ever worked in a cafe only store. When learning DT, I was told that if the customer didn't specify a size, ask "was that a grande?". The new menus seem right in line with what I saw Starbucks doing all last year before I eventually quit. We were coached to push customers into ordering larger sizes regardless of what they actually wanted, when back in the day I would have shown the customer the cup sizes and let them decide.

For the occasional and new customers who rely on the menu heavily to choose their drink, this is exactly what Starbucks wants them to see. Regulars will likely order the size they want even if it's not on the menu.

[Franny Frappuccino]

I think it's great! Take the tall off of the in store menus too! More $ = more :D

[baristamclane]

It's a deceptively brilliant way to lure unsuspecting customers into paying more for a grande or a venti.

[Georgia Latte]

I worked the DT today and had 1 customer ask about the tall size... Out of roughly 200 customers, 1 asked about the absence of the tall. I think this is a non-issue. Slow Starbucks news week?

[otterinthewater]

Yes! Order something breve and grande and extra syrup or sauce! More fat! Eat! Eat!

Gross.

[Mark]

Once upon a time there was "short", "tall" and "grande". In order to promote larger sizes (and larger profits), the short was removed and became a "secret" menu item.

Is the tall going to be the new "secret" and the grande the new "small"? Starbucks is already too expensive relative to value. This entices me to purvey mom-and-pop's with renewed vigor.

[Barista Ben]

Honestly it's so annoying that people *never* say a size I'd rather just start making those all venti's. Maybe then you'll tell me a size! Or even worse when you ask what size and the customer gets annoyed and repeats the drink again, still not saying what size.

As a new barista I once wrote on a sleeve "what size" and taped it to the register. It didn't help

[calibarista]

I honestly don't understand people who order without a size in mind, though that seems to be the majority of people I deal with. I never ever go somewhere and say "I want a Coke," and wait for them to ask me what size. Maybe it's because I know now how annoying that is. It's my pet peeve to have people order a long complicated drink, and when I ask them what size, go on to order two more complicated drinks without specifying the size. Then I forget most of it while I'm trying to backtrack.

Anyway, the new menu has been ok. My customers have made more of an issue of it than most, it seems, because we have a couple people per hour asking what happened to the talls, and have we gotten rid of such-and-such. One person even went so far as to be upset with us that we "dumbed down" the menu, asking if we thought our customers were illiterate since it was all pictures now. She said she wouldn't be back. Silly.

[Melody]

Hmmm. Maybe the menu boards are making a little room for the "Trenta". ;) ;)

[usorthem3]

It just shows that the customer base has gotten less intelligent to a degree because the premium ones have departed for other outlets. That is just my personal perspective.

[is it so hard to be civil]

The department that does the signs mess up a lot. I know of many promo launches that will ship a sign a day late because the didn't include it in the promo package. They also have asked us to take down something from a new promo because has mistakes in it.

I'm not saying this is a mistake. They just seem to not really have it together. The tall size i bet will be back with the next promo.

[Darth Sidamo]

I think maybe we are just dumbing it down (ICCL style) and making our menus like a childrens book so even idiots could look at the pictures and order.

Childrens books are a great idea as showed in my link.

[tallguy]

Only regulars should be ordering at a drive thru (I'm personally not a fan of them). That said, why not get rid of the drive thru menus altogether?

[tallguy]

TO MARK...

FYI, the short size is the most profitable in terms of percentage...not a grande or venti.

[conspiracytheorylol]

yea, the short is not a secret and there is no secret menu. conspiracy theory much?

[nycbearista]

Fail.

Barely veiled blatant manipulation to upsell. Had a Manager who insisted we always ask customers who did not specify a size 'Grande?'.

Hated it then and refused to do it. That's not customer service, that's not connecting discovering responding. Don't even bring Legendary into it.

If Starbucks wants to claim they're taking the high road and not descending to the level of 'fast food chains' then they need to walk their talk.

This may make them some more money, but I'll bet it will also lose them some of their key customers in the middle-upper income brackets who do not take kindly to this sort of thing.

[ncsm]

My God--this company really is shameless!

[Christinschu]

lmao this thread is an overreaction!

not listing talls on (DRIVE THRU) menu boards makes the company shameless!?!

[ncsm]

What makes the company shameless isn't any one thing, but rather, a whole series of actions taken to cut costs and/or increase revenue while not having the courage to admit as much.

[Beau]

As a barista, you would ask the customer "which size?" The "what" is the size, so you would want to know "which" of the "whats" they want.

[shift.misto]

half the customers order a small /medium/large anyway. a few ask if we got rid of the tall, but not nearlllllyyyyy as many people who asked last summer "do you still have the strawberry frappe' thing?".
while my store doesn't follow (or has ever mentioned) the auto-grande deal, i dont really see that as being a scam. its the middle, average, normal size. probably once every day i have someone order a regular sized blahblahblah, and expect a grande.
im saying i support removing integral parts of the drink structure from our already limited menus, but yeah. this really isn't that big of a deal.

beau - i appreciate your grammar intervention. i really do. but i will probably continue to say "what size" simply becuase it comes thru the speaker better.. i already have to repeat the word "Sweetened" three times to every person who orders iced tea.

[shift.misto]

err ** im NOT saying i support...

[formerpartner]

this is so lame. Making mountains out of molehills makes SB partners look ignorant.

[Nik]

How do you say "Big Gulp" in Italian ? That's going to be the smallest size on the menu starting in 2011. To better serve the customers, of course.

[yerbamate]

I also have to repeat the word "sweetened." What IS that?

[Michael]

Is it really that hard for customers to ask for something they don't see on the menu? Jeeeeesh!

[Supposed Eric]

I can't believeit has to be posted. this is such a bogus move. Starbucks is going to lose customers over this. Myself, I seldom think these things to their conclusions and if I did I would have, long, long ago found some other reason to drink gritty, powdery chais at some indy place rather than do business with Starbucks.

[Kahealani]

Ugh ... What bugs me is that how can u come to Starbucks then sit and stare at the menu for 5 minutes ... Why does it take so long ??? Then they ask, ''what sounds good..'' k u came here what so u want ? Come on people it's not an equation from an O Chem class ... Just order!

[Kahealani]

Michael - We don't use powder for our Chai .. It's actually a Chai concentrated liquid/syrup whatever you wanna call it .. Not powder .. But you can brew your own chai tea bags and hot milk at home if you don't want to do business with us :)

[Kahealani]

Sorry Michael that comment was for supposed Eric

[ker]

Why is this news, and why would it cause such a negative reaction? We have ALWAYS defaulted to grande if a customer doesn't specify what size they want, and if you're a partner you should have noticed that it has been the POS default as well. This was the case way before Simphony. Yes, it's a subtle way to guide customers to the grande. I always tell people, when in doubt, go with medium. How is this sinister? One less question I have to ask a customer about their drink means I can connect with them on something real.

[Brandon]

ncsm: Waaaaittt waitwaitwait. A company trying to cut costs and increase revenue? HOW DARE THEY! They should be drawn and quartered for that!

[sheylb@yahoo.com]

really? is this what's important.