This isn't news to Starbucks employees -- they know all about it -- but customers might find this Reddit thread on Starbucks sandwiches interesting.
Q: What's the shelf life of Starbucks sandwiches once they're thawed?
A: It is 2 days once they are thawed (more than 12 hours to thaw). So if you pulled them on a Monday morning/afternoon they should be discarded Wednesday at close. At my store we pull sandwiches from the freezer during mid, and then the opener dates them to be discarded the following day at close, so technically we have them out of the freezer for 56 to 60 hours.
A #2: It's two days from the moment they thaw; thaw time is officially 18 hours in the fridge.
...and the thread goes on.
* The shelf life of Starbucks sandwiches
Huh. Ours are delivered daily and never frozen as far as I know. That might change when we get LaBoulange but for right now, they're just refrigerated.
Posted by: KDH | March 10, 2013 at 06:52 PM
Ours are delivered everyday, but never last past morning peak. They're pretty fresh.
Oh and hey, KDH! :)
Posted by: CinnamonDolce | March 10, 2013 at 09:38 PM
Frozen stores have them..well.. frozen. Fresh stores, like yours KDH, they are the same food items they just dethaw on the truck ride to your store!
Posted by: Barista Ben | March 11, 2013 at 01:01 AM
these look so gross.
why am i always so shocked people actually buy them?!
Posted by: MrsPotato | March 11, 2013 at 08:28 AM
Ah, ok. I don't know what goes on in those trucks. Our driver is always so cranky and busy telling us about how bad his life is and threatening to quit his job that we don't talk to him about anything else.
Cinnamonnnn what's up? Fancy meeting you here!
Posted by: KDH | March 11, 2013 at 08:55 AM
the pictured sandwich is never frozen, they're referring to the breakfast sandwiches.
Posted by: RubyRod | March 11, 2013 at 04:21 PM
Lunch sandwiches are not frozen in ANY type of market - this story isn't true. Breakfast sandwiches are, but not the lunch ones.
Posted by: Georgia Latte | March 11, 2013 at 05:15 PM
I've replaced the Egg Salad sandwich photo with the breakfast sandwich photo you now see.
Posted by: Starbucks Gossip webmaster | March 11, 2013 at 06:34 PM
"Lunch sandwiches are not frozen in ANY type of market - this story isn't true. Breakfast sandwiches are, but not the lunch ones."
False.
Posted by: pgbarista | March 11, 2013 at 09:22 PM
The sandwiches at my store are never frozen (maybe at the warehouse) but I don't work in a frozen market. It may be different in remote markets.
Posted by: Guat.my.mala | March 11, 2013 at 11:43 PM
We don't have a freezer, so I assumed all of the breakfast sandwiches and wraps were defrosted at the distribution place.
Posted by: CityRoast | March 12, 2013 at 03:14 AM
I confirmed with my SM that our sandwiches are never frozen. She's been around 10+ years.
Posted by: KDH | March 12, 2013 at 08:36 AM
Being in a frozen market, as opposed to fresh market, everything came frozen. Pastries and breakfast sandwiches.
We did not carry lunch sandwiches. We stored all of these items in our freezer. We let them thaw overnight.
Posted by: April | March 12, 2013 at 12:07 PM
Some remote markets that are 100% frozen and do not receive any fresh lunch items did at one time receive frozen panini sandwiches (tuna, roasted veggie). I'm not sure if they still do or if they are phasing them out in preparation for La Boulange.
Posted by: Crema | March 14, 2013 at 07:31 AM
I think they do some of the paninis now in frozen markets?
Posted by: tea-rex | March 22, 2013 at 04:26 AM