Coffee giant Starbucks says it will eliminate the surcharge for dairy substitutes in its US and Canada locations, effective November 7. This change will help some customers save more than ten percent on their drinks and comes as part of a broader effort to improve the customer experience.
The decision follows years of customer requests and campaigns urging the chain to remove the extra fee as milk alternatives like oat, almond, and coconut milk have become increasingly popular.
“Core to the Starbucks experience is the ability to customize your beverage to make it yours,” Starbucks CEO and chairman Brian Niccol said in a statement. “By removing the extra charge for non-dairy milks we’re embracing all the ways our customers enjoy their Starbucks.”
Niccol says the decision is just one of many changes the chain is making to ensure a visit to Starbucks is “worth it every time.”
Dairy-free milk is the second most common customization requested by Starbucks’ customers, the chain said, trailing only behind adding an extra shot of espresso. Niccol, who became Starbucks CEO in September after leading Chipotle for six years, is charged with revitalizing the brand’s core US market.
Starbucks
Last month, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the largest animal rights group in the US, called off its ongoing campaign against the chain following Niccol’s appointment as CEO. Two years ago, actor and activist James Cromwell famously glued himself to the counter of a New York City Starbucks in protest.
PETA commended Niccol’s track record at Chipotle, highlighting that during his tenure, the fast-casual chain provided affordable, plant-based options without penalizing customers for choosing them. This history stands in stark contrast to Starbucks, which PETA criticized for prioritizing cow’s milk despite its significant environmental impact and the ethical issues associated with the dairy industry.
In March, three women with lactose intolerance filed a federal lawsuit, arguing that the extra charge discriminates against customers with allergies. The company has sought to dismiss the case, with the next court appearance scheduled for November 6.
Currently, dairy-alternative surcharges can reach as high as 80 cents per drink in some regions. While Starbucks already allows customers to add up to four ounces of dairy substitutes for free in drinks like brewed coffee, tea, and Americanos, items such as lattes with milk in the original recipe still incur extra charges.
Starbucks has offered non-dairy milk since 1997, initially introducing soy milk. Coconut milk followed in 2015, almond milk in 2016, and oat milk was added nationwide in 2021.