Starbucks Expands Half-Price Drink Deal

With Foot Traffic Dropping, Coffee Chain Takes Repeat-Visit Discount Nationwide

(AP)  Looking to bring more value-seeking consumers through its doors for a late afternoon caffeine fix, Starbucks Corp. said it will now offer its morning customers any iced grande beverage for $2 after 2 p.m.

The price is a big cut from the normal price of most grande-sized iced drinks. A grande iced latte, for example, costs about $4. To get the discount, customers must present a receipt from their morning Starbucks visit.

The promotion was previously only offered in Seattle, Chicago and Miami. The company said it is taking it nationwide beginning Tuesday to answer consumers' calls for more value at the chain, which has seen traffic drop as gas prices rise and consumer spending falters. It runs until Sept. 2.

"I think we've kind of hit the nail on the head," said Brad Stevens, vice president of customer relationship management. "It's easy for baristas to implement and it's easy for customers to understand."

The move to expand the afternoon iced drinks promotion comes after Starbucks said last week it would offer more "value" in its fall and holiday offerings. In a conference call with investors, Chief Executive Howard Schultz said the company may offer deals to consumers who use Starbucks customer cards.

Starbucks has already been testing a variety of regional promotions this summer. In some cities, it has offered discounted drinks on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

In July, the chain also gave away 12-ounce iced coffees on Wednesdays to customers in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, Boston and Detroit who turned over an "iced brewed coffee card," a reusable voucher distributed in stores and newspaper inserts.

Robert W. Baird analyst David Tarantino said in an interview that the company's push to boost traffic in the afternoon isn't surprising since the chain has said its afternoon business has seen some weakness.

But he said whether the iced drinks promotion will work in the long term to boost traffic and make spend-wary consumers buy more Starbucks is anyone's guess.

"Certainly a discounting approach could lead to a better perception of value in the short run but the longer-term question remains - at the regular everyday price point, would the consumer still see Starbucks as offering the right value for them?" Tarantino asked. "That remains uncertain."

[Gary Kempf]

Four buck a gallon gas, 5 buck a gallon milk, a dollar for an ear of corn, the dollar shrinks to nothing, illegals stealing our jobs and getting free healthcare, the DOW is dropping, hurricanes are popping, heat wave rising, brush fires burning, landslides sliding, Iraqis hiding, airlines charging for pillows and blankets, truckers cant fill up, Jessie wont shut up, politicians wont zip up, planet in warm up...

GUESS WHAT STARBUCKS...

WE DONT NEED A FIVE DOLLAR CUP OF COFFEE!!!


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Posted by DaVicar2

DaVicar2; that was so well put, it deserves a second posting. Very Well Done!!!

[keith.butler]

$2.00 SPECIAL on a cup of coffee?

HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha HAha

[tmittelstaed]

Replace the "B" with an "F" in Starbucks and you have an exact description of what they do to anyone who buys coffee in the place. Some of the pastries aren''t so bad, though.
Along the same lines is another overpriced niche eatery, Krispy Kreme. Along with a $5 cup of coffee is a $1 doughnut that are on the list of things we -don''t - need.

[Gary Kempf]

I say good riddance to Starbucks, not at any price.

[kittykatty2]

Starbucks...surely you''ve heard of Karma. This is yours. After *** the coffee farmers you are now getting yours. Good job. You deserve every lost penny. I hope you go out of business completely.
For anyone wanting a good cup of robust coffee, you can brew it yourself with Cafe Bustelo. $3 for a pound.

[rushman71]

They give you a drink for 2 dollars AFTER you buy a java that mourning? Talk about idiots. Now I love coffee, and I used to go to Starfukcs about 4 to 6 days a week. But with all of the calories in their frappocinos, you would think that people would rather want to try to slim down a bit. But with such a "great deal", you probably would want to go and by another, and for half price. Starfukcs, are you trying to kill us, or what!!!

[rushman71]

DaVicar2: you left out,"and a partridge in a pear tree!!!" LOL

[whitemale08]

Starbucks will quickly become like any other coffee shop in a 3rd world country which is why you only see Star Bucks in major cities in South America.

But that won''t stop it''s enevitable bankruptcy because the global financial system is coming down. Soon all of you pension fund and 401k owners will dump the stock along with many others because there is no more profits to be made in these businesses.

[ilovemydoggy]

I don''t think Starbucks "gets it". For a $1 cup I''d return. Exploitation and greed was the watchword - and we soon will face the harvest. There is an interesting post today about the declining honey bees: http://www.Vaboomer.com

[ilovemydoggy]

I don''t think Starbucks "gets it". For a $1 cup I''d return. Exploitation and greed was the watchword - and we soon will face the harvest. There is an interesting post today about the declining honey bees: http://www.Vaboomer.com

[ilovemydoggy]

I don''t think Starbucks "gets it". For a $1 cup I''d return. Exploitation and greed was the watchword - and we soon will face the harvest. There is an interesting post today about the declining honey bees: http://www.Vaboomer.com

[ontheleft]

This story is nothing but free advertising for Starbucks. How much did they pay the Associated Press to cover this "story"?

they could give to me for free and i''ll still not drink that swill. stuff is as close to Navy coffee as your going to get...