Starbucks tests new $2.50 brew
From Times Wire Services
Starbucks Corp. is experimenting with a $2.50 cup of coffee to help fight the first drop in U.S. customer visits in its 37-year history.
In its hometown Seattle, Starbucks is testing a 12-ounce cup of “fresh-pressed” coffee at $2.50 each. The world’s largest coffee chain charges $1.55 for a regular brew. McDonald’s Corp. has been stealing customers with $1.39 coffee and challenging Starbucks by adding espresso counters.
Starbucks’ new drink, made in a machine that brews each cup individually, may become part of Chief Executive Howard Schultz’s plan to increase traffic in the coffee chain’s 15,000 stores. Starbucks also is experimenting with a $1 refillable cup of coffee.
