I'm A Starbucks Regular And Ex-Barista — Here Are 13 Changes I Wish The Chain Would Make

I have mixed feelings about Starbucks. On the one hand, I grew up with it here in the Seattle area, doing homework at my local location as early 2000s indie music played overhead and I munched on long-gone goodies. My mom was a Starbucks barista and would regularly bring home CDs, fresh espresso beans, and festive treats that she used her partner discount on. As an adult, I'd be a Starbucks barista too, and it's where my partner and I ordered provisions for our first date. Yet, despite this decades-long attachment to the business, I feel pretty salty about some of the changes the chain has made over the years (and the ones they've yet to implement).

What used to be a Third Place beset with plenty of comfortable seating, cozy nooks, loads of food options, and rainy day-friendly music playing low enough to have in-depth conversations is now, widely, a minimalistic drive-thru that's embracing fast food practices. Gone are the days of the warm colors, maximalist decor, and walk-in model — at least, that's the case for most locations. And customers who are deeply nostalgic for a gathering space and more authentic experiences are noticing (even Gen Zers who, unlike us millennials, largely weren't even sentient beings when that was the norm).

Between the pared-down look, stripped-down menu, and more meager rewards program, Starbucks' evolution isn't something I'm a fan of. And there are changes I wish the chain would make that haven't ever been on the table. So, here's what I wish Starbucks would do (and stop doing) going forward.

It would be wrong not to mention upfront that Starbucks is doing itself a disservice by abandoning the Third Place model. That's not to say that it isn't trying to revive it (somewhat). In recent years, the company has put out statement after statement indicating it's trying to get back to that connection-fueled, neighborhood coffeehouse setup that defines its heritage. But frankly, it's all felt so performative considering that everywhere I go, it still feels like the minimalistic, bare-bones, fast-food atmosphere is alive and, unfortunately, well, at Starbucks.

What made Starbucks special was that it was a Third Place, and that no matter where you went, there would be one waiting for you. It was familiar, cozy, and reliable. But over the last handful of years, it feels like Starbucks has been tossing aside that legacy in action while trying to cling to it in words — my mom worked at my childhood Starbucks, which was filled with warm hues, cushy seating, and plenty of wooden tables for creative feats (or homework). Now, it's a drive-thru with hardly anywhere to sit, let alone mingle. Across the country in Virginia, the first Starbucks I worked at underwent a similar transformation from a gathering space to a bare-bones drive-thru.

I hope Starbucks becomes a Third Place again, because otherwise, what's the point? Then it's just a fast-food drive-thru with higher prices than its peers (which, thanks to these choices, feels more like McDonald's than Peet's or traditional coffee chains).

There are a lot of food items I wish I could snap my fingers and bring back to the Starbucks menu: the flatbread-based Tuna Melt Panini (tuna melts are a West Coast comfort food, after all), the Morning Bun, the Huevos Rancheros Wrap, the Sesame Noodles Bistro Box. But few compare to the raspberry scone, which is one of the best discontinued fast-food bakery items anywhere.

This was by far the best scone on the menu, and even though it hasn't been available in years, it still makes all of the current scones feel subpar to me. The juicy, sugary, almost floral-tasting raspberry treat was absolute perfection, and it was the only one that my family liked and would order because it wasn't as hard and dry as most scones (at Starbucks or anywhere). It was everything a scone should be, and I had no notes. It was so good when dunked into coffee as a sort of fruity, more decadent biscotti, but it was delicious plain as well.

The scones that are left are smaller, harder, drier, and the fruit isn't juicy (even the blueberries taste like dried fruit rather than fresh ones that were baked). Starbucks needs to bring back its superior option — it would save former fans from having to try their hand at baking them at home.

The Stars rewards program used to be a standout, winning over even those who, like me, are extremely skeptical of the true benefits of loyalty-based shopping. After all, you usually end up spending more than you have without that incentive, in my experience. The benefits used to feel worth signing up for, and I regularly enjoyed them, from free birthday goodies to free everyday drinks.

Starbucks' new tier-based system comes with some serious pitfalls, such as expiration dates for Stars (a massive negative for many regulars), maximum-value caps for freebies, and the slashing of bonus Stars. Paired with the increasing prices, it doesn't feel like it's even a good deal anymore — it feels more like a system that will push you to spend and spend often to your detriment. 

Starbucks should bring back bolstered benefits, lower the number of Stars required to earn perks, get rid of value caps and expiration dates, and stop boosting menu prices for basic items for the rewards program to be worth it again. In the meantime, customers should know some ordering hacks and efficient ways to customize their Starbucks order to get the most out of their experience.

Look, there's clearly a theme here, but I'm not budging. Starbucks is straying from what made it great, and as someone who feels invested in it, I feel the need to keep driving home the point of quality: Starbucks needs to take a serious look at its ingredients, especially if it wants to continue raising its prices (how does it make sense to charge more for the same or lesser product?). Customers are tired, including myself.

I originally wanted to work with Starbucks because it wasn't another fast-food joint. It was the cozy Third Place where I used to do my homework while my mom finished work behind the espresso counter. As an adult, I was excited to work somewhere that had such high-quality ingredients. I loved learning about the sourcing practices and felt pride in telling people I was a Starbucks partner. 

Now, the bites taste more like fast food, and whoever's behind the beverage lineup needs a wakeup call — instead of launching energy and protein drinks that look like they belong on a Dunkin' menu or teenage TikTok feed, I wish they'd focus on serving high-quality espresso, cooling teas, and more timeless sips (you know, the things that made Starbucks special in the first place). It's cheapening the experience. You can find energy and protein beverages at the gas station, and at least there you won't be paying premium prices.

I was vegan for many years, and it was always so frustrating not to have a cream cheese option for bagels (a cornerstone of any coffeehouse bakery). Sure, Starbucks has avocado spread, but for such a wealthy company, you'd think it could get some dairy-free cream cheese for vegans and lactose-intolerant customers. And the avocado spread is pretty small and isn't exactly exciting when it has the consistency of baby food — sliced avocados or full-on guacamole would be much better.

In 2020, Starbucks was testing out plant-based cream cheese, much to the delight of many vegans. But it was on a very small scale and clearly didn't take. And despite promises for years to boost vegan options in general, Starbucks hasn't followed through. So, aside from vegan cream cheese, the chain should offer more plant-based options as well, like built-out breakfast sandwiches, paninis, and pastries. Because right now, the list of vegan-friendly food at Starbucks isn't all that lengthy, and climate-friendly diners like myself would leap at the chance to order more sustainably.

While we're on the subject of bagels, there should be more on the menu. There used to be some really fantastic options, like the multigrain and the cinnamon raisin (my two regular orders back in the day). But these and Bantam Bagels were discontinued. Now, it's just the everything and the plain bagel, and it's appalling: One is boring and meh, and the other is the messiest possible thing out there.

I wish the chain would bring back the multigrain for something hearty, the cinnamon raisin for something heartwarming and lightly sweet (plus, is there anything better than the smell of warm cinnamon and raisins?), and the Chonga Bagel for something cheesy (this gem was packed with flavor thanks to the cheddar, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, onion, and garlic). And Starbucks should introduce some new bagels: rosemary or another herbaceous pick for those of us who crave those green flavors, a sesame bagel for something nutty, a pumpernickel bagel for something autumnal without being too seasonal, and a gluten-free option for those who need it.

This trend of streamlining the menu is killing the spirit of that neighborhood coffeehouse vibe Starbucks once exuded and eliminating some key foods in the process. Bagels are a vital part of the cafe bakery experience, especially for breakfast. They're easy to eat, crowd-pleasing, and hearty. It's just the wrong section of the menu to cut down.

The almond croissant might be among the most missed discontinued Starbucks foods. It was lightly sugary, nutty, a little crunchy, and offered a welcome twist on the standard buttery option. They were also very sturdy, making the pastries ideal for dunking into foamy cappuccinos or mopping up pools of honey. These were my favorite sweet pastry to eat while on a break when I was a barista and needed something super quick but tasty. They were bulkier than the plain croissant, but still felt light as clouds.

Croissants, like bagels, are a key piece of any coffeehouse equation, so I never understood why Starbucks would cut that part of the menu down other than that fast-food mentality of cheapness. If anything, the chain would do well to add a few more options, like a berry offering, a cinnamon or chocolate option, and, of course, the familiar almond croissant.

This Starbucks menu item will always have a hold on my heart, as my partner and I ordered it on our very first date nearly 10 years ago. So, despite its degrading quality and skimping portions, I still feel driven to order this regularly for the nostalgia of it (and to see if its lackluster presentation and taste are a fluke — unfortunately, they aren't).

For something that makes up half the panini menu (seriously, Starbucks, bring back variety), the tomato and mozzarella panini should have enough cheese, pesto, tomatoes, and greenery to cover the slices of bread. And the bread should be high quality and delicious enough to eat on its own, not two white pieces of cardboard — when I was a teenager, it used to come on a golden piccolo roll, and it was always fantastic. There shouldn't just be two tiny tomato pieces, a clump of spinach, a smudge of pesto only in the middle, and what looks like not even a full cheese slice. The interior of the sandwich shouldn't be bare — at that point, it's just two slices of sparsely spread toast stuck together.

It feels unnecessary to explain how a sandwich works, but it seems that Starbucks is forgetting it, so here we are. This is especially a shame since the chain is based in the Pacific Northwest, and grilled cheese is one of those foods the West Coast does best.

I'll never let go of this point: Starbucks has minimized, and it was a mistake. The snack decrease is among the fodder of this decision. It's devastating for those who, like me, loved Starbucks not just for its drinks and bakery items, but for the endless shelves of wholesome goodies you could grab.

The little cookies, healthy bars, many chip options, and so much more made it such a one-stop shop for hungry customers, and a convenient place to spend the day writing or hanging out. You didn't need to rely on bigger items or just a few bags of popcorn. You could literally build a meal just around the impulse-buy snacks. It also made the chain one of the best airport coffee shops, since there were loads of snacks for the plane.

Now, it's pretty much just protein popcorn and bars, about two salty snack options, a handful of sweets, and string cheese. I miss the shortbread cookies, fancy gummy bears, and salt and vinegar chips.

I have a lot of notes for the drink menu at Starbucks (bring back the Violet Drink), but perhaps the most niche yet necessary is to revive the juniper syrup. I live for a floral or plant-infused moment, but especially when it comes to beverages. The juniper syrup fulfilled that craving, delighting with light yet earthy flavors that went so well with the nutty, roasty coffee. So with it cut from the current menu, other former fans and I are left without anything to fill in the gap. The closest thing we have is lavender, which is stunning and ethereal, but doesn't have the same green and grounded profile that juniper did.

If Starbucks brought back this syrup, it would not only please former enthusiasts, but likely garner new ones. At what other coffeehouse or fast-food chain could you find juniper syrup? I've yet to see one. It's also so versatile, offering a festive option during the cold months and an outdoorsy vibe in the warm ones. It feels like a more rugged version of rosemary, which is a beautiful and unique ingredient for homemade lattes.

When the first Starbucks opened at Pike Place Market in Seattle, it was all about the espresso. Customers could come in and get scoops of coffee beans — it was a mercantile. You just don't see those silos and displays anymore, since Starbucks keeps coffee beans fresh via sealed packaging now.

Showing the beans off in-store again would be an immersive way to nod to its market heritage; to evoke more of a timeless vibe rather than a fast-food chain. It would also center the coffee in the design of the coffeehouse, allowing customers to see the beans, the color of their roasts, and associate Starbucks with sourcing and craft again. It would play more into that Third Place feel, as some of my favorite neighborhood cafes have showcased the coffee beans in bins, with their place of origin and roast written on tags.

Not that I support Starbucks raising prices, but making the high-quality espresso visible could help justify these moves and stand out against fast-food names that also carry coffee. Because, not to be presumptuous, but I seriously doubt the likes of Dunkin' would ever do that.

I remember being in the London airport at a Starbucks and being so excited when I saw something I hadn't seen in years at American locations: bowls. I ordered it immediately, alongside a packet of the now-unavailable salt and vinegar chips. It's still the best meal I've had at the chain in years.

There's nothing like a warm sandwich or bagel from Starbucks when they're made well. But the cold case was just as satisfying, and it's shrinking when it comes to what's in it. That's not great news for those of us who live in places affected by more frequent heatwaves and want something refreshing and lighter when it's mealtime (there's nothing worse than a hot egg sandwich on a sweltering day).

Starbucks used to have a slew of salads, wraps, and bowls fit to please any hungry customer. From the nutty quinoa salad to the Hearty Veggie and Brown Rice Bowl, the grain-based options were so colorful and fresh. Meanwhile, the Farmer's Market Salad and the Bistro Box that had the vegetables and the goat cheese were bright, cooling, and always crisp. Then there was my favorite, the Edamame Hummus Wrap, which promised a bulked-up yet chilled-out Mediterranean lunch. The cold case used to be as hunger-quenching as the hot options. This needs to be the norm again, because when it's hot out, I still find myself craving some of these old classics.

Maybe I'm biased as a local, but I'd like to see more nods to Seattle and Washington State, or even just the Pacific Northwest. This is the region that made Starbucks successful — I'm just a train ride away from the original location. I always find myself wondering why the chain doesn't celebrate this heritage more.

There should be iconic Washington State foods on the menu, like smoked salmon cream cheese or lox for bagels, marionberry-based pastries, or perhaps even a Seattle dog-inspired concoction (maybe a vegan Seattle dog pig-in-a-blanket situation). I'd like to see more pictures of Seattle and the surrounding region on the walls of locations around the world. And playing music made by Pacific Northwest artists would be a fun touch (on that note, bring back selling CDs in-store and playing coffeehouse-appropriate music that's chill and at a conversation-friendly volume). These moves could not only be a beneficial way to embrace its homeland, but would lend Starbucks a stronger sense of place and storytelling.