PrintStarbucks Discontinues Breakfast Sandwiches
Or, 'It's the Espresso, Stupid!
Whether you loved or hated the Starbucksian take on the McMuffin, it will officially be yanked, according to today's New York Times. After making some calls to Washington, D.C., locations, it appears that Monday is the national D-Day, which leaves just three days of devouring the pre-assembled shrink-wrapped sandwiches.
A Brief Starbucks History
Pre-Breakfast Sandwiches
In 1971, they sell just roasted beans and brewing equipment.
In 1982, they add live-made coffee and espresso drinks, all the while fearing that a foray into the beverage world will distract them from bean-roasting.
Along came pastries and banana breads... some ambiguous time in between...
Post-Breakfast Sandwiches
In 2006, they have jealousy issues with McDonald's and create six warm breakfast sandwiches: sausage; peppered bacon; sun-dried tomato with ham; reduced-fat turkey bacon; and eggs Florentine with spinach (all of which include egg and cheese).
On January 30, 2008, that dream dies. With a pending economic recession, Starbucks embraces a turn-around plan, focusing on its original plan: coffee.
But some of the baristas are trapped in a nostalgic, warm breakfast-wich era. When asked about the death sentence this morning, general manager Viliam Kotlarik of a Washington, D.C., branch was as yet unaware of the change and was actually reading an email about it for the first time when questioned. His staffers were equally uninformed. (“Yeah, we have the sandwiches…why?”) The glass display case didn't get the memo either—three sat there, waiting to be reheated and gobbled. As if they weren't about to die! But Kotlarik wasn't spooked. He's convinced his clientele will roll with the punches. "They don't initially, but are always receptive to change in the end."
Besides tasting "marginally edible," was there an aroma issue? All those overlapping fumes of Canadian bacon and coffee? Kotlarik didn’t seem to think so, though Starbucks chairman Howard Shultz did allude to a smelliness factor in the New York Times article.
It's nice to see that the Starbucks menu will be less crazy and more coffee-themed. But let’s all take a moment of silence to say adieu.
About the author: Erin Zimmer, Serious Eats's Washington, D.C., correspondent, is a just-graduated Georgetown gal following her nose about town as Washingtonian magazine's Dining intern and Best Bites blogger. She got her start as the Hoya campus paper's food columnist, and since entering "real person-hood" has ached for her dining hall's omelet station.
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17 Comments:
Damn. I thought they were tasty.
therealpotato at 5:09PM on 01/31/08
Should the date they die be January 30, 2008?
aharste at 5:36PM on 01/31/08
Yes, aharste. Nice. I think we were all still in 2007 mode here. Thanks for the catch. It's fixed and should now be reflected above.
Adam Kuban at 6:10PM on 01/31/08
They need to focus a bit more on coffee as far as I'm concerned! Did they ever actually focus on it to begin with?
Their coffee is over-roasted, bitter and leaves a horrible sour aftertaste. It might be good in diluted in the milk based lattes, but as an espresso - yuck. Espresso should be aromatically sweet, there should be no need for sugar to counteract the bitterness.
My vow is never to drink another coffee at Starbucks whilst I'm in the US. It's not the corporation/business, I just don't like their coffee. I'd gladly drink tea/water there if I had no choice - lol.
ssnmr77 at 7:42PM on 01/31/08
They do smell kind of weird...But I'm still surprised that they're discontinuing them, because when I worked at one of the busiest Starbucks stores in DC, the breakfast sandwiches were amazingly popular. The ovens are incredibly dangerous though--I burned myself many, many times, mostly from molten sugar dripping onto my hand off of heated pastries, or from accidentally reaching in while wearing plastic food service gloves and having the plastic melt onto my skin.
I really think that whether the coffee tastes bitter or not depends on which coffee is being brewed that day. I HATE Sumatra and the Christmas blend, but a lot of the others are pretty nice. I mean, I would always prefer going to an independent store, even having worked at Starbucks, but at least Starbucks is consistent. A lot of espresso and regular coffee that I have elsewhere at independent cafes are definitely hit or miss
ChristineB at 11:47PM on 01/31/08
I constantly hear from Starbucks detractors that their coffee is "bitter" or "burnt" and I have to say, as a customer from about 1991 or so, that this isn't true of Starbucks exclusively--it's what happens when you overbrew coffee, let it sit too long on a heating plate, or seriously overroast the beans in the first place. I live in a small hippie town where Starbucks is considered the devil. I have been loyal to them not because I love the company but because their coffee and espresso is WAY more consistent than any of the sometimes-good, sometimes-not, local joints.
In recent years--hm..around the time breakfast sandwiches were introduced and automatic push-button espresso machines were introduced, --though, I've had my share of "burnt" or "old" tasting coffee. What to blame this on?
Nowadays, I still go to Starbucks, but I find that my Americano or house coffee is only "on" about 80% of the time. Not sure what to do...the other choice is the indepently-owned coffee shop right next door whose coffee is ALWAYS burnt.
For now, for me, it's still the green mermaid.
antrobin at 12:19AM on 02/01/08
I'm actually upset about this, I really enjoyed the breakfast sandwiches. Thought they were better than the ones at Dunkin Donuts, anyway. Sigh.
But I still love their coffee, way more than any other chain coffee shop/fast food joint. I'll keep going there, sandwiches or no sandwiches.
erichan726 at 6:59AM on 02/01/08
The sandwiches were just silly for the NYC market where you can get a fresh, delicious egg sandwich in any corner deli.
bobbob at 8:36AM on 02/01/08
Speaking as a New Yorker whose corner deli does NOT make any egg sandwiches (and there is no other deli nearby), I was happy to have the Starbucks version around. Especially on tough deadline mornings when having something hot to eat instead of a sugary pastry helped a lot. They weren't pretty perhaps, but they tasted good.
TrishMvhl at 10:24AM on 02/01/08
I thought the sandwich was pretty bad.
They would nuke the poor thing. It became very mushy.
Bosmer at 10:49AM on 02/01/08
Ouch, ChristineB. Sorry about your burns. All in the name of breakfast sandwiches! Such a martyr.
Hey Adam, I see a Serious Eats breakfast sandwich taste-off in your stars.. Dunkin vs. MacDo vs. Burger King vs. Wendys. Apparently Subway has one too. That's a lotta liquid egg.
Erin Zimmer at 11:18AM on 02/01/08
I liked the sandwiches. It was nice to have a food option that wasn't 100% carbs and sugar - a little protein and even a few spinach leaves were nice. (And yes, they seemed to be very popular at the NW DC branch I frequented).
anninva at 12:03PM on 02/01/08
I hate to admit it, but for the price, I really liked those li'l' breakfast sandwiches. I'll be sad to see them go.
Tactful_Cactus at 12:25PM on 02/01/08
You have until Monday! Stock up! Freeze 'em!
Erin Zimmer at 1:26PM on 02/01/08
I never visit Starbuck's. I think they're overpriced and overrated. Hell, I didn't even know they served breakfast sandwiches to begin with!!
RichardCrystal at 1:58PM on 02/01/08
I saw on JuliB.com that Starbucks is now selling liqueurs.... maybe they decided there's a bigger market for liquor than for breakfast sandwiches.
rachel8826 at 3:13PM on 02/02/08
Hmm, I just had one the other day. Looks like they're a little slow on the discontinue. I agree that I enjoyed having a breakfast option other than a sugary pastry or overpriced fruit.
sharsd at 5:59PM on 04/08/08