Vegan & Veggie

Trends that will endure long after the virus is vaccinated away - vegan and veggie food.

Warmed Cookies

 Starbucks knows the power of warm cookies.

Better than a Mince Pie any day

Starbucks Christmas Tree Brownie is such a simple idea - just cut the brownie slightly differently, stand it up, squiggle of icing and charge £2.85.

Delicious &

Starbucks cater for the gluten-free and vegan market with bold point-of-sale signage

Together We Can Make A Difference

The challenge ahead as on display at a branch of Starbucks - Reusable cups and one-use plastic bottles of water

Tea Lattes

Starbucks features Tea Lattes - steamed milk with added tea powder - Rooibos, Matcha and Red Apple Rooibos

Hot Boxes

Lack of kitchens doesn't stop the majors expand their range of hot food - Starbucks' Hot Boxes

Nitro

Nitro iced coffee - coffee infused with nitrogen similar to a soda fountain and apparently nitrogenated coffee is extra smooth and looks a little like a Guinness.  On tap at 200 Degrees, Birmingham and Starbucks.

Death of a Milk Jigger

Serving up china jiggers of milk and offering a chocolate sprinkle takes time in a busy cafe (busy=queues=annoyed customers).  Customers are well used to serving themselves what they want and have a better choice of milk/sprinkle.  Skimmed/Semi-skimmed milk and vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate sprinkle self-serve choices at Starbucks.

Snow Time

Christmas Tree, Reindeer and Snowman Biscuits at Carluccios

 Chocolate Pudding Cookies and Snow Mountain S'Mores Brownies at Starbucks

Limited Edition

Starbucks' Mallow Tops

and Cheesecake Muffins

Reusable Cups

Starbucks

Costa

Pokito - the future small, smart reusable cup? 

Cold Brew goes mainstream

Starbucks feature their Cold Brew

 plus filter/pour over

 and better teas than many of the chain cafe operators

Re-enjoyable

Starbucks' reusable cups - Recyclable and Re-enjoyable

Cold Brew is Here

 Starbucks makes its own and Sandows has smart flask-type bottles - Cold Brew coffee is here.  We did tell you over a year ago http://greatcafes.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/cold-brew-coffee.html

Dessert Frappes

 Tiramisu Frappe Creme at Caffe Nero and Mocha Cookie Crumble at Starbucks.

Barista Smoothies

Freshly-blitzed smoothies are now mainstream with Starbucks, Costa

and Pret

S'Mores

Starbucks' new Chocolate Marshmallow and Banana Caramel S'Mores Frappuccino

Filter Value

Starbucks offers 'Mark' £1 value for its freshly brewed tall filter coffee.

Image & Reality

 It's tough when you don't have a kitchen and rely on pre-packaged food - Starbucks' Croque Monsieur looks good on the A-board but less so in the chiller.

All the chains have this issue - see Costa's challenge at http://greatcafes.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/freshly-toasted.html - and it is the independent's greatest weapon if they have some on-site preparation.