Starbucks Sees Success With 30% Off Drinks in Evening Food Combo Strategy

30% Discount on Handcrafted Beverages After 6 p.m.
Rising Evening Gathering Demand at Cafes

Starbucks Korea announced on December 22 that sales of handcrafted beverages and food items increased through the trial operation of its evening discount program, "Good Evening."

According to an analysis of sales trends over a 25-week period from June 18, when Starbucks expanded the range of beverages and food items eligible for the "Good Evening" program, to December 9, overall sales of handcrafted beverages after 6 p.m. rose by an average of 20% per day compared to before the program was implemented. Food sales also increased, with sandwich sales in particular rising by 36%.

Provided by Starbucks Korea.

The "Good Evening" program, which has been in trial operation since April this year, offers a 30% discount on handcrafted beverages when a cake or sandwich is purchased together with a handcrafted beverage after 6 p.m. This program was designed to reflect increased demand for cafes during the evening hours. Responding to customer demand, Starbucks expanded the eligible beverages from only decaffeinated and caffeine-free drinks to all handcrafted beverages as of June 18, and added sandwiches to the previously cake-only food options.

Among handcrafted beverages, sales of blended drinks nearly doubled after the expansion, while sales of decaffeinated Americanos increased by 30%. In the food category, the growth in sandwich sales was particularly notable, and cake sales also increased, especially for certain products.

Based on these sales trends, Starbucks has extended the trial period of the "Good Evening" program until December 31. Lee Sangmi, head of marketing at Starbucks Korea, stated, "We are operating the Good Evening program through the end of the year so that customers can visit Starbucks stores in the evening, enjoy beverages and food, and take advantage of a wider range of products at more reasonable prices. We hope customers will make wonderful memories at Starbucks with their loved ones during the holiday season. Going forward, Starbucks will continue to develop various customer benefit programs to provide a differentiated brand experience."