New Starbucks ice cubes
(WJW) — Starbucks is changing its ice cubes, and not everyone is happy about it.
According to an email from a Starbucks spokesperson, stores will be getting the new machines that make nugget ice after customer testing as part of a multi-year rollout. Customers who have tried the different ice during testing had a “resoundingly positive response,” according to the statement.
But a post on Reddit sparked some intense debate. Some said the new smaller and more dense ice cubes will melt faster than the regular, ruining the taste of the drinks.
One poster wrote: “Normally this ice IS IT!!!! But I worry that they will melt too fast in iced espresso drinks.”
Another said: “I used this ice when our machine broke, you are right. The ice is not dense enough to not simply melt even in iced tea drinks.”
Others don’t mind the change. One poster wrote: “Higher surface area means it cools your drink to the ice’s temperature faster. Once the liquid is at the temperature of the ice, the ice doesn’t melt. This is the best kind of ice. Also, it isn’t as hard on your teeth.”
According to the email, Starbucks actually tested whether or not the nuggets melt faster, confirming they do not.
It went on to say that baristas are using the same ice scoop as always so the volume of ice per beverage will not change.
“The ice machines use less water to make the ice, contributing to our sustainability goal to cut our water footprint in half by 2030,” according to the email.
A full statement from Starbucks says:
As we continue to innovate and make investments in the Starbucks Experience for our partners (baristas) and customers, we are introducing new machines that make nugget ice to select stores this year. Customers who have tried the nugget ice in our hand-crafted iced beverages during testing had a resoundingly positive response. Like many of our recent investments, this machine allows partners to focus on delivering the Starbucks Experience while hand-crafting the same delicious, high-quality iced beverages our customers have come to expect from Starbucks. Starbucks spokesperson
Source: WJW FOX 8 News Cleveland
