Starbucks Is Discontinuing These Controversial Menu Items After Less Than a Year

While Starbucks is a lot of people’s go-to for simple, classic coffee orders, such as a latte or drip coffee, the chain is also known for some of its trendier specialty menu items. Whether Starbucks is an integral part of your daily caffeine routine or not, it’s hard to ignore some of its most popular coffee creations. Just look at the Pumpkin Spice Latte, a drink that kickstarted pumpkin spice’s takeover of fall.

But not everything sticks. After less than a year on menus, Starbucks has decided to drop its latest coffee line amid mixed reviews.

Starbucks Is Dropping Its Oleato Olive Oil Drinks

Vanilla, caramel, peppermint, pumpkin: All of these flavors are widely loved in a coffee drink, whether from Starbucks or not. One flavor that didn’t quite work on the coffee chain’s menu, however, is olive oil.

In early 2023, Starbucks launched its Oleato line in California, followed by a nationwide launch in January 2024. The line showcased award-winning Partanna olive oil as the star ingredient and included several beverages, such as the Oleato Caffé Latte With Oat Milk and the Oleato Golden Foam Iced Shaken Espresso With Toffee Nut.

While the practice of having a spoonful of olive oil with a coffee beverage is popular in Italy, the chain’s version of this custom didn’t take off enough to become a new menu staple. The company recently announced that the line will be discontinued in early November, and it looks unlikely to ever return to stores.

Why Is Starbucks Ditching Its Oleato Olive Oil Drinks?

According to Starbucks, the menu cut is just a part of the brand’s usual menu rearrangement and simplification. Like the Unicorn Frappuccino and the Cold Brew Lemonade, some Starbucks drinks just aren’t meant to be around forever.

That said, since coffee and olive oil both have laxative effects, their combination led many people to report upset stomachs after trying Starbucks’ beverages. “I’ll never forgive that latte,” wrote a customer on Reddit. Several other people chimed in to share their Oleato stories, including a barista who said they “say a little prayer over the cup” each time they make an Oleato for the customer who “dares to drink it.”

In terms of flavor, some customers said that the flavor of the toffee nut syrup was pretty good, and described the Oleato latte as a “savory coffee.” For many customers, the focus seemed to be not on the actual taste of the drinks but the side effects.

If the Oleato line happens to be a favorite of yours or you hope to try one of the drinks before it’s gone for good, you don’t have much time, as they’ll be leaving stores any day now. I, for one, will be sticking with olive oil-free coffee, while counting down the days until the holiday menu drops. All Starbucks menu items might not be a hit, but you can always be sure a peppermint hot chocolate won’t disappoint.