Starbucks drops controversial menu item in shakeup ahead of holidays

Starbucks has dropped one of its highly talked-about drink lineups in its latest menu shakeup ahead of the holiday season.

The company's polarizing olive-oil infused coffee experience, Oleato, will no longer be available in the U.S. starting next month, a spokesperson for Starbucks confirmed to NBC Chicago. The change comes less than a year after the lineup of infused beverages first launched, blending Starbucks coffee with Partanna extra-virgin olive oil.

The drinks debuted at some Chicago-area stores in 2023, but expanded nationwide in January 2024.

They didn't come without controversy, though, with some reporting stomach problems after trying the beverages.

Shortly after the Oleato drinks launched, a Reddit thread posted by a user who claimed to be a Starbucks barista questioned the concoction, adding that a staff taste-test resulted in several trips to the bathroom.

"Half the team tried it yesterday and a few ended up... Needing to use the restroom, if ya know what I mean," the post says, which drew more than 130 comments. "I'm honestly scared to try it because I already have stomach/bowel problems."

Social media users reported similar issues.

“That oleato drink from starbs makin my stomach speak,” one user wrote on Twitter, now known as X.

Other reviews posted to social media of the Oleato drinks were positive, however.

“Starbucks, the new Oleato drink is so...delicious! Love it!!!” one tweet, accompanied by photos of the drink, read. "I tried all 3 and loved all of them," a similar post on Reddit said. "Had no problems whatsoever."

Oleato beverages will remain available in select Starbucks stores across Italy, Japan and China, the spokesperson noted.

The end of the Oleato drinks come just as Starbucks, which is no stranger to menu changes, announced new "Wicked"-themed beverages. The limited-time drinks are inspired by the film’s main characters, Glinda (the Good Witch of the South) and Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West).

At the same time, CNBC reported Tuesday that Starbucks' preliminary quarterly results showed its sales fell again.

The latest menu change comes as the company works to simplify its roster, a strategy spearheaded by new CEO Brian Niccol. The decision to remove the Oleato lineup was made prior to Niccol taking over the role, however.