In an effort to drum up more sales after the morning coffee rush ends, Starbucks announced plans to sell wine and beer at coffee shops in Chicago, Atlanta and Southern California, according to the New York Post. Up till now, Starbucks has been testing the strategy at five stores in its home market of Seattle.
The chain will now bring the new menu to up to seven Starbucks cafes in Chicago, and to four to six stores in Atlanta and Southern California each.
In addition to offering alcoholic beverages tailored to local tastes and snacks such as food and cheese plates and foccacia with olive oil, the cafes will feature flexible seating to encourage evening parties and social gatherings.
Over the past few years, Starbucks has faced increasing competition for coffee dollars from Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds, so the chain has been putting a lot of effort into reinventing its image.