The Discontinued Starbucks Croissant Customers Desperately Miss

Starbucks is one of the most popular food and beverage retailers in the world, but it isn't always the most reliable. Many long-time fans have fond memories of foods from Starbucks they may never eat again thanks to the ever-changing menu. One of the more recent losses from Starbucks' food menu was the beloved almond croissant: A buttery croissant stuffed with almond-flavored filling and topped with sliced almonds.

A Starbucks barista posted a video to TikTok in September of 2022 confirming that "the almond croissants were discontinued and no, it doesn't make any sense why." People in the comments were not shy in expressing their outrage, or their theories as to why the tasty treat is no more. One commenter wrote, "My manager said they always discontinue partner favorites because we're getting them for free too much." Others speculated that the croissant may have cost more to offer on menus even though it was a popular sell, leading to the decision to remove it from the menu for good. Regardless of the company's reasoning, fans are seriously disappointed.

Many Starbucks regulars believe that the almond croissant was the best pastry on its menu, leaving them stunned when the item was removed in 2022. One Reddit user went searching for answers about the snack's whereabouts, saying, "It was the best part of my morning, if it's been discontinued my life will never be the same!" After learning the news, another user started a fight with their fiance: "When he ate the one I had in the fridge...not to be dramatic but like what's even the point anymore." Starbucks employees shared on another Reddit thread that they did not understand the company's decision to discontinue, seeing that they regularly sold out of the popular pastry because demand was so high. One scorned user commented, "Starbucks loves getting rid of all the yummy things on the menu. Didn't we learn this already with cool lime and orange valencia?"

This is not the first time fans have been devastated by the almond croissant's disappearance. In 2017, Starbucks decided to remove the almond croissant and was met with serious blowback from fans. Lovers of the pastry even started a Change.org petition, which made enough waves for the item to make its return in May of 2018. Sadly, however, it has since been confirmed that the chain restaurant has no plans for bringing back this pastry yet again.

Many Starbucks customers have experienced the disappointment of ordering their favorite drink or snack, only to be informed that it no longer resides on the menu. While no business wants to make fans unhappy, there are plenty of reasons for a menu refresh. It has been speculated that various changes in Starbucks' menu could be due to a change in suppliers and partner companies, therefore they lose access to certain ingredients or food items. Menu items can also be removed if the item takes too long to prepare, requires ingredients that are difficult to store, or is not extremely popular.

Starbucks knows that fans adore certain menu items, which is why their seasonal menu is a smart business strategy: Unlike certain items that are available all year, like the mocha frappuccino and birthday cake pop, limited-time only and seasonal offerings encourage people to return to the business multiple times to enjoy the item while it is available. After a brief stay on the menu, items like the iconic PSL are then discontinued until the next year. This creates a reliable influx of customers each time something new and exclusive arrives.

As for the almond croissant, there is no set date for its reappearance, although Starbucks is not above listening to customer feedback. With enough demand, there could be hope for the almond croissant's eventual return in the future.