(OMAR TORRES/AFP/Getty Images)
ATLANTA (WXIA) - Starbucks has announced plans to add wine, beer and what they call premium food offerings to some locations in Metro Atlanta, Chicago and Southern California by the end of the year.
The stores will expand a concept the company has experimented with previously in the Pacific Northwest.
"Building an evening day-part is a natural progression for us as we are always looking for ways to evolve and enhance the Starbucks Experience based on what our customers are telling us," said Clarice Turner, Starbucks senior vice president for U.S. Operations. "We're pleased with the response of our customers to the introduction of wine, beer and premium food at several of our stores in the Pacific Northwest, and we're excited to see how the idea translates to other markets."
The enhanced menu will include savory snacks, small plates and hot flatbreads along with wine and beer. Starbucks officials said the evening day-part concept has done well in five locations in the Seattle area and one in Portland, Oregon.
The locations adding the concept will also feature flexible seating to accommodate individuals and small groups as well as larger parties that want to host community meetings and other events, like book clubs.
The company plans on adding four to six locations with the new concept in both Metro Atlanta and Southern California, and five to seven locations in Chicago. Specific locations were not announced.