For restaurants, 2020 was far from business as usual. Your go-to fast-food restaurants closed dining rooms and switched to drive-thru and takeout only. Starbucks chose to temporarily switch to carry-out orders only and even shut down some of their stores in highly trafficked locations.
Everything has slowly been inching closer to normal, but safety is still the most important thing. That’s why, in order to keep the crowds down, there won’t be a Starbucks holiday happy hour this year.
Are All Happy Hours Canceled?
Traditionally, Starbucks has held BOGO happy hours from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m during the holiday season. Last December, the coffee chain held these events weekly, plus over 1,000 “pop-up parties” at select locations. This year, the happy hour event was set to begin on December 17 and roll through January 7. But because of COVID-19, we’ll have to say goodbye to free holiday drinks.
According to a Starbucks statement shared with USA Today, “We will always prioritize your safety and in this moment, we all have a role and responsibility—as Starbucks partners—to protect each other, our customers and our business as we navigate this pandemic.”
You can still order the winter drinks on the Starbucks secret menu, though.
There’s a Silver Lining, Though
While, sadly, that second Gingerbread Latte will be full price now, Starbucks will be doing Double Star Days to make up for it. Supposedly, Starbucks will reassess Happy Hour in early January, so fingers crossed it will happen!
Don’t forget, if you’re a Starbucks Rewards member, you can place your order on the Starbucks mobile app. It isn’t just a personal convenience to pay ahead, it can also help to reduce the number of interactions among employees and customers.
The post The Annual Starbucks Holiday Happy Hour Has Been Canceled This Year appeared first on Taste of Home.
Krista Garcia