Y-U-M! Starbucks Launches New Lunch Menu!

If you love a quick bite with your caffeine fix, Starbucks has some new options for YOU! Sadly, it’s only available at more than 100 downtown Chicago locations starting Tuesday, but if all goes well, maybe the rest of us could enjoy it very soon.

The grab-and-go choices are part of a new menu called “Mercato” (Italian for “marketplace”) and offers sandwiches, salads, and sides that are high in protein, while others are vegetarian or vegan. Starbucks said the items are made fresh and delivered daily.  Trendy ingredients like cauliflower rice and Za’atar seasoning highlight the salad and sandwich options, while a grown-up take on PB&J made with almond butter, strawberry slices and strawberry jam call out to your inner child.

“A marketplace describes variety, and we wanted to create an experience for our customers that allows them to assemble a lunch that they will really enjoy,” said Jane Hernandez, Starbucks chef. “When developing the Mercato menu, we put quality, taste and freshness at the core of recipe development, with the goal to offer satisfying meals and snacks that fit our customers’ dietary lifestyles both in wellness and convenience.”

Since the chain already serves food, the Mercato menu adds a push to expand offerings beyond traditional coffee drinks, while catering to customer’s different dietary needs, and the bonus… everything on the new menu will cost under $10, so that’s a treat for your wallet, as well.

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