Does any restaurant embody the holidays quite like Starbucks (SBUX)?
The coffee-bar giant brings in holiday magic in many different ways. Every year you might be excited to see your local outlet decked out in holiday decor with baristas wearing holiday clothing and or hats. It is time, it is finally time, to sip your favorite holiday drink there.
Starbucks regularly features new drinks and specials. The company gets a burst of enthusiasm when holiday fan favorite drinks make their return, usually at the beginning of November of each year.
But when you think about the company's holiday sips and smells, you might think that one size fits all across the world. Uh, uh. Different countries have different tastes in the holiday spirit.
What's on Offer at Starbucks Globally During the Holidays?
Starbucks Stories & News gives us a glimpse of the fan-favorite holiday drinks around the world. Moving west to east around the globe:
-- In the Europe, Africa and the Middle East, the holiday drink served up at Starbucks is the Caramel Waffle Latte. The drink is reminiscent of Dutch stroopwafel cookies. It is made with Starbucks signature espresso, milk, caramel whipped cream, spiced winter waffle sauce. and topped off with spiced caramel waffle crunch.
-- Starbucks makes a gingerbread latte in Japan, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The drink, around since 2000, is also made with Starbucks espresso, then steamed milk is added with gingerbread syrup. The beverage is also available in vegan. It is completed with gingerbread-flavored whipped cream and a wafer topping.
-- In Japan and South Korea some of the holiday favorite drinks are teas. Japan has a Joyful Medley Apricot and Mousse Tea Latte. Starbucks blends three different types of tea, dried fruits and milk tea. The tea latte is then topped off with a mousse and apricot sauce. This drink is available hot or iced.
-- South Korea enjoys a Jeju Golden Tangerine Mint Tea. This is a caffeine-free tea that combines the flavors of sweet-sour tangerines from Jeju Island in South Korea and a taste of mint tea.
And the U.S. enjoys Starbucks Toasted White Chocolate Mocha. The holiday drink is made with espresso, steamed milk, toasted white chocolate mocha and caramelized white chocolate, and topped with whipped cream and other goodies.
Is there a drink that is loved around the globe?
Why, yes: It's the Peppermint Mocha, available hot, iced or blended. This holiday treat, which has been around for decades, is made with espresso, steamed milk, sweet mocha sauce and peppermint-flavored syrup with whipped cream.
To top off the Peppermint Mocha in America, baristas use a sprinkle of dark chocolate curls, while in Asia and Europe customers prefer candy-cane pieces and/or swirls of drizzled mocha.
The End (of the Holiday Drink Fest) Is Near
There is still time to get out and enjoy these limited time holiday drinks, and given that the company has about 33,000 Starbucks locations, you probably won't have to go far.
Starbucks will usually serve up these treats until the second week of January, or until the baristas no longer have all the ingredients to make them.
Then it will be another 10 months or so before you can get out and enjoy these holiday drinks again.
