The Newest Starbucks Menu Change Has Fans Divided—Which Side Are You On?

Just a little nugget of controversy for us to chew on.

Starbucks is in the news for its ice—again. Last month rumors swirled on Reddit and TikTok that the company would start charging for ice and water modifications in Starbucks Refreshers, its signature cold, fruity beverages served over ice. The modifications gave customers more product and less water/ice for the same amount of money. When people heard they may have to pay for that extra product, they freaked.

Starbucks has yet to officially confirm the ice part of that Internet rumor, but representatives for the company have confirmed that it will slowly be rolling out a new ice cube shape. Business Insider confirms the coffee chain will replace its current thin ice chips with “round, pellet-like ice nuggets,” over the next several years.

Is Nugget Ice Better Than Ice Chips?

Changing out the ice machines at every Starbucks store will be an expensive undertaking, so you have to wonder, “Is it worth it?” Are ice nuggets really any better than ice chips? After all, they both do the same job—keep your drink cold.

Of course, individual preferences vary, but there are many, many fans of nugget ice, also known to some as the “good ice.” Made popular by the fast food chain Sonic, it has a chewable texture that people like to munch on after they’ve finished their drink. Made from compressed flakes of ice, it’s less dense than frozen ice cubes, and therefore easier and more enjoyable to crunch on.

Coffee may be how Starbucks gained fame, but now 70 percent of the chain’s sales come from iced drinks. Since people love iced drinks and people love nugget ice, it may be one of Starbucks’ more popular ideas—certainly more popular than some of their other recent ideas, like the Starbucks Oleato drink that left some people with stomach issues, or the bee cake pop that people thought looked more like a cat.

When Will My Starbucks Get Nugget Ice?

It’s not yet know when each store will get its new nugget ice machine. The company has said little about the rollout except that it’s happening and will take several years. It seems that just a handful of stores are testing out the new ice right now, and Today reports that “the powers-that-be will be prioritizing stores that have a high volume of cold drink orders that will benefit most from the new nugget ice machine.”

Will Nugget Ice Equate to Less Drink?

According to Business Insider, Starbucks tested the ice and found that when baristas used the current scoops used for ice chips to scoop the nugget ice, there was no change in volume. Cold beverage lovers will have just as much product in their drinks, and when their drink is done, they’ll now be left with more snackable ice.

Starbucks may not need to switch up its ice, but in the long run, it may actually be a positive move for the coffee chain and its customers. Now that's finally a change we can get behind.