Starbucks tests pressed coffee, inks new Wi-Fi pact

Nation's Restaurant News,  Feb 25, 2008  

Tags: Starbucks Corp., Wi-Fi

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SEATTLE -- In yet another move to combat weakening traffic trends, Starbucks Coffee has launched a test of a higher-priced, French-press-style coffee in a handful of stores in two markets that are using an $11,000 machine called a Clover to make the pre mium brew.

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In Seattle, a 12-ounce cup of "fresh-pressed" coffee is $2.50. In Boston, the coffee is $2.25. Starbucks' regular brew is $1.55.

Starbucks is also testing an 8-ounce "short" coffee, $1, and free refills.

Separately, Starbucks took another step to increase domestic store traffic by inking a pact with AT&T to offer free and paid Wi-Fi access at the coffeehouse chain starting this spring. Starbucks Card holders would get up to two hours of free Wi-Fi a day at more than 7,000 company-owned units. Other Starbucks Coffee customers will be able to buy tiered access to the AT&T Wi-Fi network, with two hours costing $3.99, and monthly access going for $19.99, including access to AT&T's 70,000 hot spots worldwide. AT&T's highest-speed broadband customers would have free access at Starbucks stores.

The deal with AT&T apparently ends Starbucks' alliance with T-Mobile, which had been the chain's paid-Wi-Fi provider.

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