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The coffee giant is joining the bandwagon of several other fast-food chains trying to lure in customers with deals by announcing a new \u201cpairings menu,<\/a>\u201d which gives diners the ability to pair a tall hot or iced tea or coffee with some of the coffee bar\u2019s staple bites, like a butter croissant or breakfast sandwich, for just $5 to $6. Starbucks says the deal is available for a limited time.<\/p>\n The new deal is one of many made by fast-food chains being squeezed<\/a> by higher food costs and inflation, which have, in turn, been squeezing consumers\u2019 wallets<\/a>. This comes after Starbucks reported a \u201cdisappointing\u201d second quarter,<\/a> in the words of the company\u2019s own CEO Laxman Narasimhan, and the latest of many quarters with missed results. In its most recent earnings report<\/a>, the chain said it\u2019s been struggling to meet consumer demand in the U.S. and China, while financial impacts from boycotts (particularly in the Middle East<\/a>), barista unionizations, and even a pointed callout<\/a> from its former CEO<\/a> also weighed down the chain.<\/p>\n The chain\u2019s net revenue was down 2% to $8.6 billion, and global comparable store sales declined by 4%. Sales in North America, one of the coffee chain\u2019s largest markets, dropped by 3%, according to the report.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n In the earnings call, Narasimhan said this quarter\u2019s results \u201cdo not reflect the power of our brand,\u201d and is rather a result of\u00a0 a \u201chighly challenged and complex operating environment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n While bundling is a long-time practice for several fast-food chains\u2014think burger, fries, and drink combos offered at McDonald\u2019s and Wendy\u2019s\u2014the deal is somewhat of a rare move for Starbucks, which instead often focuses on the quality and scope of its product lines, with new drinks featured almost every season, as a marketing strategy.\u00a0<\/p>\n Indeed, each time the weather shifts, so do the colors and flavors of the coffee bar\u2019s menu. In January, Starbucks released its \u2018Oleato<\/a>,\u2019 an olive-oil infused coffee with a Mediterranean influence; in March, the coffee maker added the floral flavors of lavender<\/a> for lattes on the menu; and in April, turned to chilis<\/a> to offer spicy cold foams and lemonades. This summer, Starbucks has also added a new summer drink<\/a>, with raspberry pearls and a coconut milk base, inspired by bubble tea.\u00a0<\/p>\n While Starbucks is, like many fast-food chains, facing elevated inflation and higher food costs<\/a>, it\u2019s clearly experimenting with a similar strategy recently employed by McDonald\u2019s, Wendy\u2019s, and Burger King, which have re-introduced $5 value deals or other low-cost bargains to get customers back into stores. In May, McDonald\u2019s promised to launch a $5 meal deal<\/a> as a four-week promotional campaign. Shortly after, Wendy\u2019s announced a $3 breakfast rival deal<\/a>, and at the end of May, Burger King followed suit, saying it is preparing its own $5 bargain deal<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Starbucks\u2019 newest pairing menu is a limited-time offer that\u2019s only available in stores and is not eligible for delivery services. Customers wanting to customize their drinks or food will need to pay more.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n