Starbucks Bistro Boxes Take On Chain Restaurant Dishes

Starbucks keeps pushing further and further afield from its core coffee business in search of the big bucks. They've tried publishing books, serving alcohol and installing small convection ovens to heat up breakfast wraps. Success outside the coffee arena has been mixed. But that hasn't dissuaded its executives from trying new things.

Their latest foray into foodstuffs more complicated than muffins is the Bistro Box, introduced at selected Starbucks nationwide yesterday. The boxes, which sell for $5 and $6 depending on size, are being billed as healthy alternatives to most other fast food meals. They all include some combination of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and all are under 500 calories.

They look pretty good, considering what they might have been, especially the four appetizer options. But HuffPost Food noticed certain resemblances between the entree Bistro Boxes and dishes served at other chain restaurants. We decided to compare the four entree Bistro Boxes with their competitors at more established food chains. Here's what we found:

1 of 4

Chicken Chipotle Wrap

1 of 5

First Slide

Previous Slide

@

Starbucks' Chicken Chipotle Wrap Bistro Box (above) offers "Grilled Chipotle-spiced chicken, fiery pepper jack cheese, and soft whole wheat tortillas are served with lime-cilantro slaw and avocado & roasted tomato salsa," and will set your diet back 380 calories. The McDonald's Chicken Chipotle Snack Wrap(below) has fewer calories, with just 260. But it's also smaller and doesn't include anything like cilantro. Advantage: Starbucks

Polar Seltzer Releases Summer Flavors: Mint Mojito, Ginger Lemonade And More

'Stealth' Starbucks: Unbranded Store To Open In Macy's

7 Common Grilling Injuries And How To Avoid Them

Carl's Jr. Testing Ice Cream Burger, Er, Brrrger [UPDATED]

Fast Food Lies II: Meals That Disappoint in Real Life

Finger In Arby's Sandwich: Michigan Teen Ryan Hart Spat Out 'Rubbery' Digit (Mealbreakers)

Starbucks' Chicken Chipotle Wrap Bistro Box (above) offers "Grilled Chipotle-spiced chicken, fiery pepper jack cheese, and soft whole wheat tortillas are served with lime-cilantro slaw and avocado & roasted tomato salsa," and will set your diet back 380 calories.

The McDonald's Chicken Chipotle Snack Wrap(below) has fewer calories, with just 260. But it's also smaller and doesn't include anything like cilantro.

Advantage: Starbucks

comments(117)

Total comments: 117 | Post a Comment

1 of 5

This Bistro Box Vs. The Competition

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

The Other Guy Wins Starbucks Wins

• 
  1
• 
  2
• 
  3
• 
  4
• 
  5
• 
  6
• 
  7
• 
  8
• 
  9
• 
  10

Yummiest Bistro Box

loading...

Yummiest Bistro Box

UserName

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Top User Slides

← Prev|Next →

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Users who voted on this slide

← Prev|Next →

loading...

Comments

[dbrett480]

08:22 PM on 07/22/2011

These dishes look more like stuff you would find on an airplane.

[Kevin Tang]

04:00 AM on 07/22/2011

Panda express chow mien does not taste like oil. Seriously, chinese food isnt that greasy, american fast food is much worse.

[Cheryl Bryant]

11:30 PM on 07/17/2011

I ate this the other day at a meeting at Starbucks and loved it. I personally have no problem with a lot of veggie. Sometime it is exactly what I am in the mood to eat. An Asian flavored noodle dish with a nut sauce is not weird...quite common actually.

[jukesgrrl]

06:07 PM on 07/16/2011

$5 ... and five minutes later you're hungry again.

[FiredUpRTG]

02:58 PM on 07/15/2011

Who wrote this? Sesame Noodles are a common dish in Chinese restaurants! It's not weird!

[EmilyRose 85]

03:37 PM on 07/15/2011

I was thinking the same; the noodles looked like the best of the lot! I like that the author's complaint seems to be, "too many vegetables!"

[DejzaVoo]

10:13 AM on 07/15/2011

bout time. Gotta say, their breakfast stuff is very good, and not TOO bad as far as "faster food" goes. I have always wished they had a lunch menu. :) I think they would rock the house if they made room for a salad bar.

[TheBestPatriot]

09:04 AM on 07/15/2011

Cilantro is the worst herb that I have ever tasted. It’s awful.

[YoMama]

10:28 AM on 07/15/2011

Amelie! I love cilantro. Do not disparage it!

[joefoss]

07:33 AM on 07/15/2011

The more Starbucks becomes like McDonalds, the harder it will be for them to convince people to pay $5 for a cup of their coffee.
=What made Starbucks special was its cachet and uniquely American "bistro" ambience. And, that's what rapidly fading as, in their greed to raise share prices, they push to increase same-store sales profits by any means necessary.

[sb250guy]

07:30 AM on 07/15/2011

I'm glad I know how to cook.

[TooLooze]

09:30 AM on 07/15/2011

Just don't let anyone take your pepperoni or chicken fingers.

[noahark]

04:46 AM on 07/15/2011

heh the pizza deal is a deal and is like a meal for the whole DAY--luv it

[zanzy]

04:42 AM on 07/15/2011

Hey Starbucks, get ride of the plastic and use an recyclable container, and I may come back as a customer.

[chiodo08]

09:56 AM on 07/15/2011

it's already at 7 bucks for about 4oz. of food, you wan to pay 10?...

[Lexi Suarez]

02:46 AM on 07/15/2011

Love the tuna. Did not care for the salami one, too much salt.

[KIMBER]

02:20 AM on 07/15/2011

Not shown here, but I had their protein breakfast bistro box yesterday, and I was surprised how tasty it was. Muesli bread, peanut butter, cheese, grapes and apples.

[msgirlintn]

02:13 AM on 07/15/2011

This food looks soooo good! I called all the major Starbucks in this area and none of them have these Bistro Boxes!

[YoBear]

01:53 AM on 07/15/2011

Hmmmmm, take a plane flight to get lunch or got to Starbucks. Not sure which is better.