Well, no it’s not my idea; it’s called “My Starbuck’s Idea.” Everyone knows Starbuck’s even if you don’t frequent it, and one thing Starbuck’s likes to give itself credit for is its customer service. I always get great service and you can see from the “My Starbuck’s Idea” that Starbuck’s does want to make everyone happy.

So what does this have to do with allergies? Starbuck’s not only has it’s renowned coffee drinks, but it does have a selection of pastries and even sandwiches. I like to take my kids in while I get a coffee and they like to get a treat as well. I know my daughter is safe eating the Lemon Pound Cake that she loves, but that’s not so if you have a wheat/gluten allergy or egg or other allergy that may show up there or in other foods. I am getting to the point…

On Starbuck’s website, there is a page where you can post ideas of what would make the Starbuck’s experience better. While I was reading it I saw ideas for coffee ice cubes, reusing gift cards, and…allergy safe foods. What this says to me is that there are enough people out there who need certain foods that it’s worth it for a place like Starbuck’s to cater to them.

Here are some samples of what’s out there right now:

A gluten-free food product would be great!
Pre-packaged gluten free cookies or bars or pastries would provide a longer shelf-life and would prevent “cross contamination” from other products. (See it)

My family is not able to go to Starbucks because we have a child with a severe peanut allergy. All of the pastries and food served at Starbucks contains peanuts or has a peanut warning on the label. Nearly 1.5 million people in the U.S. have a peanut allergy and must be very careful about the foods they eat. It is not like most other allergies, a reaction to peanuts can be severe and result in anaphalaxis, hospitalization and unfortunately in a few cases each year, death. If Starbucks could carry some “peanut-free” safe food for these people it would not only let us enjoy Starbucks more often it could also allow many other people a regular trip to their local Starbucks store. (See it)

The site is filled with ideas (a lot of the vegan ideas cover eggs and dairy) and you can vote on them and even add your own. It’s nice to know a company is actually interested in what their customers have to say. You can also see what is under review, what is being implemented, and the whole process this takes. The more need a company sees for something like allergy free food, the more likely it is to implement it. This is a great forum to do so. Let’s just hope they do so quickly!