Here's How Starbucks Is Celebrating Its 50th Anniversary

When it comes to 50th anniversaries, Starbucks is going a little lower key than Mickey D's. Last year, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its Shamrock Shake alone, McDonald's auctioned off a version in 18K gold, decked with emeralds and white diamonds (via McDonald's). On Arby's 50th, they gave us all free milkshakes (via Syracuse.com). Dunkin' made a four-foot-tall birthday cake and sent vintage cars and Elvis and Marilyn Monroe impersonators through the streets of Boston (via PR Week). 

It's hard to tell what Starbucks might have come up with in a world without COVID-19. Given the circumstances, the coffee company has remained remarkably chaste. It's given us two gifts. First, a new partnership with Oatly (via QSR). Yup, that's the wow, wow, wow, no cow company, that makes Oprah-approved ecological oat milk (via The Guardian). And second, a new line of merch, including a limited edition dark roast coffee (via Thrillist). Of course, the dark roast will be sold both at the cafe and by the bag, to ensure that you can make, and enjoy it, from the comfort of your home. 

According to Thrillist, you'll be able to buy Starbucks Anniversary Blend for one short week, between March 8 and March 14, 2021. Starbucks is calling the Indonesian dark roast "our boldest blend," and promises customers that it contains "aromatic notes of smoked cedar and allspice ... complemented by lingering accents of black truffle and fresh tarragon" (via Starbucks). If you buy it by the bag, you can get it to fit your espresso, flat bottom, French press, or cone coffee maker. 

In some form or other, as QSR points out, Starbucks' anniversary blends have been around since the coffee chain's 25th anniversary in 1996. If you, like most of Twitter, think that Starbucks anniversary blends are generally "liquid friggin' gold," chances are you'll like this year's version, too. One Twitter user claims to have tried it already. "Won't spoil too much, but I can tell it's amazing!" they gushed (via Twitter).

Not a dark roast fan? You can still celebrate Starbucks' 50th by indulging in a variety of siren-themed mugs and glassware, including, per QSR, a glass one adorned with raised mermaid tails.