The drink was already available in Starbucks' upscale Reserve locations. Cold beverages, which are favored by younger customers, have played a crucial role in growing the chain's same-store sales in recent years. In the last three years, consumers have spent more than $1 billion on Starbucks' cold drinks. "More than 50% of the beverages that we sell at Starbucks are cold," CEO Kevin Johnson told CNBC's Kate Rogers in an interview on "Halftime Report" on Wednesday. Johnson predicted that after the pandemic subsides, consumers will be looking for more social interaction, which will bring them back to Starbucks cafes to buy their cold drinks. But they'll also likely still be using drive-thru lanes or mobile ordering to pick up their coffee.