Coffee Bean launches premium Americano menu nationwide, starting June 3

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf will try to make the Americano feel less like a backup order and more like a signature with a nationwide Perfect Americano menu launching Wednesday, June 3. The permanent lineup is designed to sell the drink as a bold, customizable, espresso-forward staple instead of a plain espresso-and-water afterthought.

At the center of the rollout are three drinks built around three shots of espresso: a Classic Americano for $4, a Flavored Americano for $5 and a Dry Iced Americano for $6. Coffee Bean is also leaning on convenience and value, with a large size upgrade for 50 cents and oat or almond milk available at no extra charge. That mix matters because it makes the menu feel premium without turning it into a high-friction order.

The chain is anchoring the launch in its L.A. Espresso, a blend made from five premium origins, Costa Rica, Brazil, Papua New Guinea, Guatemala and Sumatra. Coffee Bean says the blend has been perfected over more than 60 years, which gives the menu a provenance story that reaches back well beyond a single seasonal refresh. The company says the new lineup is meant to "celebrate the Americano as a bold, customizable, and accessible espresso-forward staple," while also making the drinks feel "more elevated" and "effortlessly accessible."

That positioning fits the brand’s own history. Herbert Hyman founded The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in 1963 as a coffee service for offices, and three years later he opened the first Southern California store. The company was later acquired in 2019 by Jollibee Group, and today it still leans on a Southern California identity even as it operates nationwide.

The Americano push also lands inside a broader menu strategy. Coffee Bean’s seasonal lineup already includes a Horchata Dry Iced Americano, showing the chain has been testing Americano variations before this permanent launch. At the same time, its rewards app pushes points, freebies, birthday gifts, order-ahead and delivery, which keeps the brand focused on repeat visits and easy customization.

Coffee Bean is making a simple drink act like a premium one, but the real test will be whether the espresso holds up to the storytelling. With three shots, five origins and a $4 entry point, the chain is clearly betting that the Americano can be both everyday and elevated at once.