Food sales boost Starbucks profit

Starbucks said its quarterly profit jumped 16% as its U.S. cafes attracted more visits and sold more food.

A key part of Starbucks’ strategy for continuing to drive up sales is its expansion into the afternoons and evenings, when its stores tend to be less busy.

The push has included offering more sandwiches and boxed meals that might attract people looking for a quick lunch.

Starbucks said it earned $494.9 million, or 33 cents per share, which was in line with expectations. A year ago, it earned $427 million, or 28 cents a share.

Revenue rose 18% to $4.56 billion, more than the $4.53 billion Wall Street expected.