Did I ever mention I worked at Starbucks in high school? It was actually a lot of fun – considering I really didn’t care for coffee when I started.
Did you know…
Drinking a caramel frappuccino 3 times a week for a few months will make you gain a decent amount of weight. Throw in a pumpkin scone and/or a butterhorn….recipe for disaster. Even a high school metabolism can’t fix it! I’m speaking from experience peeps 🙂
THE BASICS
SHOTS & SYRUP
I made a little chart for your viewing pleasure.
What does this mean for you? A grande latte has just as much caffeine as a hot venti latte. You’re just paying for the extra milk.
TEMPERATURE
Standard milk temperature is 160 degrees. 180 is “extra hot,” 140 is “not too hot”. Kids is a little under 140.
MILK
2% is standard these days. It use to be whole – and OMG was it amazing if you were use to drinking nonfat and accidentally got whole milk. Tasted like ICE CREAM!
HOW TO SOUND LIKE A STARBUCKS PRO (or at least sound like you know what you’re talking about)
Bad word: frap (they will repeat frapPUCCINO back to you)
A “single, tall, latte” is redundant. A “double, tall, latte” is useful.
Syrup = liquid, comes out of a bottle through a pump
Sauce = the caramel-y goodness they put on top of caramel frappuccinos and caramel macchiatos
You know the squares on the back of the cups? If you list your drink request going from top to bottom, you’ll sound more legit. For example:
Newbie: latte, tall, decaf, iced, nonfat, vanilla, did I say light ice?
Pro: Iced, decaf, tall, vanilla, nonfat, light ice, latte please! (Nick calls it my princess drink, I’m 1 away from a starbucks bingo!) (PS, I’m not 100% sure on the “iced, decaf, tall” order portion of the ordering…..it’s been too long….but I got it confirmed by someone else, so it’s pretty close)
Which leads me to my TIPS!
Ask for LIGHT ICE in an iced drink if you get annoyed by how much ice they put in it.
Do you like extra room in your drip coffee? Ask for your size in a the next larger cup. For example, “I’d like a tall drip in a grande cup, please.” (always say please) Then you have lots of room for milk! This is also a good trick if you want to cool your drink off a bit faster. Did I mention you still only pay for a tall drip?
Do you like caramel macchiatos? Order them upside down. They will put the caramel sauce on the bottom and melt it with the shot. It tastes like candy 🙂
This is an interesting one – but one that I never really liked (I often wonder what Starbucks thinks about this one). Also keep in mind I worked at a Starbucks in a VERY well-to-do neighborhood. Ladies would order “4 shots over ice in a venti cup.” Then they would take the cup over to the bar and fill it up with milk. A venti latte = $4-5, 4 shots over ice is around $3. Basically obliterating the carafe of milk in the process.
My sis gets chai without the water. Chai at starbucks is a concentrate. Ask for no water and get milk instead.
I love tea! But it’s so freaking hot! So I ask for ice cubes – an inch is usually enough to cool it down for me.
A kids hot chocolate is $1.
If you want to be sure you’ve got a well blended frappuccino, ask for it double blended.
DID YOU KNOW
Those green lines on the iced cups aren’t just for looks. They’re for measuring.
Iced coffee comes with classic syrup for free? Ok fine, maybe you knew that. Did you know you can substitute vanilla or caramel for free? Just blew your mind, right?
The waffle pattern on the top of a caramel macchiato is actually a method for measuring the amount of sauce. And you finish with 2 circles of caramel around the edge.
Caramel apple cider has been on the menu forever and it’s a great (super sweet) drink in the winter. No caffeine, lots of caramel and sugar. If you like to drink your candy, this if for you. It comes with whip. It’s amazing. (But I’m going to reiterate it’s REALLY sweet)
You can often get coffee grinds for your compost pile. Just ask.
What are your starbucks tips and tricks? Did I get something wrong? Leave a note in the comments!
NOTE – I guess I was wrong. See comment for correction.
12 replies on “Hacking Starbucks”
Wouldn’t you order it iced/tall, then decaf? So that way they know what size of cup to grab before you say decaf?
Yep, that would make the most sense and I always remember thinking it was odd to say it in that order. When I ask for the drink now, I say “iced, tall, decaf” (rebel in me?) but you’re suppose to flop the tall and decaf. Random!
ok so the problem i have is the cheat sheet. It is incorrect. Venti does not get 5 shots of espresso it gets 4 for an americano. It goes 1 short, 2 tall, 3 grande, 4 venti n 5 only if requested for hot. For cold its 2, 3, 4 because 5 would mean a trenta cup but shots are not allowed in a trenta cup. Sooo many customers get confused becsuse of improperly trained baristas so it makes it difficult n causes us to lose money because customer is always right. Then we are charging normal price instead if charging for extra espresso if they argue the point of 5 shots verses 4 being the default..
thanks for the correction!
What are the lines for on the sides of the cold cups?
I know they’re for measuring, but if I want to make a macchiato or latte or iced coffee at home, can you tell me how to use the lines for proper proportions?
Thanks!
Hey Josh! So it’s been awhile, but I believe we filled milk/syrup to the top green line, then shots, then ice for a machiatto. I think the lines have actually changed recently, 3 black vs. 2 green. Not sure what that means now, but if you have an iced cup with green lines, give it a try!
Alright… I have to chime in. Over the last few years Starbucks has ordered Baristas to get lazy. The black lines are strict but no one follows them. Stacy Pincus… the woman suing has the right idea. They are only supposed to put ice to the top line then add the ingredients and they don’t. Most put ice to the top of the cup, stealing from our purchase.
So i recently bought TAZO Chai at Target because i love the iced chai from Starbucks but it’s so out of my budget to get one everyday. Do you know the measurements for the Venti Iced chai?
I don’t, back when I made it we used a concentrate and added water. When I make iced tea at home, I use 2-3 bags of tea + hot water, and then pour it over ice. Or you can slow brew it in cold water. Enjoy!
I want to make a white mocha grande frappuccino with caramel. What would be my measurements of everything. I have the powdered frappuccino roast made up already. Thanks in advance.
Grande: 3 pumps Frappuccino roast, 3 pumps syrup of choice (in your case 2* pumps of white mocha sauce), ice, 3 pumps of Frappuccino Base**, blend, top, and enjoy.
* “cold bar” uses 1/2 pumps for syrup and sauces. White mocha is not normal for Frappuccinos so it has a full bar pump.
** bases are your main coffee, creme, or lite flavoring.
So for an iced caramel macchiato, would I put 2 pumps vanilla, fill to top green line with milk, almost fill cup with ice, pour 4 shots espresso (venti), then drizzle caramel?