About 15 years ago, before I became a regular at Starbucks, my knowledge of espresso was pretty limited. Sure, I enjoyed coffee and tea, but back then I couldn’t even explain the difference between a cappuccino and a macchiato. Many Starbucks fans are in the same boat and could benefit from some insights. Plus, there’s a unique Starbucks lingo that can make your ordering experience smoother. So let’s dive into the Starbucks menu so you’ll know exactly what to say next time you’re at SBUX.
What is an Espresso Shot?
A lot of Starbucks drinks start with espresso shots. Each shot contains about 75 milligrams of caffeine. You might hear baristas talking about “pulling a shot” which is a term that refers to the brewing process of espresso in the machine.
Starbucks uses automatic espresso machines which grind and prepare the shots unlike traditional cafes where this is often done manually.
While the caffeine content can vary, 75 milligrams per shot is a solid estimate. If you’re monitoring your caffeine intake for health reasons, it’s safer to assume there could be between 80 to 100 milligrams of caffeine per shot. For comparison, an average eight-ounce cup of drip coffee contains around 104 to 192 milligrams of caffeine, according to the American Beverage Association.
How much espresso per shot at Starbucks?
- 1 shot (1 ounce) Single/Solo About 75 milligrams
- 2 shots (2 ounces) Double/Doppio About 150 milligrams
- 3 shots (3 ounces) Triple About 225 milligrams
- 4 shots (4 ounces) Quad About 300 milligrams
- 1 shot decaf (1 ounce) Single/Solo Decaf About 3 milligrams
- 1 shot half-caf (1 ounce) Single/Solo Half-Caf About 40 milligrams
What are the Starbucks Drink Sizes?
Wondering what you’ll get if you ask for a “regular” at Starbucks? Your barista will ask you to be more specific so you can use terms like small, medium, large, and extra-large (for iced teas, refreshers, and iced coffees), but here are the unique Starbucks terms for sizes:
- Short: The smallest size at 8 ounces, available only for hot drinks. You’ll need to ask for this size specifically as it’s not listed on the menu. It’s also the default size for kids’ drinks.
- Tall: A 12-ounce drink, the size you’ll get if you ask for a “small.”
- Grande: Both hot and iced drinks in this size are 16 ounces. This is the only size available for smoothies and corresponds to a “medium.”
- Venti: Hot Venti drinks are 20 ounces, while iced Venti drinks are 24 ounces. This is the size you’ll get if you order a “large.”
- Trenta: Only available for iced teas, refreshers, and iced coffee, holding about 30 ounce
What are the Milk Options at Starbucks
Starbucks offers a variety of vegetarian options and milk options including nonfat (skim), 1%, 2%, whole, and soy milk. Half and half (breve), heavy whipping cream, and vanilla soy milk are also available.
Most Starbucks drinks use 2% milk unless otherwise specified except the frappuccinos, which are made with whole milk, and the Flat White is also prepared with whole milk. Seasonally, eggnog is available and can be used as a milk substitute. The Eggnog Latte, for instance, is a mix of two-thirds eggnog and one-third milk (typically 2%, unless another option is requested).
What syrups are available at Starbucks?
Starbucks syrups are dispensed with pumps to ensure consistency. One pump of regular syrup equals one-quarter of an ounce, while Chai, Mocha, and White Mocha syrups are about half an ounce per pump. You can customize the amount of syrup to suit your taste, with baristas capable of half or even quarter pumps.
Common syrups include:
- Vanilla (also sugar-free)
- Caramel (also sugar-free)
- Cinnamon Dolce (also sugar-free)
- Hazelnut (also sugar-free)
- Toffee Nut
- Peppermint (also sugar-free, seasonally)
- Raspberry
- Classic (simple syrup, a mix of sugar and water)
- Mocha (also sugar-free)
- White Mocha
- Tazo Chai (classic chai)
- Teavana Oprah Chai
- Pumpkin Spice (seasonal)
- Caramel Brulee (seasonal)
- Gingerbread (seasonal)
- Sugar-Free Peppermint (seasonal)
- Peach (seasonal)
- Blackberry (seasonal)
The Starbucks Menu in 2024
Most Ordered Items at Starbucks
- Double-Smoked Bacon, Cheddar & Egg Sandwich
- Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
- Iced Starbucks® Blonde Vanilla Latte
- Iced White Chocolate Mocha
- Iced Caramel Macchiato
- Iced Shaken Espresso
- Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino®
- Caramel Macchiato
- White Chocolate Mocha
- Cinnamon Dolce Latte
- Caramel Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
Hot Coffees
- White Chocolate Mocha
- Cinnamon Dolce Latte
- Starbucks® Blonde Vanilla Latte
- Caramel Macchiato
- Flat White
- Caffe Mocha
- Caffe Americano
- Featured Blonde Roast
- Featured Dark Roast
- Lavender Oatmilk Latte
- Caffe Misto
- Espresso Macchiato
- Coffee Traveler – Dark Roast
- Coffee Traveler – Pike Place® Roast
- Coffee Traveler – Decaf Pike Place® Roast
- Decaf Pike Place® Roast
- Caffè Latte
- Cappuccino
Cold Coffees
- Iced Caffè Mocha
- Chocolate Cream Cold Brew
- Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew
- Cinnamon Caramel Cream Cold Brew
- Iced Flat White
- Iced Almondmilk Honey Flat White
- Starbucks® Cold Brew Coffee
- Iced Caffè Americano
Starbucks Refreshers™ Beverages
- Pineapple Passionfruit Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers® Beverage
- Spicy Dragonfruit
- Spicy Pineapple
- Pineapple Passionfruit Starbucks Refreshers® Beverage
- Spicy Strawberry
- Summer-Berry Starbucks Refreshers® Beverage
Frappuccino® Blended Beverages
- Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino®
- Caramel Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- Coffee Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino®
- Chocolate Crumble Creme Frappuccino®
- Strawberry Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- Java Chip Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- Lavender Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- Mocha Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- Matcha Creme Frappuccino Blended Beverage
- Chai Crème Frappuccino®
- White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- Espresso Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
- Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino® Blended Beverage
Iced Tea and Lemonade
- Iced Passion Tango® Tea Lemonade
- Blended Strawberry Lemonade
- Iced Green Tea Lemonade
- Iced Matcha Lemonade
- Iced Passion Tango® Tea
- Lemonade
- Iced Black Tea Lemonade
- Iced Green Tea
Hot Breakfast
- Spinach, Feta & Egg White Wrap
- Impossible™ Breakfast Sandwich
- Bacon, Sausage & Egg Wrap
- Chicken, Maple Butter & Egg Sandwich
- Turkey Bacon, Cheddar & Egg White Sandwich
- Egg White & Roasted Red Pepper Egg Bites
- Kale & Mushroom Egg Bites
- Avocado Spread
Snacks & Sweets
- Chocolate Cake Pop
- Pineapple Cloud Cake
- Iced Lemon Loaf
- Everything Bagel
- Orange Cream Cake Pop
- Blueberry Scone
Lunch
- SkinnyDipped Lemon Bliss Almonds
- Perfect Bar® Peanut Butter
- Avocado Spread
- Peter Rabbit™ Organics Strawberry Banana
- Siete Sea Salt Kettle Cooked Potato Chips
Oatmeal & Yogurt
- Rolled & Steel-Cut Oatmeal
- Berry Trio Parfait