How to order a complicated drink at Starbucks

If you're a regular at Starbucks, you might have developed a favorite drink. When you started, maybe it was just a grande latte. But now, it's something much more complicated. Maybe you feel compelled to warn your barista to grab a cup to write as you order. Your persistent fear is that the moron behind the counter will make your drink wrong, and then you have to be a jerk and get it re-made, or suffer through an inferior $4 latte. Well never fear, I've got your back. Not only do I have several complicated drinks that I frequently order, but I also work at a Starbucks full-time in downtown Seattle; if I can't order it right, no one can. So let's get started!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Any Starbucks cup or cardboard sleeve

1. Let's start with a few Starbucks basics. If you understand what goes into a basic drink, it will help you simplify your order.
   There are 4 Sizes of cups available in each Starbucks store, in both Iced and Hot Versions. They are, from Smallest to Largest,
   "Short" (8 OZ)
   "Tall" (12 OZ)
   "Grande" (16 OZ)
   "Vente" (20 OZ for a hot cup and 23 OZ for a Cold Cup)
2. Typically, When a Customer orders a "Small" we give them a Tall Cup because usually this is what the Customer means by a small. If you want a Short, to avoid confusion, order a Short.
   
   Usually when someone orders a "regular size" we give them a Grande.
   
   A Large is of course a Vente (though occasionally I do have a customer that thinks a Grande is the large, and the Vente, an Extra Large)
3. Here's a few more things to know:
   All of Starbucks' drinks have a standard number of shots
   
   Americanos have 1 shot in a short, 2 in a Tall, 3 in a Grande, and 4 in a Vente. This is for either Hot or Iced Americanos.
   
   All other Hot Drinks have 1 Shot in a Short and a Tall, 2 in a Grande and Vente. Iced Drinks are the same except for the Iced Ventes; they have 3.
   
   One Last thing about drinks:
   Any flavored syrup pumps go 2(short) 3(Tall) 4(Grande) 5(Vente) and 6(Iced Vente)
   
   So a Vente Vanilla latte will have 5 pumps of Vanilla Syrup in it.
   
   Okay, now onto the fun part.
4. Look at your cup. If you haven't noticed already, every Starbucks cup has six boxes on it. They are titled, from top to bottom, Decaf, Shots, Syrup, Milk, Custom, and Drink.
5. All Starbucks Baristas are trained to call drinks in a specific order. When you order your drink in the right order, it makes it easier for you barista to put it in order. Also, it makes it easier for him to get all of the details for your drink, because there's nothing unexpected.
   When a Starbucks Barista calls a drink, they are basically calling it in the order that is printed on the cups.. The only difference is that the size of the drink goes in between the Shots and Syrup Boxes. Also, if its an Iced drink, that is called before Decaf.
6. So, Lets do a few examples.
   
   Say i want a grande latte with half the vanilla, extra hot, and non-fat. Look at your cup, and figure out what order it should go in....
   
   
   
   Ready?
   
   
   
   It would be a Grande, 2 pump Vanilla, Non-Fat, Extra Hot, Latte.
7. How about another:
   
   i want a vente Mocha with one shot, iced, caramel sauce on the top and bottom, no whip, light on the ice, and 7 pumps of peppermint syrup.
   
   Got it?
   
   Iced Single Vente, 7 pump Peppermint, Caramel Sauce Top and Bottom, Light Ice, No whip, Mocha.
8. I know it's a lot to remember, but with a little practice anybody can call a freakishly complicated drink like a pro.
   
   Here's a few things to note:
   
   Only variations on Mochas, White mochas, Hot Chocolates, and White hot chocolates come standard with whipped cream. also, if there's a seasonal flavored latte (I.E. the Pumpkin Spice Latte) that will usually come with whip standard. if its not one of those drinks, you don't need to mention whip at all, unless you want it.
   
   Extra hot Drinks, Vente Drinks, Americanos, and Brewed Coffee come with sleeves. If you're Getting one of those, no need to grab a sleeve from the bar.
   
   Iced Drinks come with straws. Your Barista will hand you a straw, no need to grab one from the bar. if you ordered a hot drink and you want a straw, feel free.
9. Here's a few things that (for some reason) piss off almost every barista (even if they don't show it)
   
   -ordering a "Cap," a "Frap," or a "grande Vanilla" feel free to say "Cappucino," "Frappucino" and please specify whether its a grande vanilla latte, coffee, Cappucino etc.
   
   -customers that reach into the bar area to grab straws, sleeves or carry trays. ASK AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO YOU. or, all of that stuff should be available at the condiment bar.
   
   -customers that grab straws from the condiment bar while we are making their iced drink (which comes with a straw anyways) Basically, we end up picking straws up off of the hand counter all day.
   
   -And Here's the big one, the creme de la creme of great ways to piss off your barista: leaving your table messy in the seating area. You are an adult. Clean up after yourself. Otherwise, Leave a tip for the Barista who is bussing your table.
   
   Okay, enough Ranting.
   
   Have Fun!

Tips & Warnings

• Don't Mumble
• Slow Down, I may not have made your drink before, or I may be new.
• Your Barista is not Stupid, but he is human.
• Don't be jerk if your barista makes a mistake: things happen and nobody is perfect.
• Some stores do not train their baristas as well as others. keep this in mind when traveling
• This method of drink ordering is for Starbucks only, though it will probably work just fine at most other esspresso establishments.