How to Save Money at Starbucks

Starbucks can be a tricky place to decide upon what to purchase. With everything from mochas to macchiatos and everywhere in between, once a drink of choice is picked and liked, many customers tend to not stray away from ordering anything else. While having a preferred option is always great, there are many ways these drinks of choice can be ordered for cheaper, as long as you know the Starbucks language. Not desiring to pay the outlandish prices they charged, I was motivated to find ways to get drinks for cheaper. After searching for the best tips, below is a list of tricks to keep more of the money in your pocket while at Starbucks.

1. Want Coffee, Get Coffee, Not Room!

Starbucks is most popular for it’s specific roasting techniques that makes their coffee loved by millions. When ordering this beverage, many customers ask for room in their coffee so that they can place cream and sugar in their drink, while others tend to walk over to the trash can and pour some out there before ‘fluffing’ up their beverage. Yes, there are some that can drink coffee black, but for the rest, room is necessary. By simply ordering the drink in the next sized up cup, the price stays the same, you get the amount of coffee that you paid for, and room for the cream and sugar. Example, “Hello, may I please have a tall coffee in a grande cup.” Barista’s hear it all the time by regulars, and don’t mind at all. In fact baristas enjoy when there is less coffee spilling out of the trash cans, as it makes our work easier.

Also, by purchasing a Starbucks card and registering it online, coffee refills are free every time the cup is refilled. This is also true for the iced tea options.

2. Save Money On Iced Coffee

All Starbucks iced coffee consists of, is a special blend of Starbucks coffee (which can be purchased in bulk for $10) brewed on half batch instead of full. From there the iced coffee is poured into pitchers half way, and then ice filling the pitcher to the top. From there when we serve it, the beverage gets 3/4 full again, and then topped with ice. To get more for your price, feel free to ask for the ideal size beverage with no ice, and then asking for a cup of ice on the side. By doing this, the customer gets almost twice the amount desired for no extra cost. Also feel free to use the coffee technique and ask for the size desired but in the next size up container, thus allowing room for cream and sugar.

Tip: Did you know that Starbucks Iced Coffee automatically comes sweetened with classic sweetener, which is just sugar? If you want other sweeteners added instead for more flavor, ask for the sweetener of choice to be switched out and replaced as the classic. There is no extra charge, and if needed, sugar is available to add yourself. Simply say, “May I please have Vanilla instead of classic in my iced coffee?” This allows the drink to have more flavor without paying for syrup to be added.

3. Get More Out Of Your Frappachino

Ever feel as though Frappachino’s are delicious, but full of more ice than the drink itself? Get more of your frappachino by asking for the beverage to be double blended. While not expected, many baristas make slightly too much of the beverage, and after the cup is full, dispose of the rest. By asking for the drink to be double blended, the ice is more finely broken down, allowing for more of the drink to make it into your cup instead of down the drain. Believe it or not, many believe the beverage actually takes better made this way, allowing for more of a coffee taste than a brain freeze.

4. Want Whip Cream On Your Hot Beverage?

When making a drink, if whip cream is desired on a beverage, baristas pour slightly less of the drink into the cup in order to allow for the whip cream to fit. The difference in what is not poured into the cup can often be the difference between a tall and grande, or a grande in a venti. Simply ask for the drink sized desired in the next sized up cup, that way none of the purchased beverage is missing, and there’s room to ask for extra whip cream if wanted. Just say, “May I please have a tall mocha in a grande cup with whip cream?”

5. Make Your Own Iced Latte For Half The Price

A popular drink, an iced latte is simply shots of expresso over ice and filled to the top with milk. These beverages run from $3 to just under $5. Save money by asking for just the expresso shots over ice, and then going over to the bar where there is milk and creamer options, and pour the milk in yourself over there. By simply asking, “May I please have two shots of expresso over ice in a grande cup?” or whatever size desired for the latte, the price goes down to under $2 and it is exactly the same.

Want syrup in the latte? No problem! For just $.40 more, any of the Starbucks syrups can be added to the beverage. This also works great for making an iced mocha or iced white mocha, same price, same steps. Just change how you order the beverage to, “May I please have two shots of expresso in an iced grande cup and have mocha added to that?” Pay $2.30 for an iced venti white mocha, yes please!

By making these small changes to how a beverage is ordered, Starbucks drinks can taste better, include more, and cost less.