Rules You Should Know Before Ordering At Starbucks

Starbucks isn't just a coffee chain. It's a full-blown cultural ecosystem, where tall means small, pumpkin spice is a season, and employees are better known as "partners." With over 40,000 stores worldwide, there are some urban places where you can stand in one spot and see two Starbucks at once, like some kind of caffeinated mirage. Depending on your office layout, the nearest Starbucks may actually be closer than your company breakroom.

But even though Starbucks is everywhere, plenty of its rules and quirks remain a mystery to the masses. That's where we come in, ready to spill the beans (you knew that pun was inevitable). We'll cover everything from the playful way your name might be misspelled on a cup to anything-you-want drink culture that fuels 300 billion combinations. We'll calculate caffeine math and the rewards program, discuss details about default milk, and rules related to the official and much more popular unofficial secret menu. With heavy hearts, we'll even deliver news about a popular yet impossible Frappuccino request. And we'll celebrate one of the most important rules of all — being nice, even before you've had your coffee.

When you order a drink at Starbucks, the cashier asks your name and writes it on the cup. For a while, this transitioned to printed labels. But, in 2024, a new CEO stepped in and ordered baristas to grab their Sharpies again. The marker made a comeback as part of a larger push to make the land of green aprons feel a little more human and a little less barcode-y.

Though most customers use their own name, there's no requirement to do so. It's a great opportunity to test-drive a new identity. See what it's like to be "Chadwick." Pretend you're French. Try the alias "Regina Phalange." But just don't mistake the opportunity as an invitation to get inappropriate. Leave names like Seymour Butz for Bart Simpson's prank calls to Moe's Tavern. If you try something perverse or suggestive, you may be asked to pick another option. Ditto if you attempt to make your "name" a political slogan or something better suited to a bumper sticker.

Whatever name you choose, be prepared to see it misspelled (or completely unrecognizable). This is relevant even if your name is Bob. Starbucks is well aware of what it calls "creative" spellings. There are even conspiracy theories that some employees do this on purpose — when Bob posts his "Bawb" or "Blob" cup on social media, the coffee giant gets free publicity. The company, of course, denies this. Which is exactly what you'd expect them to do if it were true.

In the days of yore, if you walked into Starbucks and ordered a latte, you got whole milk. However, in the early 2000s, the USDA revealed that 2% had taken over as the most popular milk. Starbucks noticed that more and more customers were requesting lower-fat milk. So, in 2007, Starbucks crowned 2% as the default milk for most of its espresso drinks. Today, if you order anything from a cappuccino to a latte, it will automatically be made with 2%, unless you say otherwise. Most of the milky teas, like a chai latte, also bow to the 2% throne.

But don't assume 2% is the whole story. A hot flat white, for example, defaults to whole milk because that velvety texture doesn't just happen by magic — it happens by fat content. Frappuccino blended beverages also default to whole milk. Even some lattes defy the 2% default. The seasonal favorite Eggnog Latte uses a base of half-and-half and full holiday spirit. And something like a Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte defaults to oat milk because, well, it says so right in the name.

Whatever the default, you can usually customize your drink with whole, 2%, or nonfat milk, or alternatives such as almond, coconut, oat, or soy. For years, customers urged Starbucks to cut added charges for dairy-free milk. In late 2024, the company finally listened. So, regardless of the default milk, you really are free to do what you want!

Well-caffeinated mathematicians calculated that there are over 300 billion drink combinations available at Starbucks. But that doesn't mean you should try them all. There's a difference between making a drink yours and creating something only a mad scientist could love.

Starbucks values customization, so by all means, try oat milk in your chai latte for a cozy, cereal-milk vibe. Request "kids temp," aka 135 degrees Fahrenheit, so you can gulp your warm but not-too-hot drink right away. Ask for your Frappuccino to be double-blended for an extra smooth, creamy texture. Order that Cinnamon Dolce Latte with fewer pumps of syrup so it tastes a little more like coffee than candy. Ask for an iced tea with less water for a bolder flavor. These are all reasons customization exists.

But there's a tipping point, and it often starts with five different syrups and ends with social media shaming. Reddit loves roasting a complicated Starbucks order, after all. Going overboard with customization slows everything down. Sure, baristas are professionally nice, even at 6:43 a.m. But they're trying to work fast, and the system halts when a drink has so many customizations that it doesn't even fit into a cup (yes, that has happened). You also risk surprise upcharges and, ultimately, receiving an odd-tasting drink. Consider limiting your tweaks — maybe one for sweetness (adjusting syrups or sauces), one for texture (light whip or adding cold foam), and one for oomph (½ decaf or extra shot). Enjoy customizing your latte, but don't Frankenstein it.

It's not small talk when the employee operating the drive-thru greets you with "Good morning! Can I get you started with any food today?" That's a strategic opening move, because Starbucks employees want you to order food first. While your Chocolate Cream Protein Cold Brew is being assembled with barista-like speed, that Starbucks Bacon, Gouda & Egg Sandwich is still in the oven. Food takes longer to prepare, so ordering it first just makes sense.

When the time comes to order your drink, there's an important yet all-too-often overlooked chronology for iced drinks. If you want an iced drink, say so up front. Don't wait until the drink hits the hand-off counter to suddenly announce, "Oh, I wanted that iced." Many lattes come hot or iced, but the default is hot. Even in the middle of August. Even in Las Vegas. Even if you're visibly sweating. Baristas usually try to confirm, but they're juggling a million things. If you order a chai latte and nobody mentions "iced," you're getting steam. Unfortunately, it happens a bit too often.

And if you want a cup of water, don't ask for it as an afterthought at the hand-off counter or pickup window. Treat it like any other drink by ordering it at the register or drive-thru speaker box. Even though preparing a cup of water isn't difficult, making your barista stop mid-latte to fill a random water cup is a workflow felony. Avoid such an offense by ordering water at the right time, along with your other drinks.

At Starbucks, small, medium, and large don't exist. Instead, Starbucks started with short and tall. When it was time to add bigger sizes, the company borrowed lingo from Italian coffee culture, with sizes like grande ("large" in Italian) and venti (Italian for "20," a nod to the 20 ounces in a venti hot cup).

Here's the full lineup, though not every size is available for every drink: short (8 ounces), tall (12 ounces), grande (16 ounces), venti (20 ounces hot or 24 ounces iced), and trenta (30 ounces). "Trenta" literally means "30" in Italian, but arguably also translates to "you'll be needing the restroom soon." However, it's only available for select iced drinks such as lemonades, cold brews, and iced coffees.

For hot coffee, venti is the biggest option — but don't assume bigger means more buzz. Drinks like cappuccinos, macchiatos, mochas, and lattes don't add espresso shots every time you level up in size. Short and tall get one shot. Grande and venti drinks get two. This is why many coffee drinkers think venti Starbucks lattes aren't worth the money — you're ultimately paying for more milk, not espresso. But the story changes when you opt for iced. An iced latte has one shot in tall, two in grande, and three in venti. Given all the confusion, it's sometimes challenging to choose a size before you've even had a sip of caffeine.

There is a long list of Starbucks secret menu items, and it just keeps growing. But many of these drinks are customer-driven social media inventions, meaning the "secret menu" is a secret to many baristas, too. If you want to try a viral concoction, come prepared with the ingredient list and customization recipe. Don't rely on an unofficial nickname and hope that the barista is armed with an encyclopedic knowledge of coffee trends.

Also, a friendly reminder — social media is not real life. Those rainbow-drizzle, unicorn-sparkle, double-swirl masterpieces might be photogenic with tons of likes, but that doesn't mean they actually taste good. And if you ask your barista to blend a cake pop into your drink, be prepared for a polite but firm "sorry, we can't do that."

Something your barista definitely can do is deliver on the official secret menu for Starbucks Rewards members. Launched in the summer of 2025 and located within the "Offers" tab of the app, this is a rotating selection of customized drinks you can order in just a few clicks. Some stores even create their own local secret menus, meaning you can order by name — at least at that one store. But if you wander into a different location, make sure to bring the recipe. And no matter where you go, maybe leave the cake pops on the stick.

The team behind the Starbucks app must have had plenty of good coffee, because they built an extremely well-rated app, with over 7 million ratings and a 4.9-star score on Apple's App Store, and almost 1.5 million additional ratings on Google Play, where it boasts an average rating of 4.8 stars. The app is a convenient way to explore the menu, especially if you love getting creative. Want three pumps of this, extra foam, no whip, light ice, and caramel drizzle? The app has you. And once you've landed on your perfect configuration, you can save it to your favorites like a cherished contact in your phone.

It also handles all the logistics, like finding nearby stores, ordering ahead, and paying with your phone. Thanks to its mobile order system, you can send your order into the system before you even leave home or work, and baristas will start working on it as you head to the café for in-store or drive-thru pickup. Or if you're not going anywhere and want your Starbucks to come to you, the app also offers delivery powered by DoorDash in the U.S. and Canada.

But using the app doesn't mean instant gratification. Pay attention to those estimated wait times, especially if you're picking up your order in the drive-thru. And if you're already idling in the drive-thru, please avoid placing an app order. It wreaks all kinds of havoc behind the scenes, and there's really nothing that screams "Monday" like pulling up to the window and realizing you're 12 minutes early for your own coffee.

Starbucks is more than happy to let you bring your own cup, whether you're ordering in the café, drive-thru, or through the app. You can use any cup, as long as it's clean. Starbucks baristas are not legally or emotionally obligated to rinse out yesterday's macchiato remains. But if your cup is ready for action, you can use it for hot, iced, or blended drinks in any standard Starbucks size. Just make sure your cup is big enough for what you want to order! As a little bonus, you'll save $0.10 at participating locations, and Starbucks Rewards members get a few extra stars.

Ordering in-store is simple — let the cashier know you brought your own cup, hand it over, and proceed with your latte-related business. At the drive-thru, mention your cup at the speaker. When you get to the window, place it in the designated contactless container — a sort of reusable cup chariot designed for maximum hygiene. Your drink will be returned the same way.

To go reusable when using the Starbucks app, tap "Customization," choose "Personal Cup," and then place the rest of your order as usual. They'll build your drink in Starbucks' custom smallware first. When you get to the store, hand your lidless cup to the barista, who will pour the drink into your cup and add any toppings. When you get your drink, you can enjoy it just a little bit more with the knowledge that you're reducing single-use packaging waste.

There's a lot you can do to a Starbucks drink. You can add oat milk, foam it, sweeten it halfway, or blend it into something that resembles a dessert from the future. But customization has its limitations. Unfortunately, you cannot get a Frappuccino served hot. A hot Frappuccino simply does not exist, and it never has. Baristas across the land, armed only with patience and green aprons, must regularly deliver that heartbreaking news to those who ask for an extra toasty Caramel Frappuccino.

To be fair, the confusion makes a strange sort of sense. Frappuccino blended beverages are sweet and creamy, often served with whipped cream and other dessert-like toppings. That also describes many of Starbucks' hot drinks. But the Starbucks Frappuccino uses a unique drink recipe, with the coffee-based versions relying on a proprietary Frappuccino Roast crafted specifically for cold, blended bliss. That famous Frappuccino taste and texture simply doesn't translate once things heat up.

While you can't match it, you can at least hack your way closer to Frappuccino vibes in a hot drink. Add whipped cream (or extra whip) and ask for cookie crumble or another topping that'll make you feel like a kid again. Swap in whole milk to get closer to that Frappuccino creaminess. If you're dreaming specifically of a hot Caramel Frappuccino, keep dreaming. But while you're at it, order a caramel latte with whole milk, extra caramel syrup, added whip, and caramel drizzle. It's not a Frappuccino, but it's pretty darn delightful.

Have your coffee and earn perks too! With Starbucks Rewards, you earn Stars. That's Stars with a capital S, so they must be important. The more you order at Starbucks, the more stars you earn. You can then redeem those Stars for perks. For example, you can get a literal perk, aka an espresso shot, with just 25 Stars. Earn a free pastry with 100 Stars or a bag of coffee with 300 Stars. Or, really reach for the stars and snag a Starbucks drink tumbler with 400 Stars.

You can earn Stars no matter how you pay. Just scan your Rewards account and use cash, credit, or debit. If you prefer life on easy mode, save a payment method in the app and collect Stars when you order ahead. You can also register a gift card or digital Starbucks Card to keep the Stars flowing.

Keep an eye out for the sparkle of extra Stars with promotions like Double Star Days or Bonus Star challenges. And get ready to celebrate yourself every year with a free birthday treat. You can choose food or beverage — go big or go home, because you can get whatever size you want.

You know that foggy, irritable state you're in before you've had your coffee? Now imagine being surrounded by 20 people in that exact same state, all before 8 a.m. That's a Starbucks barista's morning.

Baristas genuinely want to get your drink to you quickly and correctly. But the green apron is not a superhero cape. Baristas can't fly, and they're not immune to mistakes. They stand on their feet for hours as they field orders, steam milk, blend Frappuccinos, and interpret cryptic customizations. Meanwhile, the line is growing. The drive-thru is slammed. Someone at the hand-off counter just asked for water. With all that's going on, an oopsie will sometimes happen. If that oopsie happens to be your drink, please don't take it personally. Instead, take it as an opportunity for character development. It's easy to be nice after your latte. But can you be nice before the caffeine hits?

Starbucks posts a code of conduct in its stores that pretty much boils down to one rule: Be cool. Or, in the words of Starbucks itself, "We expect everyone to treat one another with respect." That means customers to baristas, customers to other customers, and baristas to the general chaos of humanity. The vibe is only as good as the people in the store. So, let's all do our part. Smile. Say please and thank you. Maybe even learn your barista's name. They already know yours — or at least a creatively spelled version of it.