Do you ever just have moments when you go to Starbucks knowing that you're gonna get that iced caramel macchiato with extra caramel drizzle that you've been craving all morning only to completely blank out when the barista asks, "what can I get for you?" because a part of you feels like trying something new but you don't know what to get?
No? Well I do LOL and I work at Starbucks. I've been a partner at Starbucks for just a little under 2 years. Unfortunately I wasn't here for the soda and cool lime drinks. I had just arrived around the time Maple Pecan was in season (btw I really miss that drink). Believe it or not, before I worked at Starbucks I would only ever get two drinks -- If I'm feeling coffee: Iced Caramel Macchiato with extra caramel drizzle // If I'm feeling otherwise: Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte with soy milk (cause ya girl is lactose).
When I just started drinks at Starbucks, I only ever got Hot Chocolate because, for some reason, they were better than the Swiss Miss I've been making at home (now I know it's because I mixed it with just hot water) and that's all I knew how to order.
I remember asking my friends for drink recommendations because I needed something different. I didn't really like the secret menu drinks (especially because they're mostly Frappuccino's) and TikTok wasn't alive yet.
If you're feeling risqué and want to try something different from your usual then you've come to the right place.
I'll be sharing my favorite drinks with y'all. I got a drink for almost every kind of mood: fair warning** there's quite a lot of modifications to some drinks \
DISCLAIMER: It will be hard to mobile order some of these drinks because the app can only do so much. For example, adding ice to nitro drinks, adding thai walls or caramel walls, etc). I would recommend ordering in person cause it's easier to modify your drinks when the barista is punching it into the POS.
Last but not least, please be nice to your local Starbucks barista. As a matter of fact, be nice to everyone. Just show more consideration and appreciation to those who literally are putting their pride aside to provide for you (essential workers, food service workers, etc). They're still human and they have limits. It doesn’t hurt to be a decent and respectful human being.
OKAY
LET'S GOOOO.
KEY
White Mocha = WM
Toffee Nut = TN
Heavy Cream = HC
Extra = XT
Light = LT
Thai walls = THW
Cold Brew = CB
I'm always tired so my Go-To's are ALWAYS coffee. Here are my top 2:
GO-TO DRINK
I love love LOVE coffee, especially nitro cold brew. Not only is it the most caffeinated drink in our store, but it's very rich, smooth, and velvety. It's also the only coffee that can work on me.
MOOD: "Wake tf up meg"
DRINK: Tall Nitro Cold Brew w/ Sweet Cream
MODIFICATIONS: ADD 2 pumps White Mocha & 2 pumps Toffee nut + TOP Extra Cinnamon Powder
2ND GO-TO DRINK
This is for when I'm feeling something sweet and salty. When I get this drink I usually add ice and put it in a venti cup so that I can get more foam.
MOOD: "Time to wake up megs"
DRINK: Grande Nitro Cold Brew w/ Salted Cream Cold Foam
MODIFICATIONS: NO Caramel Syrup + SUB White Mocha (comes with 4 pumps by default) + PUT in Venti Cup + ADD Ice
COFFEE RUNNER-UPS
When I need to lay off the nitro for a bit but I still need something strong to get through the day
MOOD: "Time to wake up megs... but lay off the caffeine a bit"
DRINK: Iced Quad Blonde Espresso
MODIFICATIONS: ADD 3WM + 3TN + in a Venti Cup + XT Ice + LT Heavy Cream + XT Cinnamon Powder (optional: Add salted cream cold foam)
MOOD: "I want something hot and sweet, but not too sweet"
DRINK: Grande Hot Salted Caramel White Mocha
MODIFICATIONS: 2 WM + 2 TN + Soy + No Whip
(If it's in season, I add salt toppings, if not I leave it)
MOOD: "I'm feeling iced coffee but not too strong"
DRINK: Vanilla Sweet Cream CB
MODIFICATIONS: NO Vanilla + SUB WM
TEA / REFRESHER
When I'm feeling like drinking something light; non-coffee
MOOD: "I want something refreshing with lemonade"
DRINK: Guava White Tea Lemonade
MODIFICATIONS: None
MOOD: "I want something refreshing"
DRINK: Guava Passionfruit Drink *new*
MODIFICATIONS: None
MOOD: "I want something refreshing but I'm also craving"
DRINK: Strawberry Passion Tea
MODIFICATIONS: ADD Strawberry Puree + Extraaaa Thai walls
MOOD: "I want something refreshing but also filling"
DRINK: Dragon Drink
MODIFICATIONS: None
MOOD: "I don't want coffee but I need some kind of caffeine"
DRINK: Iced Matcha Green Tea Latte
MODIFICATIONS: Soymilk + ADD 2 scoops of matcha + NOT shaken (I LOVE MATCHA)
FRAPPUCCINOS
MOOD: "I'm craving chocolate and matcha"
DRINK: Green Tea Frappuccino
MODIFICATIONS: ADD java chips + NO whip
MOOD: "I'm craving chocolate and strawberry"
DRINK: Strawberry Cream Frappuccino
MODIFICATIONS: ADD java chips + NO whip
MOOD: "I'm CRAVING but I don't want chocolate"
DRINK: Vanilla Bean Frappuccino
MODIFICATIONS: ADD 1 shot of espresso + 2 pumps cinnamon dolce syrup + NO whip + XT Ice
(Espresso shots make the drink a little runny, so adding extra ice makes it thicker, but fair warning, I would ask to have it double-blended and add an extra pump of creme base so that the consistency is thick and smoooooth)
MOOD: "I'm CRAVING and I want chocolate but I don't like too much chocolate"
DRINK: Kona Coffee Frappuccino
MODIFICATIONS: NO Frappuccino Roast + SUB 2 Blonde Shots of Espresso + MADE with HC + ADD 1 pump caramel + 1 pump WM + java chips + NO whip
HOT TEA
MOOD: For them sick days
DRINK: Honey Citrus Mint Tea a.k.a "Medicine Ball"
MODIFICATIONS: NO Honey Blend + SUB Honey Packets (4) + ADD 1 scoop of Ginger Turmeric Powder + LIGHT Water + EXTRA Lemonade