Background Information
Starbucks is the largest coffee chain in the world. It is known for its wide variety of drinks, including lattes, cappuccinos, and frappuccinos. Every cup of coffee brewed by Starbucks is made to perfection, and with every selection, comes a unique flavor. But what is not widely known, is that most of the drinks served in Starbucks’ cups come in a range of sizes and therefore contain a range of ounces of coffee.
Relevant Data
When ordering a cup of coffee from Starbucks, customers have a choice of four sizes. The smallest comes in a Short 8oz cup, the taller cup size is called a Tall 12oz cup, the Grande size is 16oz cup and the largest size is called a Venti 20oz cup. The names of the sizes may vary according to the type of drink being ordered. For example, a Frappuccino usually comes in two sizes, Tall and Grande.
Perspectives From Experts
According to Jenny Evans, a professional barista, Starbucks coffee cups come in increments of 4 ounces when ordering. A Short cup contains 8 oz, a Tall 12 oz, a Grande 16 oz and a Venti 20 oz. She explains that the sizes of the drinks in Starbucks can be confusing for customers as they are not using the standard cup sizes. For example, when ordering a latte, customers have the option of Tall and Grande which refer to 12 and 16 oz cups respectively.
Insights And Analysis
When comparing the sizes of the Starbucks drinks to standard cup sizes it becomes easier to understand. A Starbucks Short is roughly the same size as a typical 8 oz cup. A Tall size is just slightly bigger than a regular 12 oz cup. The Grande size is about the same size as a typical 16 oz cup. The Venti is a large size and can be equivalent to about three 8oz cups.
Calories
When ordering coffee from Starbucks it’s important to take note of the size of the cup that you are ordering. The sizes range from Short 8 oz to Venti 20 oz and the number of calories in the drink increases with each size. A Short cup typically contains 50 calories while a Venti cup typically contains 220 calories.
Milk Ratio
When ordering specific drinks like lattes and cappuccinos, it’s important to consider the milk to coffee ratio as this varies between cup sizes. In a Short cup of a latte, there will be less milk compared to a Venti latte as the milk to coffee ratio increases with the size of the cup.
Price
When deciding between cup sizes, it’s also important to take into account the price. Small cup sizes typically cost less than the larger cups and the cost increases with each size. For example, the Short 8 oz cup will usually cost around $2.50, the Tall 12 oz cup will be around $3.00, Grande 16 oz cup will cost $3.75 and the Venti 20 oz cup will be around $3.95.
Brewed Coffee
Another factor to consider when ordering from Starbucks is that the standard sizes for brewed coffee are not the same as for espresso-based drinks. A standard 8 oz cup of brewed coffee contains 8 oz and a standard 16 oz cup of brewed coffee contains 16 oz.
Flavor Strength
The size of the cup can also have an effect on the strength of the flavor. A larger cup of coffee will have a more subtle flavor as the ratio of coffee to milk will be lower. Conversely, a smaller cup of coffee will have a stronger flavor as it has more coffee to less milk.
Environmental Impact
Finally, it’s important to consider the environmental impact of ordering a cup of coffee. Reusing and recycling is encouraged as much as possible and Starbucks offers discounts for customers that bring their own reusable cup. This reduces the amount of single-use plastic cups and lids and reduces the amount of waste that goes to landfills.
