A Beginner's Guide to Starbucks

Cristina Bianco
Chi Omega

By this point in college, most students have gotten the hang of ordering at Starbucks.  

Although learning the lingo and figuring out the drinks may have seemed difficult at first, I am sure it has certainly paid off. But, for those of you who need to brush up on your skills, here is a short guide to help you out!

Sizes: Tall = small (12 oz), Grande = medium (16 oz), Venti = large (24 oz)

Coffee: Served hot or iced (pretty much any drinks can be made iced) and caffeinated or decaffeinated (most likely caffeinated)

Extras: Flavor shots of syrup give flavor to many drinks, ranging from vanilla to gingerbread to mint.

Skinny: Skinny refers to drinks made with non-fat milk and sugar-free syrup in order to reduce the amount of calories.

Espresso Beverages: Espresso is an Italian highly concentrated caffeinated drink served in small quantities and added to many Starbucks drinks for a caffeine boost and coffee flavor.

Caffè Latte:  Steamed milk over shots of espresso topped with foam. Usually mixed with syrup for flavors, such as vanilla to make a Vanilla Latte. 

Caffè Mocha: Steamed milk over shots of espresso and mocha sauce, once again topped with foam.

Cappuccino:  Although this drink is also steamed milk over shots of espresso, it contains less milk than a latte, resulting in a stronger flavor. Instead, it has a larger layer of foam.  Some prefer to add flavor shots to this drink as well to give it that extra boost.

Caramel Macchiato: “Macchiato” means “stained” in Italian, and that is exactly what this drink is: steamed milk with just a mark of espresso, mixed with vanilla syrup and topped with foam and caramel syrup.

Frappuccino: A frappuccino is an original Starbucks creation that consists of coffee blended with milk, flavored syrup and ice, topped with whipped cream and sometimes more syrup. It is a thicker, icier drink.

Non-Coffee (Crème) Frappuccinos: Cinnamon Dolce Crème, Strawberries and Crème, Chai Crème, Green Tea Crème, Vanilla Bean Crème and White Chocolate Crème

Hot chocolate: Starbucks offers a variety of hot chocolates for the cold winter months, from traditional to Salted Caramel to Peppermint!

Tea: Starbucks uses Tazo brand tea, consisting of a wide selection of delicious teas to choose from as listed below.  Many are excellent when iced or made as a latte.

Iced Passion Tea with Lemonade: A favorite among many, an iced passion tea with or without a shot of lemonade is the perfect hot weather drink. It always hits the spot!

Smoothies: Starbucks has smoothies on the menu and they come in Chocolate, Orange Mango and Strawberry.

Hopefully now everyone will feel a bit more comfortable ordering their favorite drink at Starbucks!  Don’t be afraid to customize it: the baristas are trained for a reason. Also, if you’re hungry, definitely check out Starbucks’ food. From cake pops to chocolate grahams, cheese and fruit to paninis, there are plenty of snacks and lunches to choose from.

Cristina is a sophomore studying communications, consumer psychology and Italian studies. You may contact her at biancoc@sas.upenn.edu.