By now every human on Earth should be aware that the "secret Starbucks menu," is in fact NOT a Starbucks menu. As a barista, it was inevitable that someone daily would order something off the secret menu, order it as a normal drink name and expect us to know the recipe for a drink Starbucks did not, in fact, create. Now that my barista days are over, I will share some of my favorites that are not on the Starbucks secret menu but deserve their place.
1. Strawberry Smoothie
Starbucks already has a strawberry smoothie. It's strawberry puree, 2% milk, protein powder and a banana. To be real, it's kind of bland and not at all something I would choose to drink regularly.
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What to order instead: Soy milk and freeze dried strawberry inclusions blended in.
This enhances the strawberry flavoring and makes it much more sweet. It's far better than the Starbucks standard.
**Soy milk and strawberry inclusions will increase the price of the standard recipe
2. Chocolate Smoothie
Just like the strawberry smoothie, the chocolate smoothie already exists but needs an update. The chocolate smoothie is 2% milk, protein powder, mocha sauce, and a banana.
What to order instead: add java chips, and a shot of espresso.
This enhances the chocolate flavor and gives you some caffeine!
**The java chips and shot of espresso will increase the price of the standard recipe
3. Cafe Vanilla Frappuccino
A lot of people thoroughly enjoy the Vanilla Bean Creme Frappuccino that Starbucks has on the menu and fail to realize that there is a version of the drink with coffee in it. It's less sweet because of the coffee, but just as good.
What to order instead: blend in some espresso beans!
For someone who enjoys the taste of coffee, often times people will order a shot of espresso blended in, or even an affogato shot (usually poured over the whipped cream), but to me blending in some espresso beans does the trick without the added cost.
4. Jade Citrus Mint Tea
A lot of people don't realize that Starbucks does, in fact, sell hot teas (thanks to Teavana). One of the more popular teas from the location I worked at was Jade Citrus Mint.
What to order instead: Jade Citrus Mint with steamed lemonade instead of water.
You may think the sound of minty lemonade sounds unappealing, but it is actually one of my favorite things to drink.
**While the system does not charge you for lemonade (probably until Starbucks catches on) some baristas and locations will not steam things that are not made to be steamed.
5. White Mocha
A White Mocha was my least favorite drink to make because the people who order it always insist we stir it extra well, otherwise, they end up in our cafe or back in our drive through as we remake it. To me, it tastes better than a mocha because I generally do not appreciate the taste of a lot of chocolate, but it is sweeter.
What to order instead: add a couple raspberry pumps!
Do not order as many raspberry pumps as there are white mocha pumps in your drink because the raspberry definitely overpowers any other flavors in the drink. Generally, I'll add half a pump, up to a pump and a half, in my white mochas just dependent on the size and the mood I'm in for raspberry flavoring.
**Additional syrups will cost you no matter how many (or how little) you add to your drink
6. Green Tea Frappuccino
Matcha is probably one of my favorite things about Starbucks. While it is a very sweet version of matcha, it had a very good flavor to it. While Starbucks offers Green Tea Lattes hot, or iced, many people fail to realize it also comes as a Frappuccino.
What to order instead: add raspberry
This is one where you can get away with the standard amount of pumps that would come for the size Frappuccino you order. It will sweeten the drink a ton, but it is a pretty good flavor. I do not recommend the raspberry pumps in the hot or iced versions, just the Frappuccino.
**Price will increase with additional syrup
7. Green Tea Frappuccino Round 2
The same Frappuccino but different additions.
What to order instead: a couple pumps of peppermint and java chips
This is for the people who love mint chip ice cream. I don't know why or how I stumbled upon this, but it was something I'd drink when I needed to change it up a bit. Peppermint is another syrup I am VERY cautious about adding to my drinks because it is extremely overpowering. I would not recommend the standard amount of pumps, I'd probably cut it in half.
**Price will increase with additional syrup AND java chips
8. Double Chocolatey Chip Frappuccino
While I HATED making these for the 20 middle schoolers who would come in half an hour until closing and make an entire mess in our lobby, the middle schoolers are the ones willing to try out the entire secret Starbucks menu. As a barista, you learn to try what is left over in the blender after you fill their cup and hand it out.
What to order instead: White Mocha instead of Mocha (and heavy whipping cream).
Substituting the mocha for white mocha changes the taste to the delicious replica of a drinkable Oreo. While Frappuccinos are made with whole milk to enhance the flavors, an even smoother, creamier enhancement to those flavors is to sub the whole milk (in any frappuccino) for heavy whipping cream.
**While substituting syrups generally do not increase the cost of a drink, heavy whipping cream will increase the cost
9. Strawberry Acai Refresher
When my location would run out of Strawberry Acai, it felt as if customer's world had just shattered. It's not that serious, I promise you. Order a tea, or even the Berry Hibiscus Refresher (please for the love of god, do not try the Cool Lime).
What to order instead: Green tea AND/OR lemonade instead of water
There was a regular at my location who would order a Strawberry Acai refresher with 1/3 green tea, and 1/3 of lemonade instead of the water. The drink is pretty good and a lot less sweet with one or the other, or both. I stay away from strawberry inclusions because they're pretty gross unless blended in my smoothies.
10. Light Ice
I will forever laugh at people who order iced lattes, or caramel macchiatos with light ice. It doesn't give you anything more than more milk. If you don't enjoy your espresso flavored beverage and want to light the taste, then by all means, order light ice. But, as a former barista, I promise you baristas everywhere are laughing at you.
What to order: Teas, Refreshers, Cold Brew, Iced Coffee
These drinks will ACTUALLY get you more drink than what you're paying for. When I say that, I mean we, as a barista, do not skimp you on your drink. That top black line or your iced cup is the line your drink is made to, and then we add ice. You are not losing any drink or any money by the standard amount of ice added. But, I understand that people will do whatever it takes to get more for their money.
No Longer a Secret
While I was not much of a Starbucks drinker prior to my employment as a barista, I've waited until I said farewell to the company in order to share my favorite drinks (and a little rant about light ice people), due to the fact that my favorites are kind of a pain to make. Hopefully someone will find them just as delightful as I have. Please, for baristas everywhere, if you pick something that is not on the ACTUAL Starbucks menu, know the recipe. Baristas will generally play it off as if they don't make the secret menu drinks just so they don't have to make the secret menu drinks. It's a barista code.
