Sitting in a newly opened Starbucks near my home today my wife gave me a little booklet that Starbucks provides its patrons — “Make It Your Drink” – a guide to Starbucks Beverages. Some like Starbucks, some don’t, for anyone heading into one it can often be a fast paced environment that often times forces one to make snap decisions on their coffee order.
We believe that anything coffee related should be savored, so with that in mind I present to you the contents of “Make It Your Drink,” may your eyes be opened to some of the more esoteric lingo of Starbucks…
Americano:
A coffee made with two shots of espresso and hot water.
Breve:
A latte made with half-and-half (heart attack city, but Yum!)
Cappuccino:
A drink made with espresso and equal parts steamed milk and thick foam. It has a stronger espresso flavor than a latte.
Chai:
A coffee alternative (Gasp!), premium Tazo black tea mixed with exotic spices, steamed milk and honey.
Con Panna:
Italian for “with whipped cream”
Creme:
At Starbucks, it refers to a coffee-free beverage, such as Vanilla Bean Frappuccino blended cream.
Demitasse:
French for “half cup” – it’s the little cup used to serve espresso.
Doppio:
Italian for “double,” but used only when referring to a two-shot espresso (One orders a doppio espresso con panna, but a double latte.)
Double:
Two shots of espresso in a drink.
Dry:
More foam, less milk.
Espresso:
Coffee’s purest, sweetest, most intense form.
For-Here Cup:
A cermic cup for enjoying your drink in the store.
Grande:
Starbucks second-largest beverage size, 16 fl oz.
Half-Caf:
One shot of regular and one shot of decaf.
Latte:
A drink made with espresso and steamed milk, with a thin layer of foam on the top.
Light:
Less of something in a drink, such as “light syrup” or “light whip”
Macchiato:
Italian for “marked” or “stained.” For example, the Starbucks Carmel Macchiato.
Misto:
Italian for “mixed.” A combination of drip coffee and steamed milk.
Mocha:
A drink made with espresso, chocolate and steamed milk.
Personal Cup:
A reusable cup you bring to the store.
Quad:
Four shots of espresso in a drink.
Ristretto:
A short pull of espresso, capturing only the sweetest part.
Shaken:
Icea tea or coffee mixed with ice in a shaker for a bright refreshing flavor.
Short:
Starbucks smallest beverage size, 8 fl oz.
Single:
One shot of espresso in a drink.
Skinny:
Made with nonfat milk.
Solo:
One shot of espresso by itself (old school!).
Tall:
Starbucks regular beverage size, 12 fl oz.
To-Go Cup:
The white paper cup used for coffee to go. This is the default cup that is used for an order unless you specify otherwise.
Triple:
Three shots of espresso in a drink.
Unleaded:
Decaffeinated.
Valencia:
An orange syrup.
Venti:
Starbucks largest beverage size – 20 fl oz. for hot drinks, 24 fl oz. for cold.
Wet:
More milk, less foam.
Whip:
Short for whipped cream.
With Legs:
To go.
With Room:
Space to add milk in a drink, usually an americano or brewed coffee.
Some more Interesting Coffee Drinks from the Net..
Dead Eye: a cup of American coffee with three shots of espresso in it.
Crazy Eye: a cup of American coffee with four shots of espresso in it.
Blind Eye: a cup of American coffee with five or more shots on espresso in it.
so, am i right in ordering a tall vanilla frapuccino skinny wet with legs? or did i just make an order that didn’t make sense?
I think you are good to go with that order :=)
LOL .. a tall vanilla frapuccino skinny wet with legs .. yeah you will got it nice one jam ! it really sound so nice …
I believe “Skinny” now refers to “made with nonfat milk” and sugar free syrup flavouring.
Jam, you are almost correct, but not quite. Frappuccinos don’t have ANY foam in them to begin with. So, as a barista, if someone asked me for a wet frappuccino, I’d just put a little extra milk in it.
Otherwise, you’re good.
A “Why Bother”
A latte made with Decaf and Skim Milk
i usually get an \iced venti quad nonfat with hazelnut caramel macciato with whip\
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“tall vanilla frapuccino skinny wet with legs”
You’d probably want to specify if it’s “vanilla bean”, or “cafe vanilla/vanilla coffee”. We say “light” for fraps, not “skinny”. Skinny is for lattes, and even those can be limited at times, as it depends if a syrup is available in a sugarfree form. You would never need to say wet, however for a more liquidy consistancy, you can ask for light ice or a double blend.
Trust me, I’m a barista. Every day plenty of people order like that, and we understand after a few questions without any frustration. So on the same end, if we ask you tons of questions to try and make you exactly what you want, please don’t be frustrated with us, or think we’re being rude or trying to ridicule you.
JFK…..
Venti Americano with 3 shots in it.
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