Starbucks, a coffee chain that got its start in Seattle, has been providing people with excellent coffee since 1971. The company boasts that the coffee offered by this establishment is of the highest quality, coming from all over the world.
When Starbucks first opened, it offered customers a few different sizes to choose from when ordering coffee. They also offered a size exclusively for espresso since it’s enjoyed in such a small quantity. The names for these sizes were influenced by Howard Schultz, who joined the company in 1992, and his adventures working in an Italian coffee chain. In the early 1990s, at the demand of its customers, Starbucks introduced another size for coffee fanatics. Today, hot coffee sizes can be enjoyed in a short, tall, grande, or venti. Similarly, espresso shots can be ordered as solo, doppio, triple, or quad.
Cup sizes for Hot Coffee
Each cup of Starbucks offers customers an excellent-tasting coffee that can be easily customizable for each person. Part of that personalization process includes allowing the customer to pick what size beverage they prefer.
For more money, larger sizes can be purchased in order to enjoy more coffee. There are also many options when ordering hot beverages, like adding toppings, sweeteners, and espresso shots, all of which add to the cost.
For select beverages, like the caffè Americano, each comes with a different number of espresso shots. The size even affects the caffeine content of each beverage. Whether you are looking for a nice little pick-me-up to jump-start your day or an extreme energy boost, Starbucks has you covered.
Short
The smallest cup of coffee, which is one of the cheapest options that Starbucks offers, is called the short. Essentially, it is an 8 fl oz cup of coffee that, with certain beverages like the caffè mocha, holds one espresso shot.
The caffeine content in a short will vary depending on the type of beverage. For a Pike Place brewed coffee, a short contains approximately 155 mg. A short dark roast, on the other hand, has approximately 190 mg of caffeine.
Tall
When ordering a tall, the second smallest cup size available, your coffee will be 12 fl oz. With certain types of beverages, like a Flat White, this size of cup holds two espresso shots.
For this medium-sized drink, prices are comparable to that of a short. As with price, the caffeine content varies as well. For example, a tall Pike Place brewed coffee contains roughly 235 mg of caffeine, whereas a tall dark roast coffee has closer to 280 mg of caffeine.
Grande
The grande, an Italian word meaning “large”, is 16 fl oz. When ordering certain styles of beverages, like a caffè Americano, it comes with three shots of espresso.
The average cost of a basic grande drink at Starbucks is $3.95, but they can cost much more depending on which style is being purchased. The caffeine content of a grande is high, especially when compared to the short and tall. For example, in a grande Pike Place brewed coffee, there is approximately 310 mg of caffeine. A grande dark roast, on the other hand, has 380 mg of caffeine.
Venti
The largest size available at Starbucks for hot beverages is a venti. Venti, which means “twenty” in Italian, is 20 fl oz. For select beverages, like the caffè Americano, the venti has 4 shots of espresso.
The cost of a venti beverage, before any substitutions or customizations, is slightly more expensive than a short or a tall. When looking at the caffeine content that a venti has, it depends on the type of beverage. For example, a venti Pike Place brewed coffee contains approximately 410 mg of caffeine, whereas a venti dark roast coffee can have 470 mg of caffeine.
Cup Sizes for Espresso
Starbucks offers four different sizes of espresso shots. Each contains more volume and caffeine than the next, and costs just a few bucks. The sizes Starbucks offers are:
- Solo- a .75 fl oz espresso shot that contains approximately 75 mg of caffeine
- Doppio- a 1.5 fl oz espresso shot that contains roughly 150 mg of caffeine
- Triple- a 2.25 fl oz espresso shot that contains approximately 225 mg of caffeine
- Quad- a 3 fl oz espresso shot that contains roughly 300 mg of caffeine
Cost-Effectiveness
When looking at the size, amount, and cost of Starbucks coffees, one clearly stands out from the rest. The grande, the 16 fl oz size, is the most cost-effective. It only costs a few cents to upgrade from a tall to a grande and, with this upgrade, you get 4 extra fl oz of coffee and a more caffeinated beverage.
If you are looking to get a few cups of coffee, it’s more cost-effective to order a venti and pour that out into a few smaller cups. A venti, which is 20 fl oz, can serve two people comfortably and be cheaper than buying two short coffees separately.
If you are looking at getting a beverage with a higher caffeine content, many insiders also suggest ordering a regular brewed coffee instead of an espresso shot. Where one espresso shot contains 75 mg of caffeine, other coffee beverages can offer more. For example, a short dark roast contains roughly 190 mg of caffeine and the prices are comparable to a single espresso shot.
Starbucks Cup Sizes
When it comes to ordering a coffee or caffeinated beverage at Starbucks, size means everything. Size not only dictates how much of the beverage you will receive, but it also solidifies the caffeine content and cost. That is, of course, if you don’t ask for any extra toppings, sweeteners, or espresso shots.
When looking at the different sizes and what they have to offer, the grande stands out as offering “more bounce to the ounce.” If you are looking to spend less to serve more, the venti is a great option for splitting between two people. If you look around and do the math, it is certainly possible to enjoy Starbucks and get the most for your money at the same time.
