I recently received a coupon to get any drink I wanted at Starbucks. They do this if something goes awry with a previous experience as a nice gesture.
I decided to use the coupon for an experiment: What is the most expensive drink I can order?
Luckily (or unluckily), I happen to live in Manhattan and that makes Starbucks prices expensive. Yup, they fluctuate from region to region (and even store to store). The first thing I did was call a dozen Starbucks stores around Manhattan to see who had the most expensive prices. I used my regular order of a tall soy chai to make the comparison. I figured a Starbucks in Times Square would be more expensive than where I live on the Upper East. It’s even a cool idea itself to create a Starbucks heatmap of Manhattan.
Boringly, most Starbucks in Manhattan (no matter where located) rang my drink up at $4.23.
My next problem was I needed to find out the most expensive stuff to put in a drink. I called up my sister Lauren who happens to work at a Starbucks. She told me that I definately need to go with the venti white mocha and to add as many shots as possible.
I then went to Starbucks to make my drink. I told the barista that I was there as part of a contest to make the most expensive drink. She played along, trying to squeeze as much as we could into a venti cup. She thoroughly enjoyed the problem at hand (although other customers on line were getting peeved).
And the ultimate yuppified result: A 13 shot venti soy hazelnut vanilla cinnamon white mocha with extra white mocha and caramel. It cost a total of $13.76 (with tax).
After she rang up the amount, I then presented her the coupon (which I didn’t reveal beforehand). She laughed, comped the entire drink, and I left.
At first taste, it tasted just like a shot. The 13 shots in it were just too strong. However, when I got home, I mixed it more with a spoon and it became drinkable (even enjoyable to my girlfriend). It was very sweet and I’m still shaking a bit. I didn’t attempt to drink the entire thing since I’d like to sleep tonight.
Here is a shot of the receipt (note: 2 shots come with the drink, so she only rang up 11):
And me wincing at first sip.
Think you can make a more expensive Starbucks drink? I challenge you to do it and post your shot of the receipt here. Bonus points if you do it with a comped drink coupon too. (note: you can inline images or link them)
UPDATE: We put it in the freezer and it’s delicious frozen!
I just got a coupon in the mail for a free Starbucks drink. I think I’m going to follow suit. =D
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not cool dude…you don’t go do that and milk all for what its worth.
Psh, starbucks has been milking us for all we’re worth for years. Eff starbucks.
Easy to top. Got to a starbucks in a Las Vegas Casino.
Starbux has been milking us dry for years. If you get one of those coupons, it’s your duty to turn the tables. Order whatever the hell you have always wanted but restrain yourself from ordering because of the cost.
Look at the receipt in the pic,; it’s from 2007 while all the comments are from 2010. Anyway, 09/27/2007 was back in the good ol’ days. One could easily create a more expensive drink nowadays. The presumptively standardized price for an extra shot of espresso is no longer $0.55; it’s $0.79 (at least in downtown Chicago, which one should assume is equivalent to the Manhattan location used in this article).
Dear Sir,
I believe I have beat you.
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t83/USBeef/starbucks078.jpg
Although, I’m sure there are ways to get even pricier.
Hey just went to Starbucks and got a more expensive drink!! i ha an iced 13 shot venti soy, hazelnut, vanilla, cinnamon, white mocha, carmel, and carmel drizzle, no ice! and it cost $15.02 and i used a free birthday drink card.! i have pics of the receipt and stuff i can post!!!
I just created the most expensive Starbucks drink. $23.60! I have the receipts and all to prove it.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/logan-warren/the-most-expensive-starbucks-drink-possible/10150100335581840
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its SEAN PENN!!!!
Here it is the most expensive drink.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/t-pics/5934800847/in/photostream
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I was just speaking with a friend about this. Wouldn’t it be more expensive to do a frappuccino drink and add all of that stuff, as fraps are the most expensive drinks on the menu, right?
And if you don’t have a coupon for a free drink, you could use a treat reciept and pay 2 dollars for everything
Starbucks in vegas casinos an extra dollar fifty a shot. I get 5 shot latte and ordered this thinking my UK Starbucks card would also give me free shots and syrup like it does in the uk. It did not!
The Starbucks in Europe are stingier…they say you can only have one type of drink and no adds with a coupon or voucher…
(
Keep it up and they will stop sending those free drinks. Does it feel good to abuse something just because you can? You’re proving nothing, just going to ruin it for the rest of us. Get a life!