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!
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your drink was actually cheaper than what it would cost here in canada! or at least at my store
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I work at Starbucks and I would have done the same thing! Plus, where I work, we probably all would have laughed and congratulated you. Well done sir.
I’ve got a free coupon and I’m thinking of doing the same lol
For those of you unaware and wanting to try this (or any other ridiculous concoction out), you can get a free beverage with any Starbucks card in Canada or the US. They mail you the coupon for the free drink. Although I think you get shots, soy and syrup free with the card.
I’m actually trying to figure out a drink with the most words in it. I think I’m up to about 19 or 20.
you could get a free coupon every time you purchase a tumbler.at least well that’s what they do in singapore.
omg, that is AWESOME! Gotta thank my wife for the share!
Congrats on stickin’ it to da man.
I don’t know why people are getting so mad about this, it’s just another coffee order at a Starbucks.
Looking at the receipt made it twice as funny.
…and it still has less caffeine than buying a good ol’ cup of their House Blend.
How many calories?
amazing. utterly and truly. If I weren’t making a meager £600 a month, I would attempt this.
I got a freebee once from there and just got my regular drink; given all the bad service I’ve gotten without even an I’m sorry, I’m just grateful for any place who actually says “hey, not only did we screw up but you can have something free to make up for it.” The fact that they don’t even stipulate it has to be the equivalent or lesser value of what they messed up in the first place is unheard of …
I work at a Starbucks in Ontario, Canada and would have been delighted to be presented with this customer request.
I’m not sure how exactly Canadian prices differ, but my first thought would have been straight espresso with white mocha, if you were brave…how many shots can fit into a venti cup? It would have been interesting to find out. At least 15 bucks worth – probably more.
PS – white mocha goes very well in espresso, coffee, and the Americano. I suggest it to customers looking for something different to try and most start ordering it regularly afterward. Vanilla’s good too, and cheaper.
@Art: Calories? Well…the white mocha sauce is about 50 calories a pump, and Venti drinks get 5 pumps of sauce or syrup…the other syrups are 20 cals/pump…My arteries are clogging too much to do the math!
There are definitely more expensive drinks to be had. Would they be worth drinking? No. Although I don’t consider this one worth drinking…
Regardless, depending on how each store/barista charges (e.g. some stores/baristas charge for one pump of syrup, some let it slide, even though we’re supposed to charge), you could basically infinitely modify your drink well over $13. Charge for many different pumps of syrup, extra shots, matcha, protein & fiber powder, vanilla bean powder, substitute milk, caramel sauce, etc., especially if you go with an iced venti size with no ice (24 oz. as opposed to the 20 oz. hot, although it comes with three shots included instead of two).
And to anyone who thinks working ANY job in the restaurant/food service/hospitality industry is easy and you shouldn’t tip, treat them like a human being, or so forth: you’re wrong.
come to holland… at the time being a regular grande cappucino is like 8 dollar… thnx for the great exchange rate lol
I work at a Starbucks in Pittsburgh, and while I must agree that your experiment sounds like the most fun one to walk into any Starbucks, I think it needs to be repeated.
They’ve recently raised the prices on most of the drinks and on the modifications, so shots are now $.70 apiece (here at least) and all the drinks have increased by $.10-$.15. I would suggest trying this with White Mocha Frappuccino, add several shots, and add a syrup as well. Ounce-wise it will fit more shots, plus the WMF starts (again, here at least) at $4.76 while the hot version is only (ha) $4.23. Starting this summer, too, you’ll be able to make the frappuccinos with soy as well, adding another few cents.
Oooh, experiments are fun!
I’m doing this today because I just reached Gold Member Status.
It’s going to be amazing. But I’m not getting the 13 shots, man. No way.