To debunk common misconceptions about Starbucks and provide you with some new tips on how to spice up your drink orders, I sat down with Samantha Janke, a barista at Mizzou’s Memorial Union Starbucks.
Lactose-free drinks
For all of my lactose-intolerant friends, you can substitute 2% milk for any lactose-free milk when you order cold foam on top of your drink.
“The baristas blend the foam on a higher setting, so the foam still has the same consistency as if it was made with regular milk,” Janke said.
Now you can enjoy cold foam on all of your favorite drinks and save yourself the stomachache.
Don’t ditch the ice!
When customers order a drink without ice, it actually does more harm than good.
“We have a set recipe for each drink we make and it factors ice into it, so when we don’t add ice into the cup, the ratios get all messed up because we have to add more than usual,” Janke said.
When you order a drink with no ice, baristas are left guessing how much additional lemonade or water needs to be added into the shaker and since the proportions are off, the drink doesn’t taste the same anymore.
syrup + Cold foam galore
“People can add whatever syrup they want to cold foam; they just don’t know about it,” Janke said.
Peppermint foam and mocha foam are just a few of the possibilities available with this Starbucks hack and now we can continue tailoring our drinks to our heart’s content.
Don’t order the caramel apple spice
A caramel apple spice is definitely not worth your money.
“It’s literally just steamed apple juice and cinnamon dolce syrup,” Janke said.
The drink is also topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce and when it comes down to it, you’re better off spending your money on something else.
frappe milk substitutes
Frappucinos are so heavy and filling because the traditional recipe calls for whole milk. If you want to switch it up and substitute your milk for alternative milk, you totally can. Janke recommends substituting whole milk for almond milk or oat milk to still experience the creamy and sweet flavors of a classic frappucino.
Janke also added that baristas love making “surprise-me drinks,” and this often makes their day when they are asked to make whatever they want.