Chances are, if you live in a big city, you can't walk anywhere without going past a Starbucks
location. It's no secret that Starbucks is one of the most successful franchises in America
right now. But there are some things you may not be aware of, and we're spilling the beans
on 10 Starbucks secrets you never knew about.
Four Main Templates For Starbucks
If you are one of those people who immediately stops at a Starbucks once you hit a new city
or area, you've probably noticed a consistently non-consistent feel going on in the different
locations. That's because, depending on the neighborhood of that particular location,
one of these four templates is selected for design purposes. This is done in an effort
to ensure that a Starbucks location has the best fit for its specific community. The
templates include Heritage, Artisan, Regional Modern, and Concept. Heritage is designed
to reflect the original Starbucks store in Seattle, with wood floors, industrial style
lighting, metal stools, and large community tables designed to convey a "turn of the century"
feel. The Artisan concept includes an urban, industrial vibe with features like exposed
steel beams and masonry walls. Regional Modern includes what the company refers to as "a
trend-setting style that is comfortable and welcoming." That means things like bright,
warm spaces that reflect a specific region's culture or heritage.
Your Dog Can Enjoy Starbucks Too
If you like to bring your furry friend on your Starbucks runs with you, you can actually
get them their own Starbucks treat. The "Puppuccino" is just a little sample cup with some whipped
cream in it. Unfortunately, you can't order it through the Starbucks app because it's
not a real menu item. But it's free (depending on which location you're going to, as it's
up to the manager's discretion), and it means your dog can enjoy your coffee runs just as
much as you do. Chances are you may have even seen those adorable videos all over the internet
of various pooches enjoying their own puppucinos. Like the viral story of the Ohio police dog
who chose to devour one in under 30 seconds on his day off. This story prompted many others
to respond with their own photos and videos of their dogs enjoying the delicious treat.
Because who doesn't love looking at happy dogs gobbling out of a Starbucks cup and coming
up with a white, sticky face? Now, as with human treats, you want to make sure you keep
things in moderation. But from time to time, if your pup enjoys his own treat every now
and then, who's to say Fido can't live a little?
The Infamous Starbucks Secret Menu
Ever since Starbucks became a phenomenon for caffeine lovers, there have been rumors about
the secret menu. Many employees have denied that there is a secret list somewhere of drinks
you can order, while others insist it exists. According to some Starbucks employees, this
secret menu is really just customization suggestions by people on the Internet, but not every barista
necessarily knows how to make these mysterious drinks off-hand since the secret menu isn't
really real. These drinks are suggested by others who have tried their own combinations
and then given them their own names. So, if you come in and want some kind of crazy "secret"
drink, you better know what the ingredients are, and don't ask for it by name because
the Starbucks crew will have no idea what you're talking about. In fact, if you even
bring up the secret menu to baristas, rumor has it you'll be making their blood boil.
They're sick of hearing about it. Just ask for the drink based on what you want in it
and all will be fine. Whether or not this secret menu is real, there are plenty of hacks
you can do to get the most out of your experience.
Starbucks Aprons Have Secrets
Have you ever noticed that sometimes the baristas and people working at Starbucks have different
colored aprons? Well, each of those aprons means something. The green apron is the standard
apron that the employees wear. It's the signature apron color for any worker, kind of like starting
out with your white belt in karate. Now, those basic green aprons can get upgraded with different
patches. For example, employees who have served in the military can get a green apron with
a special patch embroidered on it. People who wear black aprons have actually been certified
as coffee masters by the Starbucks education program. These people are coffee pros. They
know everything there is to know about coffee and could likely talk to you about it for
hours on end. There's also a red apron that is sometimes worn around the holidays to celebrate
the season. They might start showing up around the time the signature holiday cups do, but
with much less controversy than the yearly cup designs. You may have also seen a rare
purple Starbucks apron. Now, this is a special one. The purple apron is reserved for someone
who wins the EMEA Barista Championships. This is a worldwide Starbucks competition
where baristas can enter to see who can make the best new creations, the most attractive
latte art, and the most delicious coffee pairings.
It's a Secret Waistline Killer
Take the pastries, for example. The Cinnamon Chip scone actually has more calories than
a Quarter Pounder from McDonald's! And chances are you're probably pairing that scone with
one of the restaurant's signature drinks, which means you're adding even more bad stuff
to the mix. Some of those drinks are full of calories and sugar. A grande Green Tea
Frappuccino contains 300 calories and 63 grams of sugar. That's over twice the daily recommended
sugar intake for an adult – just in a drink. Here's another freaky McDonald's comparison. A Starbucks
Venti White Chocolate Creme Frappuccino has 510 calories, while a McDonald's Big Mac has
540. That's only a 30 calorie difference. This isn't even counting the sugar content,
which can often be more dangerous than the calories themselves. Even when you think
you're being a little healthier by ordering non-fat options, you're still tricking yourself.
A grande non-fat hot chocolate may not be as fatty, but it still has 240 calories and
41 grams of sugar.
There is Also a Secret Starbucks Drink Size
Speaking of all these secrets, here's another thing Starbucks is keeping from you: the secret
size. That would be a Trenta, which is the next size up from Venti. Essentially, it's
an extra large cup meant for people who really, really need that extra caffeine. The Trenta
is a 31-ounce cup, but it's only used for iced tea, iced coffee, and the refreshers.
You can't get the blended drinks in that size. Especially not Frappuccinos – can you imagine
how much sugar would be in that drink? Here's a fun fact. You can actually fit a regular
bottle of wine in the Trenta cup. Also, it's not really much of a secret, but there is
also a short size. It's one below the tall size and is about eight ounces. It's only
served for hot drinks, though. The short size was actually one of the original Starbucks
sizes before they upgraded to the standard tall, grande, and venti they have now. These
are actually just the kids' sizes, but adults can get them if they ask.
The Starbucks Name Comes From Moby Dick
The name Starbucks actually comes from the character Starbuck in the classic Herman Melville
novel Moby Dick. Apparently, the chain was originally going to be named after the whaling
ship, Pequod, but the ship's first mate's name seemed to be the better option. Starbucks
was originally founded in 1971 by three guys: Jerry Baldwin, Zev Siegl, and Gordon Bowker.
All of them were clearly interested in classic literature as one was an English teacher,
one taught history, and one was a writer. It was apparently Bowker who came up with
Starbucks. The first store was actually called Starbucks Coffee, Tea, and Spices, and was originally
just a retail store that sold coffee beans and equipment to brew coffee at home. The
partners sold the Starbucks company to Howard Shultz in 1984. From there, Shultz converted
the whole operation into a coffee bar instead of just a retail shop and introduced espresso,
thus making the jump into the massive conglomerate we know and love today.
One Country Where Starbucks Has Failed
While it seems as though Starbucks has a worldwide dominance, with stores in at least 72 different
countries, there is actually one country where Starbucks was unable to catch on: Israel.
There were six Starbucks locations there that are no longer open. In 2001, the world's
most famous coffee company opened six stores in Tel Aviv. The six Israeli Starbucks locations
were open for about two years before the owners decided to pack it in and move on out. At
the time, the company cited operational challenges as the reason they were shutting the shops
down. But according to the Times of Israel, it may just be because Starbucks didn't fit
the Israeli cultural vibe or taste. Some sources have also stated that Schultz charged in without
doing what he usually does, which is building up local partnerships and getting an inside
perspective on the local market. Either way, the decision proved to be ineffective for
him. But it may not even be entirely Starbucks' fault. It seems as though it's a trend with
fast food in Israel.
Starbucks the Company
The company owns a variety of other companies. So even if you don't directly go to a Starbucks
for your cup of coffee, you could still be getting their products. These other brands
include Seattle's Best Coffee, Teavana, Torrefazione Italia Coffee, and Evolution Fresh. While
there are no other actual coffee shops dedicated to the brand, the company also focuses on
the brewing and packaging of coffee and coffee products sold across the nation. It's served
in a variety of other fast food and entertainment locations, such as Burger King, AMC Theaters,
and Subway, to name a few. Seattle's Best Coffee is actually the second largest coffee
wholesaler in the United States, and that's second to... you guessed it, Starbucks itself.
So, that means that Starbucks has a massive hold on the coffee roasting and wholesale
market in the entire country. Torrefazione Italia Coffee is also a part of the Seattle's
Best brand purchase. There used to be Teavana locations, but Starbucks decided to close
those down and sell the branded loose-leaf tea on its own. Evolution Fresh is the brand
of smoothies, yogurts, and juices that are sold in Starbucks in the cold to-go section.
Starbucks Faced A Lawsuit By Latte Lovers
In what is being unofficially dubbed as the Underfilled Latte Lawsuit, Starbucks was the
subject of a class action lawsuit filed by some extremely unimpressed latte customers
in the United States. The customers accused the coffee chain of underfilling their latte
and mocha drinks in order to reduce milk costs while still making the full profit. In the
lawsuit, these customers claimed that the baristas were using unreasonably low fill-to
lines as guidelines for pouring the drinks, as well as leaving too much space at the top
of the cup. Another claim stated that the milk foam for the drinks that use it shouldn't
be counted toward the total volume of the drink or in the cost. They were essentially
filing for fraud and false advertising. In January 2018, a U.S. District Judge dismissed
the case due to lack of evidence that Starbucks was doing this. For the milk foam situation
specifically, she stated that anyone who enjoys these frothy beverages should understand that
milk foam does take up space. There were also a few similar lawsuits in previous years
by disgruntled customers accusing Starbucks of leaving too much space in the iced coffee
drinks. The judges in those cases dismissed the claims on the grounds that people would
generally understand that ice does count as an ingredient. Especially when it's in the
name of the drink.
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