- Insider asked former Starbucks employees about the best and worst items on the menu.
- The chain’s banana-nut bread tastes homemade if you ask for it warmed, said one former barista.
- Some former employees told Insider that you should skip the tall drinks and hot chocolate if you’re looking for a great deal.
- They also suggested ordering vanilla lattes with blonde espresso.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Starbucks is the biggest coffeehouse chain in the world, but not everything on its menu is created equally.
Here’s what’s really worth ordering and which items you may want to avoid, according to former Starbucks employees.
If you want a lot of caffeine, order a regular brewed coffee instead of an espresso shot.
“Most people make the mistake of paying more for shots of espresso, in hopes of getting a big caffeine kick,” former Starbucks employee Trang Pham told Insider, adding that a cup of regular coffee contains much more caffeine.
According to Starbucks’ beverage information, one shot of espresso contains about 75 milligrams of caffeine, but a tall size of its Pike Place medium roast contains 235 milligrams of caffeine.
The banana-nut bread is best when it's served warm.
The pastries and desserts at Starbucks all pair well with coffee, but former Starbucks barista Adrienne Powers told Insider said that her favorite snack is the banana-nut bread.
"The key to ordering a good pastry at Starbucks is to always ask for it warmed. The banana-nut bread tastes homemade when it is heated through," said Powers.
Blonde espresso works perfectly in a vanilla latte or cappuccino.
Starbucks' blonde espresso is a lighter take on its classic coffee roast, and Powers explained that it pairs very well with vanilla-flavored drinks.
"There's just something about the less intense flavor of the blonde roast that really makes vanilla-based drinks sing. I love to have mine in a vanilla latte with an extra pump of syrup," said Powers.
Brewed hot or iced coffee is an especially great deal if you have a Starbucks app or card.
Powers told Insider that the chain's hot or iced brewed coffee is actually a great value if you have a Starbucks card or the mobile app.
"The beans are actually pretty high quality and, if you take advantage of the free refills, you might even save money compared to lower-cost coffee shops," said Powers.
In order to qualify for free refills, you must use a registered Starbucks card or the company's mobile app for your beverage purchase. Only select beverages (liked cold-brew coffee and tea) qualify.
Hot tea is an especially affordable option if you're sitting in.
Powers told Insider that the chain's hot tea is also worth trying.
"Our hot tea usually comes in a large mug that gives you plenty to sip on, and hot tea qualifies for free refills if you don't take it to-go. Plus, it's high quality," said Powers.
Since Starbucks does not give free refills on any drinks that are taken out of the store, sticking around for a free top-up also means you're getting more value for your money.
Instead of ordering two or three small coffees, get a venti-size one and divvy it up.
If you're looking for the ultimate way to make every penny count at Starbucks, former Starbucks barista and blogger Becky Beach suggested splitting one venti-size coffee into smaller portions.
"The best deal at Starbucks is to purchase a venti coffee of any type and then ask for two or three tall-size glasses. You can then pour it into the glasses so that everyone gets a small coffee that's a lot cheaper than buying them separately," said Beach.
To make this hack a bit more eco-conscious, have each member of your group bring their own reusable cup.
The hot chocolate may not be worth the money.
Pham told Insider that ordering a hot chocolate at Starbucks is a waste of money,
"You're paying $4 or more for a cup of milk and some chocolate sauce, which is the same sauce we use to make mochas," said Pham.
Instead, you may want to try ordering a sweet specialty drink that requires more ingredients, like a Frappuccino, or even a cake pop.
Tall beverages aren't always a great value, either.
Buying a tall, the smallest size coffee size at Starbucks, may help you save money in the short term, but if you find yourself going back for seconds, bumping up your cup size may be more economical in the long run.
"Everyone should skip buying a tall size because the grande and venti sizes are a better value," said Beach.
One tall size beverage at Starbucks holds 12 ounces, whereas grande contains 16 ounces and venti drinks contain 24 ounces for cold drinks, 20 ounces for hot.
For just a few cents more than a tall size, you can dramatically increase the amount of coffee or tea you get.
Skip the sandwiches if you're looking for something fresh.
The coffeehouse chain offers a selection of sandwiches and wraps, but Beach said that the food offerings at Starbucks aren't made in-house.
"The sandwiches at Starbucks aren't made from scratch at Starbucks. They're actually shipped from an outside source," Beach told Insider.
This may not be too surprising since Starbucks' specialty is coffee - but if you're looking for a fresh sandwich you may want to visit a chain that specializes in them.
Read More:
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- I tried the signature roast at 4 coffee chains, and there's only one I would never order again
- Inside the world's biggest Starbucks, a magical 'coffee theme park' with five floors
- Disneyland's hidden Starbucks sells special cups, treats, and villain-themed drinks. Here's what it's like inside.