# Ask the Starbucks barista anything! (Part Deux) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 10, 2008, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513 "2008-12-10T04:54:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/21 "2008-12-10T18:15:19Z")
> [@Manduck](#): > > I usually order just plain espresso, and have never noticed it to be bitter. I didn’t know about this 10-second thing - since there is nothing to add it to, how come plain espresso isn’t bitter? It is but since you always get it you may not notice. You can tell by the color when it dies. Good espresso should be golden brown. When its a dark dark brown almost black you know thats when it died and thats when it gets bitter. When you add it to milk this doesnt happen but since you have added milk to it the flavor would change anyways > [@Sigmagirl](#): > > I despise coffee, but somebody gave me a Starbucks gift card so last Saturday my husband and I went in and got hot chocolate and bagels. The bagels weren’t even bagels, they were just circular pieces of bread. But I had such a bad migraine I threw it all up anyway, including the hot chocolate which I did like. Do you have an excuse for the bagels? Hmm not really they are actually one of our most popular items to eat. Its possible although unlikely that you may have got a bad one that no one caught or something i do not know. > [@Projammer](#): > > Have the recent economic woes hurt your business. Your store specifically, not the whole company. Or are people going to have their coffee no matter what? Well its hurt the whole company which has made us close earlier when in a way has effected our bussiness. People still come in and get there 4 dollar drinks though. I would say our numbers have gone down in the last 6 months. But my store is in a bad neighborhood so people usually do not have their priorities straight. We have a guy that comes in almost everyday without shoes and still gets his $3.20 drink > [@hotflungwok](#): > > If I walk up to the counter and order ‘The most caffeine you can legally serve in one drink’, what will I get? And how much will it be? Probably a big coffee with a few add shots in it. Although I think chai has more caffeine volume rise then coffee or espresso. > [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Are the folks working the drive-thru window _required_ to ask me every morning if I want to try the (insert seasonal/new drink name here\>? I assume they are told to, but drive-thrus are supposed to be about convenience and efficiency, and waiting patiently while they recite the drink du jour, well, isn’t. Otherwise, no complaints. > > Happy Starbucks Addict > (Iced Venti Americano (extra ice, light water) or Venti Red Eye) Yes they are supposed to. I usually dont when i have to work a drive thur store. You may already know this but red eyes just means 1 shot added. Two shots would be a black eye and dead eye is 3 ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/22 "2008-12-10T18:39:06Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Everybody ahead of me in line had been making these, long, professional-sounding orders, often involving the word “frappuchinno” (whatever the hell that is) A frappuccino is Starbucks’ trademark pet name for coffee blended with ice. Not so fancy anymore eh? Though I must say they are usually pretty tasty. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/23 "2008-12-10T19:00:12Z")
> [@ChrisBooth12](#): > > \ > > Yes they are supposed to. I usually dont when i have to work a drive thur store. You may already know this but red eyes just means 1 shot added. Two shots would be a black eye and dead eye is 3 Yes, thanks. One shot is usually enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/24 "2008-12-10T19:24:47Z")
Does Starbucks have a policy of hiring hot women? Seems like every Starbucks I go into has at least 2 or 3 _HOT_ baristas working… ---
**Author:** ![spoike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@spoike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spoike)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/25 "2008-12-10T19:52:14Z")
I assume that the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate (which, BTW, is the best new drink Starbucks has had, ever) is a seasonal item. When is it going to go away? I need to prepare myself. Also, is the decaf frappuccino base ever going to come back, or is it gone forever? ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/26 "2008-12-10T20:02:32Z")
I usually skip Starbucks, but I tried the ($.05 for charity) special truffle expresso and I’m going out on break to get one soon! Do you hate the seasonal stuff? ---
**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/27 "2008-12-10T21:15:55Z")
What is the default milk these days? Whole or 2%? What is the offical order to order stuff in? e.g. is it “decaf, grande, vanilla latte…” or “grande, decaf, vanilla latte,” or what? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Blue-Sighted\_Shadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecae2f/32.png) [@The\_Blue-Sighted\_Shadow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Blue-Sighted_Shadow)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/28 "2008-12-10T21:21:19Z")
How much crack \*\*do \*\*they put in the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate? And how come I can’t get it at the Starbucks across the street? (It’s in a convention center and they have a really limited menu.) And what happened to the egg nog latte? I used to impatiently wait for it every year, but this year I could only drink about 1/3 of it (once I found a Starbucks willing to even make one) and tossed the rest. The Salted Caramel is a reasonable substitute, but still, I miss my egg nog lattes! ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/29 "2008-12-10T23:20:15Z")
What kind of milk do they make the basic signature hot chocolate with? Is it different than the milk they make the espresso truffle with? There’s been some confusion in my life over this (since I started drinking the signature hot chocolates plus a shot of espresso back in October). Is the espresso truffle a seasonal thing? If so, is that because the signature hot chocolate is? Did the hazelnut signature hot chocolate already go the way of the dodo? I didn’t see it last time I was waiting for my drink, and thought that was a good thing, as it was vile. ---
**Author:** ![kathmandu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kathmandu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kathmandu)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/30 "2008-12-11T00:40:44Z")
What the heck is a misto? ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/31 "2008-12-11T01:21:46Z")
Is your name Taylor? ---
**Author:** ![quilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/839c29/32.png) [@quilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quilter)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/32 "2008-12-11T03:27:41Z")
As the result of your previous thread (thank you again! I don’t feel quite so clueless around my Starbucks-addict family), I’ve learned to order “triple grande no-whip mocha”. My dad even remembers that’s my order. My sister isn’t embarrassed to go into a Starbucks with me. However… In my perfect world, there’d be a lot more coffee (with a tinge of chocolate) and a lot less cocoa. How do I order that? My dad and sister will be eternally grateful. ---
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/33 "2008-12-11T03:38:46Z")
> [@Astroboy14](#): > > Does Starbucks have a policy of hiring hot women? Seems like every Starbucks I go into has at least 2 or 3 _HOT_ baristas working… Women has the majority in the company. There are only 3 men at my store including myself. Although it probably isnt bad for bussiness to make hot girls work the rush hours. > [@spoike](#): > > I assume that the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate (which, BTW, is the best new drink Starbucks has had, ever) is a seasonal item. When is it going to go away? I need to prepare myself. > > Also, is the decaf frappuccino base ever going to come back, or is it gone forever? I don’t know the date that we will quit getting shipments of it but we stop when we run out. I doubt decafe frap will ever come back. It was a poor seller. SO much should that sometimes we would just save what we have for the next day instead of making a fresh new pitcher like we should because we never used it > [@jali](#): > > I usually skip Starbucks, but I tried the ($.05 for charity) special truffle expresso and I’m going out on break to get one soon! > > Do you hate the seasonal stuff? No not really. Some of our seasonal stuff like Caramel apple spice and pepermint mocha are available all year round. Some people dont realize this. Although hearing 20 people eveyrday tell you how excited they are for gingerbred or eggnog does get old and after the first 5 or so your like “oh” > [@rivulus](#): > > What is the default milk these days? Whole or 2%? > > What is the offical order to order stuff in? e.g. is it “decaf, grande, vanilla latte…” or “grande, decaf, vanilla latte,” or what? It is 2%. The way we are supposed to call out drinks are Decafe?, Size, Shots, Syrup, Milk, Custom, Drink. If any of those is default you don’t call it out. When ordering a drink its best to say the size first no matter what. And also give the iced or hot modifier to. The way our system works is we cant ring something up without knowing the size first. > [@The\_Blue-Sighted\_Shadow](#): > > How much crack \*\*do \*\*they put in the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate? And how come I can’t get it at the Starbucks across the street? (It’s in a convention center and they have a really limited menu.) > > Any starbucks inside a store is not a real starbucks. Starbucks does not do franchises the closest thing we do is a company franchise to like Target or something like that. The non company stores do not get some of our “special” stuff. They also dont get benefits or discounts or anything else we get. > > And what happened to the egg nog latte? I used to impatiently wait for it every year, but this year I could only drink about 1/3 of it (once I found a Starbucks willing to even make one) and tossed the rest. The Salted Caramel is a reasonable substitute, but still, I miss my egg nog lattes! It possible that they didnt cut it correctly. Our egg nog is 3 parts eggnog 1 part nonfat milk. Although sometimes, even me, when we run out of the prep stuff we will just open a carton of eggnog and use that without cutting it with milk. That could be why it taste different it was made wrong. I am surprised because they are advertised a lot that you didnt know we had it. > [@BlueKangaroo](#): > > What kind of milk do they make the basic signature hot chocolate with? Is it different than the milk they make the espresso truffle with? There’s been some confusion in my life over this (since I started drinking the signature hot chocolates plus a shot of espresso back in October). > > Is the espresso truffle a seasonal thing? If so, is that because the signature hot chocolate is? > > Did the hazelnut signature hot chocolate already go the way of the dodo? I didn’t see it last time I was waiting for my drink, and thought that was a good thing, as it was vile. We use nonfat milk although the signature hot chocolate it so not good for you. It is 1.0 Liters hot water, 1.5 liters cold non fat milk and a packet which i think is a liter of powder that we mix together. The espresso truffle is a signature hot chocolate with a shot in it. yes they are both seasonal We just changed our menus. We have 3 signature hot chocolates. The signature hot chocolate, the salted caramel hot chocolate and the hazelnut signature hot chocolate. All our the same except signature hot chocolate is straight up, hazelnut has hazelnut in it and salted caramel has toffe nut. > [@kathmandu](#): > > What the heck is a misto? Half coffee half milk. Sometimes its ordered a con leche we will know what you mean. > [@jackdavinci](#): > > Is your name Taylor? No but my firends boyfriend is > [@quilter](#): > > As the result of your previous thread (thank you again! I don’t feel quite so clueless around my Starbucks-addict family), I’ve learned to order “triple grande no-whip mocha”. My dad even remembers that’s my order. My sister isn’t embarrassed to go into a Starbucks with me. > > However… > > In my perfect world, there’d be a lot more coffee (with a tinge of chocolate) and a lot less cocoa. How do I order that? > > My dad and sister will be eternally grateful. I would just ask for a coffee with a pump of mocha, or two or 3. Depending on your tastes. Ask for room and add a little milk. You can still order a mocha and ask them for more shots which will cost a lot more, but will also be more milk than the coffee obviously. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/34 "2008-12-11T03:57:18Z")
I’ve always been confused when it comes to ordering extra shots with an americano. I’ve never been clear on the terminology - do I ask for a double shot, or an extra shot, or do I just scribble down _moar caffeeene plz_ on my deaf barista’s white board? ---
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/35 "2008-12-11T04:04:44Z")
> [@Jeff](#): > > I’ve always been confused when it comes to ordering extra shots with an americano. I’ve never been clear on the terminology - do I ask for a double shot, or an extra shot, or do I just scribble down _moar caffeeene plz_ on my deaf barista’s white board? You have a deaf barista in your store..? I know there are laws about disability but this seems to be one that would interfere with them doing their job. I would say saying an extra shot it is easier for all parties concerned i think. what size are you getting? The small size has two shots in it already. Asking for a triple or quad ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/36 "2008-12-11T04:12:10Z")
My heart is broken that the signature hot chocolate (and thus the espresso truffle, since I did know it was just the SHC with a shot) is a seasonal thing. Much like hot tea, I would drink it year round did they offer it. And, really, I went to going to Starbucks occasionally to going roughly 2x/week to get a $5 drink when that wonderful barista suggested I get the SHC with a shot in it. I did know the SHC/ET wasn’t so good for me. Given that I get the largest size possible, with whipped cream and the nutritional info online says that’s a little under 600 calories a pop, it’s usually my breakfast for the one to two days a week I drink it. Well, that’s a benefit to it being seasonal, I suppose. Still, it makes me sad. I was contemplating getting a Starbucks Gold membership for that drink alone… ---
**Author:** ![quilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/839c29/32.png) [@quilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quilter)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/37 "2008-12-11T04:42:20Z")
Re: my wish for more coffee, less cocoa than a “triple grande no-whip mocha”, and with the admission that the only time I’m in Starbucks is if someone else is buying (just moved across the country, new job, new house, surplus dollars go to things like food), AND the knowledge that my dad and sister provide the Starbucks support that I don’t: > [@ChrisBooth12](#): > > I would just ask for a coffee with a pump of mocha, or two or 3. Depending on your tastes. Ask for room and add a little milk. You can still order a mocha and ask them for more shots which will cost a lot more, but will also be more milk than the coffee obviously. What does that translate to, in long-line, say-it-and-move-along, next-please?, I’d-sincerely-like-to-make-it-easy-on-the-barista-on-the-rare-occasions-I’m-in-your-store phrasing? Grande coffee with a mocha shot? Grande coffee with mocha and room? (Room for me to add a bit of no-fat when I get to the “stuff to add myself” area?) I spent too many years in retail to try to get into long, meaningful, descriptive conversations when there’s a line (and I’m rarely in a Starbucks when there isn’t a line!), which is why I’m grateful for any help in tweaking my phraseology. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/38 "2008-12-11T04:58:22Z")
Have you ever seen the movie **Idiocracy**? If so, did you think it was funny? ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/39 "2008-12-11T05:07:03Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > If I walk up to the counter and order ‘The most caffeine you can legally serve in one drink’, what will I get? And how much will it be? If it’s just the caffeine you’re after, why not take pills? ---
**Author:** ![Jeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513/40 "2008-12-11T05:12:18Z")
> [@ChrisBooth12](#): > > You have a deaf barista in your store..? I know there are laws about disability but this seems to be one that would interfere with them doing their job. I would say saying an extra shot it is easier for all parties concerned i think. what size are you getting? The small size has two shots in it already. Asking for a triple or quad Should’ve put the size in, sorry. I usually order a grande. I usually see the deaf barista on cash. She doesn’t seem to have any problem getting the job done or passing along the drink orders. I just feel self-conscious about my horrible hand-writing every time I order from her. 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-the-starbucks-barista-anything-part-deux/476513.md?page=3)