Get A Stronger Flavored Starbucks Latte For Less With A Simple Ordering Hack
If Starbucks is a constant part of your morning routine, you know that the chain's coffee drinks can be a little expensive. This is especially true if you often make updates to your beverage to increase its potency, such as by adding an extra espresso shot. In this case, there's a way to pay less for an iced vanilla latte while still getting that extra shot of espresso when ordering through the Starbucks app.
In the app, select the grande iced shaken espresso (which contains three shots) and head to the customization menu. De-select the classic syrup option and add vanilla syrup in its place. Your beverage will now contain three espresso shots plus vanilla syrup for $.50 less than adding an additional shot to an iced vanilla latte (it should be noted that prices can vary according to location). Even better, you can select a variety of flavored syrups using this money-saving hack, including caramel, hazelnut, and sugar cookie. While it's true that Starbucks employees secretly dislike certain drink orders, this straightforward hack is unlikely to raise the ire of your barista.
How does the hacked iced shaken espresso compare to other drinks?
The Starbucks menu also features an iced blonde vanilla latte, which comes with two shots and four pumps of vanilla syrup in the standard order. This beverage is notable for the inclusion of blonde espresso beans, which undergo a light roast. This roasting technique results in a subtler flavor that's punctuated by hints of fruit and flowers. On the other hand, conventional espresso beans are dark roasted, which creates the potent coffee flavor synonymous with espresso-based beverages.
When you add an extra shot to the iced blonde vanilla latte, the drink becomes more expensive than the iced latte with vanilla syrup, as well as the hacked iced shaken espresso. If you go with the hacked option, you'll save about $1.30 on your order, while the iced latte with vanilla is about $.80 less. You can also opt to replace the signature espresso roast with blonde in your hacked order and still pay the same price. Keep in mind that reviews of Starbucks blonde espresso roast have been pretty favorable since the beans were first introduced in 2018.
Why it's best to take it easy on the syrup
If you can't get enough of Starbucks sweet vanilla syrup, take heart. When using the iced shaken espresso hack, you're free to include up to 12 shots of vanilla syrup without changing the price of the beverage. However, just because you can do something doesn't necessarily mean that you should.
Pumps of syrup at Starbucks are based on the size of the beverage. While practices may vary from location to location, most grande drinks get four pumps of syrup. Keep in mind that a single pump of vanilla syrup equates to five grams of sugar, so the standard grande order contains 20 grams of sugar. Considering that added sugar is among the foods you shouldn't eat every day, it's probably best to limit syrup pumps to what's listed on the Starbucks menu. Along with the health ramifications of a sugar overload, adding too much sugar can ruin your hacked drink and render your cost-saving technique less impressive.