Starbucks Cup Sizes and Names: Beginners Full Guide

Last updated on October 5th, 2023 by Garret Jacob

Many people are familiar with the names of the most common Starbucks cup sizes.

You have the “Grande” at 16 fl oz. which may be considered a medium, the “Venti” at 20 fl oz. which means twenty in Italian and may actually be considered a large, and the “Tall” at 12 fl oz. with a name that makes it seem like it should be large but may actually be considered a small. 

Confusing right? 

If you are new to Starbucks, you may be wondering why you can’t order a simple small, medium, or large.

For those who know, you know. But for newcomers learning the cup sizes, there is a slight learning curve to ordering your perfect cup of coffee each and every time. 

Here is a complete breakdown of Starbucks coffee cup sizes and a few other tidbits of information you may want to know before switching to Starbucks as your “go-to” coffee shop. 

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A Complete Breakdown of Starbucks Coffee Cup Sizes

Did you know that there are additional cup sizes other than short, tall, and grande? Did you know that there are also a few different cup sizes for cold drinks which come as clear cups? Here is a complete list of all the cup sizes Starbucks has.

Hot drinks

• Demi (3 oz.)
• Short (8 oz.)
• Tall (12 oz.)
• Grande (16 oz.)
• Venti (20 oz.)
• Trenta (31 oz.)

Cold drinks

• Tall (12 oz.)
• Grande (16 oz.)
• Venti (24 oz. instead of 20 oz.)
• Trenta (31 oz.)

In addition to the different cup sizes for hot and cold beverages, Starbucks offers a number of refillable mugs, tumblers, and cold cups that regular customers can use to help reduce waste. These cup sizes vary from 14 and 16 oz. for mugs and up to 20 to 24 oz. for tumblers and cold cups. 

Starbucks Cup Sizes and Prices

Because Starbucks is made up of more than 20,000 locations in 60 different countries worldwide, Starbucks prices can vary depending on the size of the drink, the drink type, and where you order. 

For the purposes of this article, let us look at the difference in price between the sizes of a regular cup of hot coffee as well as the difference in price between the sizes of iced coffee in New York.

Regular coffee prices for most common hot drink cup sizes

• Tall (12 oz.) – $2.42
• Grande (16 oz.) – $2.75
• Venti (20 oz.) – $3.21

Regular iced coffee prices for most common cold drink cup sizes

• Tall (12 oz.) – $2.95
• Grande (16 oz.) – $3.47
• Venti (24 oz.) – $3.86
• Trenta (31 oz.) – $4.52

The iced coffee prices are the same whether or not you add milk or not, however, it does not include any additional requests like flavor shots or other items that would increase the price of the iced coffee.

Starbucks Menu Overview

Now that we understand all the different cup sizes that Starbucks offers and how prices can vary depending on drink type, size, and geographical location, let’s take a look at some of the most popular hot and cold coffee menu items that make Starbucks one of the most popular coffee shops in the world. 

Hot Coffee Drinks

• Brewed coffees: includes the famous Green Apron Blend and featured medium roast, dark roast, and decaf blends.
• Caffe Misto: a drink made with a one-to-one ratio of brewed coffee and steamed milk.
• Cappuccinos: espresso coffee topped with frothed hot milk or cream
• Espresso shots/Espresso con Panna: Espresso meets a dollop of whipped cream to enhance the rich and caramelly flavors.
• Flat white: a coffee drink consisting of espresso with microfoam.
• Lattes: a milk coffee that is made up of one or two shots of espresso, steamed milk, and a final, thin layer of frothed milk on top.
• Macchiatos: espresso with a dash of frothy steamed milk.
• Mochas: a regular latte with chocolate syrup added to it.

Cold Coffee Drinks

• Cold brew: Handcrafted in small batches daily, slow-steeped in cool water for 20 hours, the Starbucks cold brew can come with a variety of flavors such as white chocolate macadamia cream and cinnamon caramel.
• Nitro cold brew: Made from the handcrafted cold brew infused with nitrogen to create a sweeter flavor and velvety cream. 
• Iced Americano: Espresso shots topped with cold water produce a light layer of crema, then served over ice.
• Iced coffee: freshly brewed coffee served over ice. Sugar, milk, cream, and/or flavor shots can be added to taste.
• Iced espresso: Espresso shots poured over ice.
• Iced flat white: The perfect mix of espresso and cream poured over ice.
• Iced caffè latte: Steamed milk and rich espresso shots poured over ice.
• Iced macchiato: More espresso than steamed milk poured over ice. 
• Iced mocha: Espresso and mocha sauce mixed together with milk and poured over ice and topped with whipped cream. 

Which Starbucks Size is the Best Value?

When it comes to which Starbucks size is the best value, most regular Starbucks customers will tell you a different answer. However, one thing they all can agree on is that the “Tall” 12 fl oz. size is by far the size that provides the least amount of value. 

After reading some rational reviews online provided by Starbucks customers and also by asking a few friends who I know worship the place, I have concluded that the best value sizes are both the “Grande” and the “Venti”. 

More specifically, if you are ordering a hot drink, then the grande at 16 fl ounces is the best value, and for cold drinks, the venti at 24 fl ounces comes with an additional four ounces of liquid than the venti hot drink. 

If you are going for a viral Starbucks drinks that you see in social media, following the size is a must.

What do Starbucks Cup Sizes Names Mean?

Again, there always seems to be some confusion between the sizes of Starbucks drinks and the names given for each size. Here is a complete list of all the Starbucks sizes available and their meanings.

• Demi (3 oz.) – Demi is short for “demitasse,” meaning “half-cup” in French. These cups are perfect for single or double shots of espresso.
• Short (8 oz.) – Short as in small. The short size at Starbucks is also used for espresso shots or for smaller versions of espresso-based drinks like macchiato, flat white, or mocha.  
• Tall (12 oz.) – Tall as in not short. The tall contains 50% more volume than the short.
• Grande (16 oz.) – Grande is large in Spanish and Italian and at 16 fluid ounces, it may actually be considered a medium.
• Venti (20 oz.) – Venti means 20 in Italian and this size may be considered a Starbucks large.
• Trenta (31 oz.) – Trenta means 30 in Italian although the trenta size comes with 31 fluid ounces. The trenta size may be considered a Starbucks extra large. 

Sources:

• https://www.fastfoodmenuprices.com/starbucks-prices/
• https://www.rd.com/article/starbucks-coffee-sizes-explained/
• https://www.starbucks.com/menu

Chief Editor