The Starbucks Drink Orders Baristas Won't Serve In Trenta Cups

Starbucks has become such a cultural phenomenon over the decades that even the chain's size chart is considered iconic. While Tall, Grande, and Venti have become household names (and mini sizes at Starbucks have faded into obscurity), it's the Trenta that's arguably the most intriguing size at the chain. At a whopping 30 ounces, the Trenta is a devoted Starbucks lover's dream size. In fact, it would likely get purchased on a much more regular basis if it weren't only available to order for a handful of items on the menu. Most notably, Trentas are completely unavailable for any kind of hot drink on the expansive Starbucks menu, a fact that's deeply disappointing to many who prefer hot cups of coffee to the chain's iced and frozen alternatives.

The reason why hot drinks are not available in Trenta cups is ultimately unknown by the general public, but theories range from the gargantuan cup size being theoretically incapable of fitting beneath Starbucks' hot coffee maker to general concerns about how the quality of hot drinks would be impacted if their recipes needed to be modified to make 30 ounces. Others also note that, if the entire drink menu were available in Trenta sizes – a size that Starbucks itself doesn't even advertise for drinks it can be ordered for — it could lead to longer wait times and a generally worsened experience at the coffee chain.

If you're thinking that Starbucks hot coffee fans are the only ones out of luck when it comes to scoring Trenta-sized cups, think again. While many cold beverages are available in Trenta cups at the second-biggest American-based restaurant in the world, Tasting Table discovered in a discussion with a Starbucks spokesperson that any cold espresso-based drink at the establishment is also off the table for customers in the United States. Thus, the drinks that you can get in a Trenta cup are traditionally limited to Refreshers, cold brew coffee, iced coffee, and iced tea.

This, similar to the hot drink exception, is likely due to difficulty adapting the recipe to make up a total of 30 ounces but may also be a result of fears that customers will be consuming too much of their specialty espresso drinks. With many Venti drinks already consuming copious amounts of sugar and caffeine in their own right, introducing even more product to each cup could be considered a bad look for the company. However, if you are looking to maximize the amount of caffeine in your Starbucks coffee, ordering a cold brew could be your best bet on the menu of Trenta-approved items.

Static Media owns and operates Tasting Table and The Takeout.