Starbucks Cup Sizes Explained (How did Starbucks come up with their sizes? + All you need to know)

After videos that claimed that all Starbucks cups hold the same volume of liquid went viral, a lot of Starbucks customers got curious. I included, of course. This raised several questions and there was an obvious need for an in-depth explanation of the cup sizes.

Initially, Starbucks had regular names for its cup sizes but when the founder returned from his trip to Italy, he was inspired to add Italian touch to the coffee chain. This led to the adaptation of Italian names for the cup sizes thereby changing the whole narrative.

How did Starbucks come up with its sizes?

When Starbucks first started, the cup sizes were short, medium, and tall to represent the smallest cup to the largest. The founder, Howard Schultz, took a trip to Italy in 1983 and was fascinated by the coffee bars so much that he decided to introduce Italian names to the cups. At the time customers were also demanding larger sizes so Howard did away with the short and medium sizes and introduced Grande, Venti, and Tentra which were sizes larger than the Tall cup.

That way, Tall ended up becoming the shortest cup and one of the wonders that keep customers buzzing into Starbucks stores.

What size is Starbucks free cup?

When the festive season sets in, Starbucks embraces it with lots of giveaways, among them a red standard Grande size reusable cup. The cups are made with recycled content and are part of the company’s goal to reduce waste. So to lift your holiday spirit you can enjoy your handcrafted holiday treat in your free Grande cup.

What size are the red Starbucks cups?

Other than the free red reusable cups, Starbucks has more red cups to add to the holiday flare. The holiday season can’t be complete with the normal plain white cups so Starbucks introduced red holiday-themed cups. There is the tall cup that holds 12 ounces, a Grande which holds 16 ounces, and a Venti which holds 20 ounces. The most common size, however, remains to be Grande.

What are the Starbucks drink sizes?

Starbucks has four drink size options and they include tall, Grande, Venti, and Tentra. There is also the short size but it is not as common. The different sizes vary in price and are essential for the amount and type of drink you want.

Why does Starbucks name their sizes?

It only makes sense that a big coffee chain like Starbucks has an interesting back story. When it began, Starbucks had regular cup size names like any other coffee shop but after a trip to Italy, the founder thought it wise to add the romance and charm of an Italian coffee experience. Then was born the cup size names, Grande, Venti, and Tentra. The use of Italian did not stop there but was carried through to the menu with names like Macchiato and Misto.

What size is a Venti at Starbucks?

Venti in Italian means twenty. A Starbucks Venti cup is 20 ounces for hot drinks and 24 ounces for cold drinks.

What size is a Grande at Starbucks?

A Grande is the medium option at Starbucks and holds 16 ounces for both cold and hot beverages.

How big is a Short at Starbucks?

An original short Starbucks cup is 8 fluid ounces and is the smallest drink size Starbucks has ever offered.

How big is a tall size at Starbucks?

The ‘Tall is the new short’ phrase is one of the puzzling things at Starbucks. This size that took the place of the short size is 12 fluid ounces and is currently the smallest size.

How do Starbucks sizes work?

I never tire of repeating how ahead of time Starbucks is and whether or not it was intentional, a lot about the coffee chain leaves any customer asking questions they don’t have answers to. Starbucks cup sizes aren’t just complex in their naming but working as well. The Tentra size is 31 ounces and is only used for iced beverages. A Grande is 16 ounces and holds both hot and cold beverages while a Venti is 20 ounces for hot drinks and 24 for cold drinks.

As it is, you never know what other mind-blowing fact you are likely to unveil whenever you walk into a Starbucks store.

What size is a birthday drink at Starbucks?

A birthday drink is usually 20 ounces or less of a handcrafted beverage.

FAQ

Where do Starbucks sizes name come from?

Starbucks’ larger sizes are Italian words.

Why are Starbucks sizes different?

The founder adopted Italian names which led to booting off of the short size.

Why are Starbucks sizes in Italian?

The Italian names are to honor the founder’s Italian inspiration of warmth and artistry.

Why is Starbucks sizing so weird

The original short size was discontinued leaving the Tall size as the shortest size.

Why does Starbucks not use small, medium, and large?

The founder decided to add the romantic Italian coffee experience to the coffee chain by adopting Italian names instead of the usual names.