What Starbucks Cup Sizes Literally Mean (Explained)

Starbucks offers so many different varieties of coffee that it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Is a tall the smallest size possible? And what exactly does ordering an extra large drink imply? Is a cold Starbucks beverage bigger than a heated one? What’s the difference between grande and venti, anyway?
Starbucks-Photo-by-Kadarius-Seegars-on-Unsplash
(Starbucks Photo by Kadarius Seegars on Unsplash)

It’s never just a regular cup of Joe when it comes to Starbucks Coffee; it’s a complicated procedure that necessitates you to know the company’s secret names (or a smidge of Italian) for its various sized coffee beverages.

The mix of Italian and English phrases that appear over the business’s menu appears to bear little resemblance to the actual sizes they represent, leaving newcomers confused. Here’s everything you need to know about Starbucks cup sizes.

What Are The Different Starbucks Cup Sizes?

The names of Starbucks’ cup sizes are in Italian. In theory, it sounds elegant and adds a little bit of class to your daily grind, but it may also be annoying if you’re not used to them and just want some coffee right away. At Starbucks, the options are:

  • Short
  • Tall
  • Grande
  • Venti
  • Trenta

What Does Starbucks Cup Sizes Mean?

Short– Around the world, a short is the smallest Starbucks drink available. It has eight ounces in volume, making it the tiniest of all Starbucks beverages. Only hot beverages such as brewed coffee and espresso drinks are served in this li’l cup.

Tall– The second-smallest size at Starbucks is known as “tall,” which holds 12 ounces, or 50 percent more than the short. In a tall cup, you may order both hot and cold beverages.

Grande– In Spanish, “grande” refers to something being big, but since more is always better in the world of coffee, it’s really a medium option at Starbucks. Grande coffees have a capacity of 16 ounces for both cold and hot beverages.

Venti– The venti option is confusing, since it comes in two different sizes. A hot venti drink contains 20 ounces of coffee—in fact, the term venti means 20 in Italian.

The tall regular size is 24 ounces, whereas the large cold venti is slightly larger at 28 ounces. Both cups are rather tall and a little more difficult to transport around, so keep that in mind if you’re on the move.

Trenta– When the new Starbucks size debuted in 2011, it caused a stir. The Trenta is actually larger than most people’s stomachs, according to Eater. Only cold beverages are available in this 31-ounce volume.

How Many Shots of Espresso Are in Each Size?

The number of espresso shots in each size differs. Different quantities of espresso are included in both hot and cold beverages, as well as drinks with milk versus without.

  • Short– A single shot of espresso is blended into a double thick single shot coffee. One shot of espresso is blended into a double thick single shot coffee, such as lattes and cappuccinos. A short Americano, too, contains only one shot.
  • Tall– There is one shot of espresso in a tall drink made with milk. A tall Americano contains two shots.
  • Grande– Two shots are required to prepare a grand espresso beverage. The Americano, as usual, has an extra shot, providing you with a strong boost of three espresso injections.
  • Venti Hot– A venti hot drink contains the same number of espresso as a grande: two shots. The extra capacity is mostly milk and syrup. A venti Americano, on the other hand, has four times as much espresso as an ordinary Americano.
  • Venti Cold– The slightly larger capacity of the venti cold drink includes an extra shot, as in three shots for milky beverages.

There are always a few exceptions, such as flat white lattes with a unique ristretto shot that includes one more shot than regular lattes. Even blended beverages, such as Frappuccinos, include only a single shot.

Starbucks 15 Pack Bundle - Reusable Frosted 24 oz Cold Cup with Lid and Green Straw w/Stopper

What Do The Starbucks Italian Names Mean?

In 1983, on a fateful trip to the coffee-loving nation, Howard Schultz, the founder of Starbucks, became enthralled with Italian coffee bars and the romance of the coffee experience, according to Starbucks website. So much so that he wished to replicate that experience in the United States with his own cafe, Il Giornale.

You’ve probably never heard of Il Giornale, but it was a little cafe chain Schulz began in 1986 — one year before he bought a tiny Seattle company called Starbucks.

Karen Blumenthal described Schultz’s intentions in her book Grand Expectations as follows: She intended to send the message that Starbucks wanted to convey a distinct image, something far more exotic than simply a cup of coffee. Since cafés in Italy were influenced by the coffee culture, Schultz sought to pay homage to that heritage with unique names at the time that people were drinking it.

Il Giornale gradually evolved into the Starbucks we know today, and certain Italian characteristics such as names were added. For many years, the Starbucks menu had only three sizes listed: short, tall, and grande which means large in Italian.

The “venti” (Italian for twenty) size then arrived, altering everything. To save room, the short was removed when venti was added to the menu. These days, Starbucks offers a fifth size called the trenta ( Italian for thirty) which is used primarily for its brewed iced teas and other cold beverages. It can hold 31 ounces of any icy, refreshing beverage.

Don’t worry if you’re still confused with Starbucks options. If you have questions about different sizing choices or need to be careful with your coffee intake, speak with your barista; they’ll be able to tell you anything you need to know. I hope this guide will be of assistance to you the next time you come for a cup of coffee.

coffee types

Author

Nicola R.

Nicola R.

About Us

We are at “Elijah Coffee” group of people who love coffe and have something to say about it :-)

Categories

Recent Posts

Sign up for our Newsletter

Would you like to join our writers community?

Would you like to join our awesome group of writers or just be a guest coffee blog writer? Email to eli @ elijahcoffee . com (remove the spaces)

Skip to content