The Starbucks Order Mistake That Leaves You With Less Coffee

Ordering coffee at Starbucks can be as simple as getting something straight off the menu, without any customizations or personal requests. Most of the time, this method works just fine. However, you can upgrade your Starbucks experience in a major way with only one small adjustment — the cup size.

The next time you go to place your favorite coffee order, step up your game by asking for the next cup size. In other words, if you want a tall dark roast coffee, ask the barista to pour it in a grande cup. You'll receive a "tall" amount of drip coffee while still having plenty of room to add creamer to your coffee in your grande cup. This is opposed to the barista giving you less coffee in a tall cup to ensure there's room for cream and milk.

Don't worry, though, requesting the next cup size up won't affect the cost of your drink. You are, after all, still getting a tall dark roast — and that's how your order will be rung up, no matter the cup size.

If the previously mentioned Starbucks hack for "extra" drip coffee doesn't appeal to you, you can also find a benefit when ordering the next cup size up for a blended drink like a Frappuccino. 

Typically, the shaker or blender used to make your order will likely still have some of the drink contents left over once your cup has been filled. And asking for the next cup size up provides space for a generous barista to top off your drink with whatever's left. After all, that little bit of leftover Frappuccino would just be dumped otherwise. Plus, you're not only getting the extra bit of drink that you would've missed out on, but there's also more space to top it off with more whipped cream, too.

To be clear, you aren't going to get a mind-blowing amount of extra coffee or Frapp by using these hacks, but it's worth a shot. When you're tired, every sip counts.