There Is A Right Way To Order Food At Starbucks

Starbucks is famous for its delicious array of coffees, from frothy lattes and handcrafted espressos to smooth cold brews and ultra-indulgent Frappuccinos. But, with all of the many drink options available come a variety of customizations like choice of milk, flavored syrups, and other sweet toppings. Tack on a toothsome treat from the iconic coffeehouse chain's enticing food menu, and your Starbucks order can become pretty complicated fast.

Those keen on saving time can certainly opt for the company's convenient app, which makes ordering and paying ahead for your favorite on-the-go breakfast quite a bit easier. However, there's another simple way to streamline the whole ordering process when going into the store or through the drive-thru, and it involves ordering your food first and then your beverage.

Since many food items generally take longer to prepare than drinks, telling the barista what you want to eat before your choice of drink can help ensure your order isn't delayed — and your barista is left happy.

Turns out, ordering hot food items at Starbucks can really slow down service. Since offerings like breakfast sandwiches, wraps, and egg bites have to be heated up, they tend to take upwards of a minute and a half to make, which is longer than the average time it takes to whip up a basic beverage. For this reason, the order in which you request your food and drinks is actually pretty important. "It makes both of our lives easier if you simply order food first before drinks," one apparent Starbucks employee wrote on Reddit. "[I]t allows us to put it in the oven and cook it, so [by] the time you get to the window ... your food and your drinks will be ready."

Granted, whether or not ordering your food first actually saves time will greatly depend on the complexity of your drink. For example, asking for numerous customizations or ordering complicated beverages like blended Frappuccinos that take longer to prepare can slow down your barista. But, regardless of whether you're ordering for yourself or a group of people, a good rule of thumb is to lead with all of the food items first so that you're not left waiting for your meal at the pick-up counter or drive-thru window with your drinks already in hand.

Ordering your food first isn't the only way to make the cashier's job easier. The drink ordering code Starbucks baristas love to hear can come in handy, too. In a nutshell, it involves ordering your drink in the order the barista writes you selections on the cup. So basically, you would specify whether you want your drink hot or iced, decaf or regular, the cup size, choice of syrups, and any milk modifications before you say the name of your drink. Then, you can add on any extras, such as additional toppings like whipped cream.

However, above all else, one of the most important ways to keep your barista's workflow running smoothly actually occurs before you even get to the register: Know what you want before it's your turn to order. The cashier — not to mention, the people in line behind you — will thank you later.