Starbucks Cup Sizes Explained so you never look like a goose again!

What Are All the Cup Sizes at Starbucks? I have wondered the same in the past. Here are Starbucks cup sized explained so you never look like a goose again!

I once got handed a huge TRENTA size refresher refill at Starbucks which was seriously like a jug of liquid. I didn’t know Starbucks had such big sizes until I was given this. 😲

I go to Starbucks a lot so I know know all the sizes and most of the usual options on the menu. [Side note, if you want a treat the lemon loaf at Starbucks is beyond delicious!!]

But when my Mom visits with me she is always totally confused about the drink size options. I have noticed it is quite overwhelming for people who don’t regularly visit Starbucks.

Even beyond the drink sizes, the menu is massive and there are so many customizations, milk alternatives (like my fav Starbucks Oat Milk) syrups and types of beverages on offer.

When you have to consider the different starbucks sizes on top of all the available drink options it can be a daunting experience….

What Are All the Cup Sizes at Starbucks?

So why it it so overwhelming? Well, Starbucks have made their own version of sizes like the “tall”, “grande” and “venti” (we will discuss in greater detail below).

So if you rock up and ask for a “medium” or a “large” you are likely to get strange looks from the cashier. You might even get a size you weren’t expecting. For example, your definition of large might be a “grande” and you might end up with a “venti” or vice versa.

So what are all the cup size options at Starbucks? Interestingly enough, there are even more sizes of drinks available at Starbucks than are even available and listed on the menu, their secret menu of sorts.

As a Starbucks regular, I wasn’t even aware of their secret sizes until a nice Starbucks worker handed me a TRENTA refill to be nice one day. A trenta is their largest size and is only available for certain drinks but more on that later….

Let’s take a dive deep into the world of Starbucks cup sizes so you can order like a pro and more importantly actually end up with what you want!

Starbucks Cup Sizes: Starbucks sizes in order

If you look at the menu at Starbucks there are 4 size options available: short, tall, grande and venti.

But, this is somewhat of a lie, there are actually two additional secret sizes at Starbucks – the Demi (3oz) and the huge wine sized Trenta size (31oz). To give you an idea of how big this actually is, a bottle of wine is 25oz. It is the “supersize me” of Starbucks! 

Here are all Starbucks sizes currently available:

Demi: 3oz [ smallest size at Starbucks ]

The demi is the little baby bear of Starbucks cups. It is the smallest size on offer and something you will receive if you order a single or double espresso, cortado or espresso macchiato. Interestingly, it is not on the menu.

I like my coffee pretty weak so I have been given a demi cup on occasion when I’ve asked for a bit of extra milk. When I order a frappuccino I also like my cream on the side and they give me that in a demi cup.

The demi at Starbucks is also called a “quad” as it holds four .75-ounce espresso shots.

I don’t necessarily think you need to request a demi when you order at Starbucks. It is just something that will automatically be handed to you if you order an espresso or alike.

Short: 8oz [small size at Starbucks]

This is the size my parents want but when they say a “small” they are sometimes given a “tall” instead of an actual short. This is what most people think of when talking about a small Starbucks size but it is debatable between a short and a tall.

This size probably amounts to the same as a small-medium at a regular coffee shop with 8 ounces of liquid.

There are a lot of rules at Starbucks. The short size is only available for hot drinks.

There is 1 shot of espresso in a short. My parents like it because it is a stronger coffee taste (with less milk in the cup) than a tall but the same number of shots. It also has less calories being a smaller size which is a win.

Kids size drinks also generally come in a short size.

Tall: 12oz [medium Starbucks size]

You can order almost al of Starbucks menu in a size tall, whether you are ordering a hot or cold drink. For the cold drink options, this is the smallest size available on the menu.

This drink size will come with 12oz of liquid and most caffeinated drinks will come with 1 shot so if you like your coffee to taste a little weaker, this is a better option than the short size.

Grande: 16oz

The Grande size at 16oz is one of the more popular sizes on the menu. I often order the Grande size when I want to finish my drink fast as the size up (Venti) takes me longer to drink.

Originally when Starbucks first opened in Seattle this was the largest size available on the menu.

Below you can see a size comparison between my grande water and my venti latte. It is often considered Starbucks medium size (subject to debate) and it is the default size if you make an order on the mobile app.

If you order a grande with coffee you will get 2 shots of espresso in your drink unless ordered otherwise.

Venti: 20oz (hot) + 24oz (cold)

Venti is my fav size and my go to when I visit Starbucks. It is the largest size that you will find on the Starbucks advertised menu and the largest size that you can buy in a Starbucks reusable cup.

This wasn’t originally the largest advertised size, as mentioned above, the Grande was the biggest size available but people wanted a bigger size so the Venti was introduced in the ’90s. It is now one of the most popular sizes on the menu.

Interestingly, hot and cold drinks are different sizes. This is to account for the ice. Due to the size difference the espresso ratios are also different. You get 2 shots of espresso in a hot venti drink and 3 shots of espresso in a cold Venti beverage.

Trenta: 31oz (Starbucks supersize drink) [biggest size at starbucks]

I seriously can’t believe a drink of this size exists. It is beyond ridiculous as it is bigger than a bottle of wine. You won’t find it on the regular menu but if you want a really big drink you can order it off Starbucks secret menu.

There are no hot trentas available anymore at Starbucks but you can order a cold trenta in certain drinks like refreshers, cold brews, iced tea and iced coffee.

They used to be possible for frappuccinos but they are no longer available due to the copious amounts of sugar in the drink. There has been a bit of controversy around this drink as it holds more liquid than the average human stomach.

FAQ about Starbucks cup sizes

Why are Starbucks cup sizes named the way they are?

Starbucks have funny sizes and sometimes I wonder why they couldn’t just be “small”, “medium” or a “large” but on the other hand I think Starbucks unique language is one of its winning factors and what makes Starbucks such a cool concept.

Interestingly, there is more to it than just a cool marketing ploy to Starbucks drink sizes.

The size names originated from Starbucks Italian roots. The shop wasn’t originally even called Starbucks. It was called “Il Giornale” (Italian for “newspaper”). The founder Schultz noticed a gap in the American market for coffee bar experiences like they have in Italy.

It is quite strange to me because Starbucks has developed into the total opposite of an Italian coffee bar where people just down a quick espresso and go. Starbucks has become the “go to place” for many digital nomads who work or study in Starbucks for hours. Starbucks has really embraced this culture and even added power points to tables and given you incentives to stay longer by adding free refills to the equation.

Anyway, the founder Schultz named grande after the Italian word large. Venti is Italian for twenty and trenta is Italian for thirty. Even when the coffee shop was rebranded as Starbucks in 1987 they decided to keep the unique size names.

The medium size at Starbucks is open for debate. The tall and grande would both quality for a medium beverage size at Starbucks with the Venti being considered the large size.

How many cup sizes does Starbucks have?

On the menu, there are 4 different size options. However, there are in fact 6 different cup sizes available at Starbucks: demi, short, tall, grande, venti, and trenta.

What’s the biggest Starbucks size?

On the menu, the venti size is the biggest. However, in some stores and for certain cold drinks there is actually a Trenta cup size which was brought into Starbucks in 2012, around the “supersize me” era. If you want a huge drink, you can ask your barista if your beverage is available in the Trenta size. Note: hot drinks are not available in this size.

What’s the smallest Starbucks size?

Starbucks has a cute little demi cup which is used for espresso shot orders. It only holds 3 ounces.

Why is Starbucks small called tall?

Yes, I agree that is weird. But it makes more sense when you hear the history of it. Originally, the largest size at Strabucks was a Grande so a Tall was their medium size and the Short was their small size.

When the Venti came in, Starbucks removed the Short as it was too confusing for people but customers wanted it back so they decided to eventually reintroduce the Short size making the Starbucks sizes even more confusing for people who just like to think of “small” “medium” and “large” drinks.

What size is a demi cup at Starbucks?

This is the smallest cup available at Starbucks. It is not available on their menu but you will get it if you order an espresso. It is often called a quad. It can hold a few shots of espresso and a splash of milk of no more than 3 ounces.

**

Best non toxic coffee makers

Five Guys Review

***