How To Split Starbucks Drinks With A Friend For A+ Coffee Budgeting
It's no secret that sharing can be its own sweet reward. At a time when the cost of almost everything is on the rise, splitting your favorite caffeinated beverage at your local Starbucks might be a great way to share a little love with a friend and, at the same time, keep your wallet happy.
There are a number of ways to save a little dough while enjoying a brew at the ubiquitous Seattle-based coffee chain — some more known than others. Splitting a Starbucks beverage with a fellow coffee aficionado over great conversation can be one way to keep costs down and still enjoy a time-honored pastime.
Starbucks baristas, upon request, will usually divvy up a singular drink order and put it into two smaller cups — at worst, you can order a venti and ask for two tall cups to split the beverage yourself. This simple hack can potentially save several dollars, depending on the particular drink ordered and the location of the specific establishment. Splitting a beverage, rather than ordering two separate ones, yields savings.
How much you could save
Anyone who has stepped foot into a Starbucks knows the chain has its own unique convention for drink sizes. A short, at eight ounces, is the smallest; followed by a tall, at 12 ounces; grande, at 16 ounces; and a venti, at 20 ounces — unless you order an iced venti, which is actually 24.
On average, a venti-sized brewed coffee at a U.S. store costs between $2.65 and $3. If 10 ounces each of the java is split between two people, the cost per person ranges from $1.33 to $1.50. By contrast, a tall cup of coffee at Starbucks in the U.S., as of 2023, costs between $2.10 and $2.45. By forfeiting two ounces, nearly $1 might be saved.
The savings can be even greater for some of Starbucks' pricier drinks. A venti-sized Frappuccino, for instance, ranges in price from $5.45 to $5.95 at most U.S.-based Starbucks in 2023. By splitting the sweet, flavorful coffee concoction with a friend, the halved cost, on average, might range from $2.73 to $2.98. A tall-sized Frappuccino, by contrast, typically costs between $4.25 and $4.75.
Other tips for saving at Starbucks
Splitting a beverage is just one of several hacks for enjoying a Starbucks beverage while tamping down on the total tab. As is the case with many of today's major chains — coffee shops and beyond — Starbucks offers a number of opportunities for savvy consumers. Many baristas will give unofficial discounts to customers who treat them respectfully or do helpful things — like ordering according to the Starbucks drink code.
The Starbucks Rewards program is another opportunity to score a free drink by earning accumulating points with each visit and purchase. Rewards members are also privy to free brewed coffee and tea refills.
Another way to save at the checkout line, as you place your drink order, is to bring your own cup. Starbucks will deduct $0.10 from each drink ordered if a barista fills the order in a supplied cup, rather than utilizing one of their paper cups. It might not be a lot of savings, on the surface, but it could add up over time — and, best of all, it's a great way to be more conscious of the environment and cut down on waste.