Starbucks' 31-ounce "Trenta"-sized drinks debut in 14 states on Tuesday

The new size -- 7 ounces larger than the "Venti" cup (and 50 cents more) -- will be available (at least for now) only for iced coffee, iced tea and iced tea lemonade drinks. They'll be in all US stores by May 3. Starbucks says it's responding to customer demand for larger cold beverages. (Um, my guess that bigger cups=additional revenue had something to do with it, too.) || Read "Starbucks' 31-oz. Trenta cup size set for US debut

Comments

[Venti Urnex Latte]

The baristas often overload those cups with ice, so that the customer receives a very high ice to liquid ratio.

In hot weather, those drinks go down easy. But it's strange that this size is being introduced in the middle of winter.

[Doppio Con Karma]

@ Venti Urnex Latte,
Isn't there a corresponding Ice scoop to go with the trenta?

[Venti Urnex Latte]

@ Doppio, I do not know so I am unable to answer.

But in my store, which has a lawless atmosphere, almost everybody fills the cups by sticking them in the ice bin. No scoop used.

[Coffee Soldier]

The top line on the iced cups signify where the ice gets filled to. The top green line above the logo is where liquid ends in all drinks then ice is added unless the customer asks for something different so before anyone blames baristas for packing cups full of ice you can blame it on the company with the recipe for drinks.

[ibblet]

I know not all stores work this way but my sm printed out the new recipes.

for ice teas its
tea up to line 2 on the grande side
water/lemonade to line 4 on grande side
One tall scoop of ice gose right into the cup. and one tall scoop of ice into the shaker

[ibblet]

we should be getting new shakers / scoops around marchish.

[Coffee Soldier]

ibblet...is that the trenta recipe? My store is yet to have them and are not in this next rollout either...probably since we are under 3 feet of snow right now!

[ibblet]

Yup but with 7 pumps. and ice coffe is like we normaly do it but with 7.

we start on the 18th with them. I think its like texas, az , cali...all the warm weather. but all stores should have them rolled out by may.

[Waltie]

"But in my store, which has a lawless atmosphere, almost everybody fills the cups by sticking them in the ice bin. No scoop used. "

You should lay down the law then. Lawless atmospheres are for cowards.

[Crateish]

I saw 'Trenta' on the menu at my main Starbucks last week and was wondering if I had missed something.

[Marcus]

If trenta is 31 oz, I guess it doesn't literally mean 30, and if the trenta is 7 oz larger than the venti, I guess it's not actually 20 oz, which I had always heard. I thought that was kind of common belief?

[Aces of Eight]

Hot venti is 20 oz... iced venti is actually 24oz, I know it doesn't make any sense. The reasoning behind a bigger size for the iced venti is something to do with needing more space because of the ice or something? Though I'm not entirely sure that makes sense because the iced tall and iced grande are not any bigger than their hot counterparts. If trenta is 31 it would be 7 bigger than the iced venti. Also, the iced venti's bigger size is the reason it gets three shots by default instead of two like the hot.

[sw6blues]

31oz seems an odd size. And iced ventis are 26 oz with the newer venti cups. so +7=33 Again an odd number. Whatever.

[Aces of Eight]

I agree, whatever. It's not too important, and the size in ounces hardly affects us at all. It should be fine when it finally rolls out everywhere.

[Coffee Soldier]

Do the trenta cups fit in the cup holders that slide into the counters? Just envisioning where we will be placing a new cup....in a plexi or slide under counter.

[David]

Stupid fat asses couldn't be satisfied with a Venti and a refill. No wonder Americans are so fat and have so many health problems. Skinny for the WIN!

[I <3 music]

There Is so much ice in our drinks. The new size is only a little more liquid.

[sue de nimes]

Trentas were tested in Florida; one of our partners brought one back from the store she works at for college. It's huge. It's sure to sell - think of your ice tea fans - but it does seem silly.

[Coffee Drinker]

@David, actually a Trenta makes sense in a hot, dry climate, like when I lived in Tucson. In the summer we had days on end of 107+ degrees, and I'd drink iced coffee AND ask for water, especially if I was walking that day. I didn't put sugar or anything in mine so it was "skinny."

I see the Trenta doing well ins desert climates, and in the heat of summer; in hiking areas as well. Some days, even a gallon of water is barely enough to stay hydrated.

Yes, some will use it for gluttony and sugar loading...but not all. Let's not assume the worst of people ; )

With the Trenta only 50c more, one might actually fill it up and go, rather than hang around can get a free refill. More $$$ for SBUX.

[Melody]

@CoffeeDrinker - There have been plenty of times I've visited southern calif and on a scorching hot day wanted a larger than venti size iced tea. I think this is a great idea, especially for sun belt areas. And it really isn't all that expensive for Starbucks - Ice is cheap! ;) I like what you wrote and won't assume that most will load it up with sugar and milk in their iced coffee.

[BuxShiftie]

Thats about the size I get my dunkin iced coffee in (almost) every morning!! oh and im not fat ;) I am excited

[coffeebyte]

Please update your nutrition calculator so we can have a meaningful discussion about consuming close to 40% of one's daily calorie intake on a coffee drink.

[Hipsterdufus]

@david, your argument only works if someone wants to stay at the store. What if they are on the go?

Also, what if their store is constantly busy and they don't want to wait inline for a refill.

In reality, a trenta is LESS drink than a venti and a refill, so also good for those that don't want 48oz (as they would be getting in your scenario).

If you are getting a iced tea I see no problem with a 31oz drink, especially since it probably only has less than 20oz of liquid in it (hello a bottle of soda).

hell even sweetened it has less calories than many other regular sized drinks.

[P]

coffeebyte the only drinks allowed in the trenta cups are iced coffees (or with milk) and iced teas (or with lemonades). they'd have to load the drinks up with a fuckload of extra pumps to increase the caloric content in any meaningful way. no iced lattes and no frappuccinos for sure in this size.

[kate]

what states are getting these cups first? i want one now. im a starbucks junkie

[spence]

I'm in a hot climate and we started selling trentas months ago. We sell very few iced coffees in a trenta but plenty of herbal and green tea.The majority don't use sugar. So there!

[spence]

Still thinking about trentas...They really are not an issue at all. See Ibblet's recipe above. It's accurate unless the customer wants sweetener; then it's 7 pumps. And of course, shake it the normal 10 times as you would shake all ice teas. You wont sell very many. Only a few a day. Most of the buyers tend to be on pedal bikes or walkers. Some customers will say, "no water". Don't stress. Tea bags are cheap.

[3rdWaver]

You people still drink Starbucks? Sheesh. "Trenta", huh. Give me a break. Get with the times, Starbucks is as laughable as McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts when it comes to coffee. There's better stuff out there, believe me. Local shops are starting to pop up and give people a REAL option for the same price or less as Starbucks. I am grateful that I began my coffee journey here, but the truth is, you learn to move on to better things and that in itself is rewarding. I hope some of you that really truly love coffee get a chance to experience what I am experiencing, there are several prominent roasters out there that really do take coffee seriously. Starbucks just keeps on rolling things out, like "Trenta". You know you don't need that much liquid at one time.

[martin]

Hey, i'm italian and if i undertand well what you write i can say to agree with your opinion.

[www.google.com/accounts/o8/id?id=AItOawlfdmnvDM4srTBzjbR3_L4pRPlxsHIKAPY]

The recipe standard for Trenta is 8 pumps of classic,not 7 pumps. We've had it in our store for a few weeks. Very popular for iced zen and black tea, not so much for iced coffee or tea lemonades.

[Invader Zim]

@3rdWaver what's laughable is you dredging up an old, tired argument from the 90s. Everyone knows that indie coffee establishments exist. We also know that sometimes they have better coffee than SB. What most don't have is convenient locations and hours or drive-thrus.

[petie]

The recipe I printed from the portal this morning states 7 pumps of classic.

[ibblet]

Nod recipe says 7 but when i rung them in today symp. listed 8 as the pumps.

But to be fair it also told me i needed to put 6 pumps of mocha in a Choc.smoothie. So lets just go with the portal.

[Former one]

No,Thanks..But I am going to stick with a diet without starbucks fattening drinks...Water is the answer...

[otownshift]

I work in Florida and we launched the Trenta in my store this week...our recipe cards actually list 7 pumps as the recipe standard...though I did notice 8 listed on the POS.

I have already had quite a few customers request Trenta Iced Caramel Macchiatos and somewhat pissed off that the only drinks available to them in the Trenta size were iced coffee and tea beverages. It never ceases to amaze me-people will buy and consume 31 ounce frappuccinos if you put them on the menu. I wonder how long before those will be available.

[P]

Trenta gets 7 pumps. check it out on the portal you ignorant fools. WHAT

[slaw275]

no trenta yet in my area, yet due to the media hullaballoo I have received several personal phone calls and text messages today asking about it... I guess it's exciting news!

[James Connolly]

Had my first request for an iced trenta heavy whipping cream latte today.

[Aces of Eight]

lol

[Letsdisinfect]

I did a quick test- the trenta without ice actually contains only about 16 oz of liquid.
Now i want to get all of Sbux iced cups and see how much actual beverage you get when filled properly (top line etc). I never really thought about that when I was a partner oddly enough.

[Aces of Eight]

I can't wait for people to demands trenta frappuccino's, haha. Oh boy.

[Coffee Drinker]

I've measured the various size coffee cups, using SBUX paper cups to fill my tumblers. My new "red" ceramic tumbler, bought at Christmas, is said to be a grande, however, one would have to fill it to the brim and overflowing to get that; then you wouldn't be able to put the lid on. it's really, IMHO, a "tall." I learned that all the cup ounce sizes imply the cup would have to be too full to carry safely, or in some cases allow for a sealing lid.

This is a fair measurement system, the same as one uses for example when making a recipe calling for a cup of milk. You fill it to the top to get your 8-oz cup.

However, even though I never ask room, I always get it and it was interesting to realize I've always been paying for the next size smaller coffee than I thought I was getting.

Not a complaint, just a silly thing to figure out in my spare time. Now that I know the measurement system is accurate to the top, I always order the next size down anyway. Lately I'm bringing a favorite regular cup from home and get a short, with refills.

My baristas are the best ; )

[ncsm]

It's just a matter of time until Starbucks gives in to customer demands and begins offering trenta sized fraps. For all it's self proclaimed concern about customer health, Starbucks only REAL concern is making as much money as it can from people, regardless of how many it sends to an early grave.

[hearbutloud]

Remember Caveat Emptor? When did the consumer lose responsibility for his own choices? If people get fat from their diet, it's their own fault, not the fault of the establishment. We offer plenty of low-calorie/no-calorie beverages.

[spokaneshift]

ibblet, it is 6 pumps mocha in a chocolate smoothie... when you use the mocha pump at the cbs, which is calibrated differently than the mocha pump at the espresso bar, which you would only use 3 pumps for a smoothie.

[me myself and I]

If I remember right the actual liquid in the iced beverages is about half the stated size. The rest is ice. And that is why a lot of people in warm climates don't mind the trenta size. After all, it is only as much liquid as a bottle of soda, even though it looks humongous.

[An Inquiring Mind]

AMEN, hearbutloud! Starbucks can offer whatever they want. No one's forcing anyone to drink a Trenta frap if it's ever offered. It's the customer's choice and responsibility. If they want to send themselves to the grave with their food choices, it's no one's fault but their own. Anyone can find out the nutrition info for what they eat, but people just stick their heads in the sand while their asses grow larger.

[erstwhile]

Trenta fraps wouldn't even be a big deal. It's not like we have to do any significant prep for them anymore.

Now, if we still had pitchers of base, they might get a little annoying.

Either way, these things don't sell a whole lot. Just a nice option for people who can't stay to enjoy their refill.

[BPH]

"Had my first request for an iced trenta heavy whipping cream latte today."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgexABogDsY&feature=related

[zevgoldman]

3rdwave
You sad poseur. What a person decides to drink is his business not yours.
How did you arrive at the conclusion the drink was going to be consumed at one point in time?
I believe it is safe to assume that people sip cold drinks over a period of time. Even if a person is a bucket mouth and slams all thirty one ounces down in one gulp it is his decision to make, not yours.
You nanny staters always know what's best for everyone one else. Just stay the hell out of the business of others.