Starbucks Cup Sizes and Names: Pretentious or Genius? An Overview - Your Coffee and Tea Essentials (2023)

You know the drill. You walk into your nearest Starbucks, and before you can even utter the words "a small coffee, please," you're assaulted with a barrage of strange Starbucks cup sizes and names that sound more like they belong in an Italian coffeehouse than a trendy American café.

You sheepishly say a "small coffee" and what you get instead is a tall coffee. What the heck!

It seems you don't know your Venti from your Grande or Tall…

But don't worry, because you're not alone. Lots of people have no idea what the different Starbucks cup sizes are called, what they mean, or why they're even called like that.

In this post, we will explore the different Starbucks cup sizes and answer some of the most commonly asked questions about them. We will also take a look at why Starbucks uses Italian names for their cup sizes, and see which size is the most popular at Starbucks. We'll also address whether their cup size names are pretentious or a stroke of marketing genius.

So sit back and relax with a nice hot coffee (or tea), because we're about to get started!

The Tall cup size is the small cup size at Starbucks. It holds 12 oz or 355 mL of coffee.

It's a tall order to call the Tall cup size a small size though. In most countries (outside North America) a standard sized cup is 8 oz or 236 mL. See what we mean?

The name "Tall" for Starbucks' small cup size is a bit of an enigma. It's not especially tall, and it's definitely not the smallest cup size on offer (there are 'secret' drink sizes - more on that below).

The Grande cup size is medium at Starbucks. But how big is a Grande? It holds 16 oz or 457 mL of coffee, or the equivalent of 2 standard cups.

Confusingly, Grande in Italian (and Spanish) means 'large' but this is the medium sized drink at Starbucks. By the way, it's pronounced 'Gran-day'. Think "Grande" from Ariana Grande!

Despite the confusing terminology, this is the most popular drink size at Starbucks.

But what's a large at Starbucks called?

The Venti cup size is the large cup size at Starbucks.

But of course, it's not as simple as that. There are two Venti cup sizes. One for hot drinks at 20 oz or 591 mL of coffee, and one for cold drinks at 24 oz or 710 mL of coffee. This is the equivalent of 3 standard cup sizes...large it is indeed!

The Venti name comes from the Italian word for 'twenty'. It's pronounced 'ven-tee' and it makes reference to the 20 oz cup size (although the Italians would roll their eyes because they don't use the imperial system).

We are glad you asked this question!

The reason is to accommodate any ice cubes that go in your cold Venti size. So when you’re ordering your iced coffee you won’t miss out on any of the caffeine goodness.

We are still a bit confused though why this only applies to the Venti size and not the Grande and Tall ones. I guess they want to "encourage you" to order larger sizes?

Short is a cute name for the smallest cup size at Starbucks. And it's the only cup name that makes sense.

This extra small sized cup, 8 oz or 236 mL size is equivalent to a standard cup. Think of your typical coffee mug, which holds somewhere between 8 to 12 oz of coffee.

So, it's not that small (and not so cute) after all. For example, using the appropriate drinkware, a cappuccino is about 5 oz. And don't get me started on espresso.

Okay too late. The cup size for espresso is of capital importance. A shot of espresso is about 1 oz. Espresso should be served in a ceramic demitasse espresso cup. Tossing your espresso in a short cup size will ensure it's cold before you drink it and will ruin the crema...

This cup size is also the kid's size (for hot drinks) and perfect for your puppies when they demand puppuccinos.

Yes, we alluded to this before. There are two secret Starbucks cup sizes that are not mentioned on the official menu. These are considered 'secret' because they are not officially advertised by Starbucks but most Starbucks stores have them.

Yes, that's right, 31 oz, not a typo. Almost a kilo or over 2 lb of coffee down your throat...

The Trenta cup size is the largest cup size at Starbucks. It holds 31 oz or 918 mL of coffee, which is equivalent to four standard cups. Yes, that's right, the Trenta cup can hold about the same amount of liquid as FOUR STANDARD CUPS!

And you may have guessed that 'Trenta' means thirty in Italian - pronounced 'tren-ta'.

This extra large cup size is only used for cold drinks. So you won’t be able to order an outrageous amount of freshly brewed coffee. Your hot drink will need to be a Venti. This is a good thing!

This size is limited to iced drinks, such as iced coffee, cold brew, iced tea, and ice blended drinks (Frappuccinos). You can also order your iced tea lemonade or refreshers Trenta size.

I did a bit of math since Starbucks does not publish nutrition information on this behemoth, and here are some fun facts for ya:

A Toasted White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino Blended Beverage Trenta size would contain a whopping 103g of sugars. I would probably end up flying after consuming it...

That's a good question because as you will see, a larger cup size does not necessarily mean more espresso shots.

We have prepared this handy table to clarify how many shots of espresso each cup size has!

As per the Starbucks website, Howard Schultz, former Starbucks CEO, traveled to Milan in 1983. It was then and there that he experienced Italian coffeehouses. There was something about how passionate Italians were about coffee. It was something more than a caffeine boost - it was a full-fledged drinking culture!

RELATED: Looking for Cheap Starbucks Drinks? Here are 17 Great Options!

After his trip, Schultz became inspired and wanted to bring this know-how and culture to the US. He wanted his coffee shops to have a special ambiance resembling Italian coffee bars. So, he introduced Italian names for the Starbucks drink sizes.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

By the way, the original cup sizes were Short, Tall, and Grande. But due to popular demand, a larger size was introduced - the Venti. And the Short size was removed (at least officially).

Some people might think the cup names of Starbucks are pretentious. But it's actually a genius move because people associate Starbucks coffee with Italy (even though an Italian barista might frown at the idea of a Grande Latte). And these Italian names make the Starbucks brand stand out from their competitors.

Okay, putting the wittiness and jokes aside, there is something serious we need to talk about.

As per Starbucks, Starbucks distributes 6 billion paper and plastic cups globally each year. Most of these are not recycled and cannot be recycled, and so they end up in our oceans, killing marine wildlife from giant whales to sea turtles and birds.

Thankfully, Starbucks is taking initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint and pollution. One example is shifting away from single-use to reusable packing.

But as a consumer, you can help! Why not purchase a reusable tumbler. There are tons of really cool designs. And if you're a Starbucks fan, Starbucks makes their own as well.

Here are some cool designs for yourself or your kid's Starbucks drink if you have one... Haha!

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So there you have it - an overview of the Starbucks cup sizes and their official Italian names. I hope this article has cleared up any confusion about what size is which.

Now you can walk in like a boss and order a Venti cold brew and a Trenta iced tea lemonade. Well, maybe not, it's one of the most acidic drinks besides coke.

And remember, if you want to help reduce Starbucks' environmental impact, purchase a reusable tumbler! They come in lots of cool designs!

Let us know if you have any questions or comments!