The Milk Swap Starbucks Baristas Can't Stand

Do you have a go-to custom order at Starbucks? Do you need an extra pump of peppermint syrup in a hot chocolate or caramel in your Frappuccino? In 2010, the chain introduced the idea of customizable Frappuccinos that you could make any way you wanted, and the internet ran with it. That led to popular Starbucks secret menu offerings, and then Instagrammable favorites such as the Unicorn Frappuccino. Since that time, baristas at Starbucks have become accustomed to handling all kinds of complex orders. But that doesn't mean they always like them, especially if you ask for vanilla sweet cream instead of milk.

Vanilla sweet cream is a mix of milk, cream, and vanilla syrup. Starbucks employees prepare a fresh batch of this every day for use in various cold foams and signature drinks, like the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew. Its sweet, thick texture makes it a favorite for many customers. But an individual store can only hold so much of it at a time.

According to baristas on Reddit, sweet cream is only usable for about 48 hours, and most stores cannot store large quantities. As a result, it is usually prepared one pitcher at a time, and making more requires precise measurements, which makes it a time-consuming process. In the middle of a busy shift, this can cause a serious slowdown.

Not only is it difficult for employees to keep up with the demand, but it's also been criticized as an unhealthy choice. A Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte is 16 ounces and uses 12 ounces of milk as a base. Swapping that for vanilla sweet cream substantially increases the sugar and calories in a drink, thanks to the extra vanilla syrup and the heavy whipping cream, the latter of which has about six times the calories of an equivalent amount of 2% milk. When it's compared to drinking melted ice cream, you can see why.

Of all the customizations baristas wish you'd stop making, the sweet cream swap is one of the most frustrating. Running out of vanilla sweet cream is not uncommon in stores now because it's become so popular. That leaves baristas scrambling to find ways to make substitutions, which might include using classic syrup instead of vanilla, or even calling other nearby stores to borrow ingredients. If you visit a Starbucks regularly and want to ensure you're helping the employees as much as you can, take it easy on them. Don't swap milk for vanilla sweet cream. Maybe try a secret menu item instead. Or, if you're really committed, you can try making your own vanilla sweet cream at home.