Don't Order This Tea-Based Drink At Starbucks Unless You Want To Sit Around And Wait

Starbucks revolutionized coffee culture by supplementing its own sugary, creamy twists and creating a fully customizable menu to suit every customer's whimsy. If you've ever been to a Starbucks, baristas crank out even the most complicated drinks at a breakneck pace. And while many of Starbucks' most popular drinks come together with a few pumps and pours, others take quite a bit of time to execute in comparison. We were lucky enough to get the inside scoop from a former barista about the Starbucks drink orders that take the longest to make, and the tea-based drink that will have you twiddling your thumbs in the coffeeshop's lobby is the Iced London Fog Latte.

Many Starbucks tea creations, like matcha or chai, come as dried powders that instantly infuse into hot or even cold liquid — but not the Iced London Fog Latte. This tea drink is made the old-fashioned way by steeping Earl Grey teabags in hot water and vanilla syrup before adding cream and ice. Baristas will thus place the steeping tea off to the side for at least five minutes to fully infuse, often forgetting about it as they prepare countless other drink orders that quickly pile up. Some baristas set a timer, but during peak hours, they might not have time. If you're getting the hot London Fog Latte, a former barista says it's still a wait worth considering, even if you're in a rush. It's best to order this latte on the app in advance for fast service.

Despite its name and Earl Grey base, London Fog was purportedly invented by a Canadian woman suffering from morning sickness. Earl Grey has certain stomach-calming herbal components that also happen to just taste good. The vanilla syrup and cream are aromatic, rich upgrades to complement the herbal scent and comforting taste. It's a popular non-coffee drink that still has some caffeine and a delicious complexity.

Like all drinks at Starbucks, you can customize the London Fog Latte to your liking. And since it takes a while to make, you might as well make it worth the wait by adding your own bells and whistles. You can switch up the vanilla syrup with sweeteners more suited to complement Earl Grey like honey, brown sugar, caramel, or maple syrups. For a dairy-free milk substitute, oat milk is a luxuriously creamy option, but almond milk brings a nutty pairing to the tea's herbal notes. A decadent addition to an Iced London Fog Latte would be a helping of cold foam, topped with equal amounts cinnamon and chocolate powder to enhance that herbal bitterness. Order some pastries or hot breakfast items to go with your latte, as well; Earl Grey pairs well with berries, so a blueberry scone or streusel muffin are worthy accompaniments.