Learn This Rule Before You Order From Starbucks' Secret Menu Again

Secret menus have been all the rage for a while now, taking over our feeds with promises of off-menu creations. From colorful concoctions to titillating spice combos, there is something enchanting about the idea of ordering a drink exclusively available to those in the know. And few chains have been subject to this trend as much as Starbucks. The internet is full of crafty recipes for different riffs on your favorite Frappuccino, due largely to the fact that the coffee giant offers so many options for customizing drinks.

And yet, as fun as they can be, secret menus can also be annoying to hospitality workers. It is hard for any barista to keep track of out-of-the-ordinary recipes, let alone memorize the many names people give them on social media. If you want to try a custom drink, there are some ways to make the experience almost seamless. As former Starbucks employee and Tasting Table writer Dani Zoeller points out in her article highlighting Starbucks etiquette we should all be following, the most important rule is knowing the components of a secret menu drink rather than just its name. 

Technology has made the awkwardness of ordering this way disappear. In Starbucks' case, this is possible via the app, though perhaps not in the way you think. You won't find a tab with special access. Instead, the real trick is learning the ingredients of a secret menu item and building it using one of Starbucks' standard offerings as a base. For example, if you want to try a Pumpkin Pie Shaken Espresso, a popular fall Starbucks secret menu drink, you have to order a classic Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso and request Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam on top. The Starbucks app makes this easy.

Ordering from the app gives your barista a clear recipe to follow, and you won't have to repeat yourself while trying to explain what you're after. There are several other advantages to this method. Using the app means that reward points redeemable for food items, beverages, and merchandise are automatically added, and you can skip the line at busy locations by simply planning ahead and ordering on your way in.

With this trick up your sleeve, go ahead and check the best drinks the unofficial Starbucks secret menu has to offer. There are some great concoctions to be had, but be warned: There are also a few that perhaps shouldn't have been created to begin with, along with customizations that baristas are begging customers to stop asking for, such as adding cold foam to hot drinks or ordering beverages that require excessive modifications or out-of-season ingredients.

With the rise of AI, it is also wise to make sure the drink you are trying to recreate is actually possible and not just the product of an AI hallucination. If crafting the drink via the app seems impossible, the most likely explanation is that it is simply not doable. Not even the best barista out there can whip ingredients out of nowhere to satisfy your cravings.