Last Updated on April 13, 2023 by brewthatcoffee
Tall, grande, venti-what do these all mean? If you’re new to Starbucks or are simply curious about how their coffee cup sizes compare to other restaurants, read on. You will learn all the Starbucks cup sizes and find out which cup is the right size for you.
Starbucks sizing can be overwhelming for newbies and even frequent visitors. Their sizes go beyond the standard small, medium, and large offered at other establishments and vary depending on drink type.
This guide will help you master the unique drink sizing system at Starbucks once and for all.
What are the sizes of the Starbucks cups?
In order from smallest to largest, the Starbucks cup sizes are Demi (3 fl. oz), Short (8 fl. oz), Tall (12 fl. oz), Grande (16 fl. oz), Venti Hot (20 fl. oz), Venti Cold (24 fl. oz), and Trenta Cold (31 fl. oz).
Starbucks Cup Sizes
There is a large range of cup sizes available at Starbucks. However, their system is a bit nuanced. Certain types of drinks are served in specific sizes; for example, Teavana Shaken Iced Tea, Shaken Iced Tea Lemonade, Cold Brews, Starbucks Refreshers, and Iced Coffees are the only drinks you can order in Trenta (their largest size).
Read on to learn which sizes are available for your favorite Starbucks drinks.
Demi (3 ounces)
The Starbucks Demi cup, also known as the demitasse, was invented in 1906 at the Milan Fair. It translates from French to English as “half-cup” and can fit the espresso sizes available at Starbucks.
Sample Cups (3-4 ounces)
There have been varying sample cup sizes at Starbucks throughout the years in 3 oz, 3.5 oz, and 4 oz sizes. If you are a die-hard Starbucks fan, you can find large amounts of these cups sold online in varying designs.
Short (8 ounces)
The Starbucks short cup measures 8 fl oz, and can only be ordered for hot coffee drinks. This size converts to 227 ml or 1 cup.
It’s a shame the short cup size isn’t featured on the menu because it’s my favorite for hot drinks. Some even consider it to be a part of the secret menu. It’s the perfect size for enjoying an indulgent high-calorie drink without as much guilt.
Quick Tip: If you are trying to cut calories and love hot drinks, order the short and ask for half the regular syrup amount. I personally think it makes the drink taste even better.
Even if you aren’t concerned about calorie count, the short is likely the same size as the coffee mug you use at home. Take a look at the Keurig; the 3 most common size settings are 6 oz, 8 oz, and 10 oz. The largest size is still 2 oz less than the Starbucks tall!
If you are ordering a short espresso drink, you can expect to get one shot of espresso.
If you are ordering a hot tea, you will receive one bag of tea in your drink.
Tall (12 ounces)
The Starbucks tall cup measures 12 fl oz and is considered to be their small size. It’s the smallest size drink featured on the main menu (aside from espresso). This size converts to 340 ml or 1.44 cups.
As far as coffee goes, the tall Starbucks tall is rather large for many people. Still, it gets ordered a lot because many do not know about the short size. At least it’s still smaller than McDonald’s small.
The tall cup is the smallest size of cold drinks you can order, as cold drinks tend to start at larger sizes and end at larger sizes as well.
Keep in mind if you order a tall espresso drink, you will receive one shot of espresso. This is the same amount as a short drink.
If you order a tall hot tea, you will get one teabag.
So if maximizing your caffeine consumption and minimizing cost is your priority, you should stick with the short. It’ll also save calories.
Grande (16 ounces)
The Starbucks grande cup measures 16 fl oz and is considered a medium-sized cup. This size converts to 450 ml or 2 cups.
Can’t get enough nitro brew coffee and have a high caffeine tolerance? This might be your perfect size, then as it’s the largest available size for the nitro cold brew.
Many consider the grande the standard medium cup size for Starbucks drinks. Every drink type is available in this size.
It also happens to be the next step up if you want to increase the number of espresso shots in your espresso drink. Unless you are getting a flat white or Americano, your coffee will come with two espresso shots.
If you’re ordering tea, you will receive two tea bags in your cup.
Venti Hot (20 ounces)
The Starbucks Venti hot drink cup measures 20 fl oz and is the biggest size you can order for a hot coffee. This size converts to 568 ml or 2.37 cups.
Is it cold outside, and you are craving the largest hot drink you can get your hands on? The venti for hot drinks is large in Starbucks’ coffee cup lineup, and it is pretty dang big!
Like the grande size, you will get two shots of espresso in espresso drinks and two teabags in hot teas. Consider adding an extra shot of espresso if you’re looking to up your caffeine intake.
Venti Cold (24 ounces)
The Starbucks Venti cold drink cup measures 24 fl oz and gives you a bigger caffeine kick than its hot counterpart. This size converts to 709 ml or 3 cups.
This is the largest standard size available at every Starbucks in the USA.
As mentioned, it does include not only more liquid than its hot counterpart but also more caffeine. If you order a cold venti-sized drink, you can expect to receive three shots of espresso. The exception to this would be if you were to order an Americano, shaken espresso, or flat white.
Trenta Cold (31 ounces)
The Starbucks Trenta cup is only available for cold drinks and measures 31 fl oz. This size converts to 916 ml or 3.9 cups.
Trenta is the only size I ever order my iced tea in! If you want a recommendation, try ordering a Trenta passion iced tea with a shot of lemonade. It’s a wonderful way to stay hydrated in the summertime.
The drinks this size is available in include the Teavana shaken iced teas, lemonade teas, cold brew, Starbucks refreshers, and iced coffees.
Some have had trouble getting their hands on this size. However, I haven’t been to a Starbucks yet that doesn’t have it.
Espresso Sizing
Espressos at Starbucks have their own sizing names. However, they will know what you mean if you want to say single, double, triple, or quadruple shots.
| Starbucks Espresso Cup Size | Number of Shots | Fluid Ounces (oz) | Calories | Caffeine (mg) |
| Solo | 1 | .75 | 5 | 75 |
| Doppio | 2 | 1.5 | 10 | 150 |
| Triple | 3 | 2.25 | 15 | 225 |
| Quad | 4 | 3 | 20 | 300 |
Solo (.75 fl. oz)
Solo is a single shot of espresso that contains 75 mg of caffeine and 5 calories.
Doppio (1.5 fl. oz)
Doppio is a double shot of espresso that contains 150 mg of caffeine and 10 calories.
Triple (2.25 fl. oz)
Triple is three shots of espresso that contains 225 mg of caffeine and 15 calories.
Quad (3 fl. oz)
Quad is four shots of espresso that contains 300 mg of caffeine and 20 calories.
How Many Shots of Espresso in Each Size
| Starbucks Cup Size | Number of Espresso Shots |
| Short | 1 |
| Tall | 1 |
| Grande | 2 |
| Venti (Hot) | 2 |
| Venti (Cold) | 3 |
| Trenta | N/A (no espresso available in this size) |
If you want to maximize your caffeine intake, check out this list of the strongest Starbucks coffee drinks.
Drinks With Non-Standard Espresso Amounts
| Starbucks Drink | # Shots in Short | # Shots in Tall | # Shots in Grande | # Shots in Venti (Hot) | # Shots in Venti (Cold) |
| Americano | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Flat White | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Iced Shaken Espresso | N/A | 2 | 3 | N/A | 4 |
How Much Syrup in Each Drink Size
| Starbucks Cup Size | # of Syrup Pumps |
| Short | 2 |
| Tall | 3 |
| Grande | 4 |
| Venti (Hot) | 5 |
| Venti (Cold) | 6 |
| Trenta | 7 |
Drinks With Non-Standard Syrup Amounts
| Drink | # Shots in Short | # Shots in Tall | # Shots in Grande | # Shots in Venti (Hot) | # Shots in Venti (Cold) |
| Caramel Macchiato | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Iced Shaken Espressos That Use Brown Sugar Syrup | 1 | 1.5 | 2 | 2.5 | 3 |
The History of Starbucks Cup Sizes
Not many know that Starbucks didn’t always have the cup sizes we are familiar with today. It wasn’t until the 1980s, long after they opened in Pike Place Market, that the system was implemented.
We can thank Starbucks’ unique drink size system to a New York native called Howard Schultz, who fell in love with Starbucks while visiting Seattle. He joined Starbucks in 1982 and discovered the beauty of Italian coffee culture on a trip to Milan in 1983. When he returned to Seattle, he went to work on changing the way Starbucks does coffee and coffee branding.
The transition wasn’t immediate, as you could only buy three sizes in the beginning. These cup sizes included short, tall, and grande. However, Americans like everything to be big. So then the venti size was born.
While some enjoy this take on Starbucks’ history, some are a bit skeptical. Starbucks has been accused of being pretentious by some, and its complicated sizing system can be seen as intentionally convoluted. Think ‘you can’t sit at our table’ sort of mentality.
Whichever viewpoint you choose to take, it’s all interesting to learn about, regardless.
Secret Starbucks Menu Cup Sizes
Items are considered to be secret menu offerings if they are not listed on the main menu, however, main menu sizes tend to be inconsistent across all Starbucks.
The Starbucks cup sizes you are least likely to see on their main menu are the short and Trenta sizes.
Starbucks Cup Sizes vs. Dunkin Donuts
| Restaurant | Drink Type | Small (fl oz) | Medium (fl oz) | Large (fl oz) |
| Starbucks | Iced Coffee | 12 (tall) | 16 (grande) | 24 (venti) |
| Starbucks | Hot Coffee | 8 (short) | 12 (tall) | 16 (grande) |
| Dunkin Donuts | Iced Coffee | 16 | 24 | 32 |
| Dunkin Donuts | Hot Coffee | 10 | 14 | 20 |
FAQ About Starbucks Sizing
Final Thoughts
Now you know everything you need to know about Starbucks cup sizes. It can take a bit to get a hang of their system, but if you’re a fan of their drinks, it’s worth learning.
I typically go for the Trenta iced teas and the short hot drinks. What size do you typically order your Starbucks drinks in? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading!