Like every other fast food chain in America, Starbucks has suffered under the cruel reign of inflation. Starbucks menu prices have increased 39% from 2014 to 2024, more than the measured inflation rate during that timeframe (it was 31%). Popular drinks like the Mocha Frappuccino have risen a staggering 32%, while the Chai Tea Latte has spiked by 30%. Other notable price increases include the Grande Caffe Latte, which is up 30% (from $3.65 in 2014 to $4.45 in 2024), and the iconic Venti Caramel Macchiato, which has gone from $4.65 in 2014 to $5.45 in 2024 (a 17% increase).
Oddly enough, consumers seem willing to pay a premium for their beloved Starbucks beverages, even with CEO Brian Niccols slashing discounts for loyal reward members and customers. This raises the question: What’s the most expensive beverage you can order on the Starbucks app? The answer, in a nutshell, is a lot. In my case, the most expensive beverage you can order in St. Louis, is a Venti Matcha Creme Frappuccino, which costs $44.97 after several custom add-ons and tax.
Not all add-ons are created equal and not all drinks allow the same types of add-ons. The most expensive add-ons are the espresso shot ($1.25 per shot), the affogato-style shot (which clocked in at $1.25 each), and flavored cold foam ($1.25 each). Sauces, syrups, drizzles, and toppings are a bit more complicated. Flavored sauces, like the dark caramel sauce and Starbucks’ syrups, each cost $0.80 per flavor; but the mocha drizzle and caramel drizzle cost $0.60 each.
Depending on the other add-ons in a drink, a drizzle can seem like it’s “free,” when it’s part of the recipe (a Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino includes the mocha drizzle, for example). Toppings like caramel crunch are $0.50 unless it’s already part of the drink. Thankfully, non-dairy milk no longer costs extra and neither does double blending a Frappuccino.
Once you get past the pricing for Starbucks’ myriad add-ons, there are rules regarding which add-ons are allowed in different types of drinks. For example, I could add seven cold foam options and 12 espresso shots to a Venti Lavender Oat Milk Latte, but the extra shots only cost $12.50 instead of $15, like they would in a cold beverage. However, I couldn’t add cold foam to a Frappuccino, and the affogato-style shot is reserved for Frappuccinos only. Although I anticipated hot specialty drinks to be more expensive, it wasn’t true. The two costliest drinks I created were both Frappuccino beverages which cost $4 more than the priciest Matcha Latte I could order (which came in at $40.37).
Let me preface this hypothetical order by saying I wouldn’t necessarily consume it due to the concoction of syrups, shots, and sauces required. However, it may sound palatable to a more adventurous person.
Start by adding a Venti Matcha Crème Frappuccino to your order which will set you back $6.25 but will allow you to include the indulgent add-ons. Next, add 12 espresso shots ($15.00) and 12 affogato-style shots ($15.00). Then, add mocha sauce ($0.80), dark caramel sauce ($0.80), and caramel drizzle ($0.60). Now, it’s time for the fun extras. Add Frappuccino Chips ($0.80), one pump of Chai ($0.80), and the caramel crunch topping ($0.50). Don’t forget to throw in four scoops of vanilla bean powder ($0.50), four scoops of chocolate malt powder ($0.50), and whipped cream, which is free. The beverage itself totals $41.55 but tax adds $3.42 to the bill. Congratulations, you’ve just created the most expensive Starbucks beverage in the greater St. Louis area, at a whopping $44.97.
