7 Facts You Don’t Know About Starbucks

Stumbling over the curations of Patrick Webber, I was stimulated not because of the caffeine-pumping coffee ads, but of the facts we simple people don’t know about Starbucks. With this, here are seven surprising facts we don’t know about the biggest coffee company in the world.

1. You Can Order a ‘Short’ Sized Drink

Surprisingly, if you ever looked at a Starbucks menu, they have 3 sizes listed: Tall (12 oz), Grande (16 oz), and Venti (20 oz). But Weber said they have one more size not listed on their menu called Short (8oz).

Weber shared this from an article from slate.com that takes a deep look at the short size. Accordingly, the short size is not only cheaper than the other sizes, but it is stronger. So next time, try a quick and cheap ‘kick’, and try short sized cappuccino.

Image Credit: firsttoknow.com

2. Starbucks Has a Secret Menu

We all know about secret menus. And a coffee company such as Starbucks does not spare the thought. Weber shared that Starbucks adds to this list with its own line of “speciality” coffee drinks, including a Cotton Candy Frappuccino and a Chocolate Pumpkin Latte.

Weber shared from thefw.com, saying the secret takes specific instructions on how to order these items. Weber said that according to the site, Starbucks’ secret menu was built by the customers. Many of the items are made by combining various ingredients found at Starbucks, but not all Starbucks employees know the recipe.

For example, if you want to order a “Captain Crunch,” take a Strawberries and Creme frappe with a pump of caramel, add two pumps of toffee, one pump of hazelnut and two scoops of chocolate chips.

I’m wondering if these can be applied in Cebu City.

3. The Logo Depicts a Mermaid

FYI: Starbucks logo has gone through many design changes over the years. Weber inserted picture here is one of the early versions. It is easier to see the entire body of the mermaid (some say the logo depicts a siren). However, Weber said that when we look at today’s logo, it is very difficult to tell what the woman is holding in her hands. It turns out she is holding her fish-like feet.

For more info on this magical surprise, Weber shared deadprogrammer.com where the writer explores the mythological background to the Starbucks icon, as well as the various designs Starbucks has used over the years.

4. Starbucks Gives Away Used Grounds for Free

Definitely, not all people know this: but Starbucks has a program called ‘Grounds For Your Garden’. One needs to go to a local Starbucks and ask them for their used coffee grounds. Weber said they will give you a 5-pound bag which can work well to fertilize your garden. Apparently coffee works well for both plant gardens and compost bins. Lets try it in Cebu.

Coffee grounds are approximately 1.45% nitrogen. They also contain magnesium, calcium, potassium, and other trace minerals. The program also helps keep coffee grounds out of landfills, report said.

5. The Origin of the Name

Here’s the bombshell: Starbucks is named after a character from Moby Dick, Weber said. Accordingly, in the famous 1851 book by writer Herman Melville, Starbuck is the name of the young chief mate who sails aboard the Pequod. Originally, the Starbucks founders had considered naming the coffee house ‘Pequod.’

Weber said that the company’s first shop was located in Seattle’s historic Pike Place Market, which was the heart of sea traders in the pacific northwest. But they ended up choosing Starbucks as the name, and as it says on their website, it “evoked the romance of the high seas and the seafaring tradition of the early coffee traders.”

6. They Use Round Tables for a Specific Reason

Starbucks takes every aspect of the coffee-shop experience very seriously according to Weber. And after conducting several sets of experiments, they decided to equip their shops with round tables instead of square or rectangle tables. The reason: they found that round tables would make solo coffee drinkers feel less lonely (since there are no empty seats at a round table).

7. They Have Agave Nectar Packets

I didn’t know this: Agave nectar is a sweetener produced from the agave plant. It is used as a topping for a number of Starbucks’ drinks. Weber said that you can ask for free packets of nectar over the counter? I’ll try to ask it in here.

Photo above Credit: nypost.com