A TikTok creator has shared their hack for customizing Starbucks drinks without breaking the bank, all thanks to the coffee chain's mobile app.
Sophia Celentano, a 21-year-old from South Carolina, posted a video about her 'best coffee ordering hack' on her TikTok account @sophiacelentano48, which quickly went viral on social media.
The University of Virginia student, who achieved viral fame over the summer for commuting by plane to her internship, proudly shared that she was able to customize her iced latte generously for just $3.82.
Celentano revealed that the key to this cost-cutting magic is to place an order for an iced triple espresso in a venti-sized cup using the Starbucks app. Customers can then customize their choice of cream and cold foam to want on top.
In her case, she selected a dollop of oat milk and cinnamon sweet cream cold foam, which she conveniently displayed on the screen. The iced espresso itself carried a price tag of $3.25, and the optional cold foam added an extra $1.25.
She explained: 'Usually, this drink ends up being right under $5,'
She added: 'But if you have 25 stars in your account, which really isn't that hard to get, you can customize your drink for free.'
Starbucks rewards users earn one star for every dollar spent when they scan their membership barcode within the app. With 25 stars in her possession, Celentano was able to get the cold foam for free.
Starbucks rewards users earn one star per $1 dollar they spend when they scan their member barcode in the app.
She added: 'So this drink was literally less than $4, and I usually end up spending at least double that. 'I just love that you can customize this. You can use whatever creamer you want. You can add in whatever cold foams they have in stock.
'I've been switching back and forth between the cinnamon sweet cream one and the pumpkin cream one for fall. I am a bitter coffee girl, so I love the fact that this actually has a strong coffee taste with the espresso shots.'
She suggested opting for the 'blonde roast' rather than the signature roast for many preference sweeter options.
She passionately added: 'Honestly, I think this is better than a lot of their signature lattes that end up being $8. My life changed when I figured out this hack.'
In the comments below, many Starbucks enthusiasts were excited about her tip.
One person said: I’ve been doing this for like 5 years and it’s literally my favorite way to get starbs. it’s definitely for people who like the coffee taste!
A second wrote: I worked at Sbux back in the early 2000s.. when there was no app at the time.. people did this all the time.
A third commented: I tried this hack yesterday and loveddd it
Someone else said: It’s good for ppl who like the taste of coffee but I need that syrup in there tho
