Starbucks ‘simpler’ drink menu will have fewer Frappuccinos: See which are going away
If you like Frappuccinos for whatever sake or don’t you and you are a Starbucks fan, you should know what’s going on with them. The coffee chain is simplifying its menu by cutting a number of Frappuccinos from its list. Starting next week, Starbucks is refining its menu and a number of Frappuccinos were tossed.
On March 4, the coffee chain will update its drink menu and drop many drinks, including Honey Almondmilk Flat White, Iced Matcha Lemonade, White Hot Chocolate and Royal Breakfast Latte, as well as several Frappuccinos. What is changing on Starbucks menu? Included in CEO Brian Niccol’s “Back to Starbucks” plan for turning around the fast sinking fortunes of the Seattle-based coffee chain in U.S. is a simpler menu.
“By refreshing the menu and innovating more with around our most loved items, it will enable us to enhance the kitchen, diminish wait occasions, increment quality and consistency, and synchronize with our essence as a coffee organization,” Starbucks disclosed to USA TODAY in a proclamation. Starbucks has also reversed its open-door policy under the former Chipotle CEO’s leadership, rolled out new and returning coffeehouse amenities, and earlier this week, announced layoffs of 1,100 corporate employees.
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One of your favorite Frappuccino offerings has disappeared, if you happen to be a diehard Frappuccino fan, when the coffee chain updates the menu March 4, is. Below is the complete list of drinks going away.
What is a Frappuccino?
The base of a Frappuccino is ice, milk, a flavored syrup, and it’s usually blended with coffee or espresso. The name is derived from the combination of the words frappe, a cold drink akin to an ice cream soda, and cappuccino, which most of us know as a coffee drink made with espresso and steamed and/or frothed milk. In 1995, Starbucks offered Coffee and Mocha Frappuccinos, which it had purchased the drink name rights when it bought a Boston company called The Coffee Connection a year earlier, according to the company history.
Since then, the number of Frappuccinos at Starbucks has grown and now whipped cream is available as a topping.
According to the Tasting Table food news site, it also started selling Frappuccinos of the flavors vanilla bean and double chocolate chip caffeine free in 2002. For example, as of now, you could have as many as two dozen Coffee Frappuccinos and Créme Frappuccinos in the Starbucks app, or even some from Starbucks’ holiday menu still (Caramel Brulée Frappuccino, Peppermint White Chocolate Créme Frappuccino, etc.) depending on your location.
That being said there is almost unlimited customization you can do to your drink for a few more dollars to add a powder (like chocolate malt), sauce (caramel or mocha), topping (caramel crunch and cookie crumble), syrup (brown sugar or sugar free vanilla syrup).
Note: Starbucks did not say which of the ingredients might leave the menu, while a few may also leave the menu for customization.
Which Frappuccinos are leaving the menu?
These are the Frappuccinos that Starbucks will be removing from their menu as of March 4:
- Espresso Frappuccino
- Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino
- Java Chip Frappuccino
- White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino
- Chai Créme Frappuccino
- Caramel Ribbon Crunch Crème Frappuccino
- Double Chocolaty Chip Crème Frappuccino
- Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème Frappuccino
- White Chocolate Crème Frappuccino
Starbucks Frappuccino: Calories and nutritional information
The calories in drinks on the Frappuccino menu vary from 210 calories for an Espresso Frappuccino to 230 calories for the Coffee Frappuccino to up to 420 calories for the Chocolate Covered Strawberry Crème Frappuccino Blended Beverage and 480 calories for the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino Blended Beverage (all based on Grande sized drinks).
Both the calorie counts are based on whole milk used in the drink, which you can substitute. In October 2024, Starbucks also stopped charging for plant based milk substitutions. Whipped cream and toppings were also factored in. The nutritional information on a grande Mocha Frappuccino is as follows.
- Calories: 370
- Total Fat: 15 g (19 % DV)
- Total Carbohydrates: 54 grams (19%)
- Protein: 5 grams (8%-10%)
People react to news of some Frappuccinos leaving Starbucks menu
Some reactions on social platform X on Tuesday were sadness, exasperation that a favorite drink was going away, and others were acceptance that the move is a good one for Starbucks.
Which Frappuccinos will remain on the menu?
As of March 4, the following are the Frappuccinos remaining on the Starbucks menu:
- Coffee Frappuccino
- Caramel Frappuccino
- Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino
- Mocha Frappuccino
- Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino
- Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino
- Strawberry Crème Frappuccino
- Matcha Crème Frappuccino
How to customize your Starbucks Frappuccino to approach a departing drink
Starbucks offers some suggestions on how to make a drink that is leaving the menu:
If you like the Espresso Frappuccino or Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino, modify the Coffee Frappuccino with a shot of espresso or a pump of syrup.
Will be missing the Java Chip Frappuccino or White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino? Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino has chocolate bits to mimic the Java Chip Frappuccino texture, or Mocha Frappuccino has bittersweet chocolate notes.
If fans of Crème Frappuccino beverages want to try the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino and add a flavor, or taste the Strawberry Frappuccino.
Where else could you get a frozen coffee drink?
Other stores have also frozen coffee drinks, though they may not completely reproduce Frappuccino favorites as they depart. Another place to get frozen coffee drinks is here is a short list of some of the other:
Frozen coffee drinks are available from Dunkin’: the donut and coffee chain that has allowed it to add flavors such as Caramel Swirl, Mocha Swirl, French Vanilla Swirl and Butter Pecan Swirl. Frozen Matcha Latte and the Coolatta (slush in blue raspberry, strawberry, vanilla bean flavors) are other frozen drinks.
Frozen lattes: As well as doughnuts, the maker of the doughnut also has lattes in flavors such as caramel, mocha, vanilla and a glazed doughnut flavor, which are customizable and topped with whipped cream and other toppings.
The fast food chain offers McCafé Caramel Frappé and Mocha Frappé, which are blended with ice and have whipped cream on top.
Cappuccino Blast: The ice cream shop chain offers Cappuccino Blast drinks with ice cream, ice and coffee, as well as caramel, mocha, Oreo ‘n Cookies and Turtle (Praline’s ‘n Cream ice cream and caramel syrup.)
Coffee Caribou Cooler (Blended coffee and ice) Other flavors include the Caramel Caribou Cooler and Frozen Cookies and Cream Caribou Cooler, which can be customized with espresso and other ingredients.
Golden Eagle: Blended Freezes from Dutch Bros Coffee, made with espresso and milk, include the caramel and vanilla flavored Golden Eagle. The coffee chain’s line of Blender drinks, made with espresso, ice cream, ice and topped with whipped cream are Mocha Blender, Peanut Butter Crunch Blender, Caramelicious Blender and Oreo Blender, which comes without espresso but can be customized.
Cold brew, milk, ice and chocolate or caramel sauce, Peet’s Coffee has a Mocha Frappé and a Caramel Frappé.