Here's How To Streamline Your Starbucks Order

Every place has its rules. Some of them are up on the wall, and to the point: "No shirt, no shoes, no service." Other rules are unique to certain stores or restaurants . And some are more hidden than a secret menu. While Starbucks and its employees are happy to personalize your drink order, since it's a key part of what drives their customer loyalty (via Zinrelo, there are some unwritten rules about how you give your order). Starbucks gets pretty busy, and streamlining your order makes life easier for your favorite baristas and faster for you so it's win-win. 

If your usual is an iced red-eye with oat milk and 2 different syrups, don't worry. This trick isn't about what you order; it's about how you do it. So you can keep your order and have it faster, too. What's the switch? It's following the right order:  not what you get, but what goes first. Much like the English language has a preferred order for its adjectives (that's why "big old house" sounds right and "old big house" sounds weird, via Grammarly), Starbucks employees can understand and process your order much better and faster if you present it right.

So what is the correct order? First of all, you should always ask for any Starbucks food first before you begin your drink order. But when it comes to beverages, the right sequence is key. The size of the drink is important since it lets your barista reach for the right size cup from the get-go, but the temperature is even more important since an iced cup is different from a regular one.

According to some Starbucks intelligence who spoke with The Takeout, the best plan is to specify the wild cards first: iced or hot, decaf if that's your thing, size, any syrup you're adding, milk type, the name or type of drink, and any extras (per Lifehacker). If you're feeling confused, just listen to your server at Starbucks. They will repeat your order back to you in the right sequence, which can help you remember how you should be saying it yourself (per The Takeout). With a little practice you'll be able to give your beverage in no time when you say it in the smoothest order, like so: I'll have an iced decaf grande vanilla oat milk latte with a shot of espresso and whipped cream, please. Truly, it just trips off the tongue.