Starbucks' New Patent Is A Dream Come True For Baristas Who Hate Complex Orders

While there are several menu items Starbucks baristas hate making, it's safe to say that customized drinks are usually far worse. Wanting caramel drizzle swapped for chocolate drizzle is one thing, but requesting two pumps of this syrup, three pumps of that syrup, exactly 17 shots of espresso, every single sweetener, and precisely five frap chips can be a bit frustrating for baristas. And don't even get us started about those unbelievably long Starbucks orders that go on forever.

Fortunately, Starbucks recently hinted at a possible solution for baristas sick and tired of fulfilling these kinds of orders. And no, sadly, we aren't talking about allowing baristas to refuse ridiculous orders, as one Starbucks rep previously told Insider that the majority of requests for specialized drinks were not outrageous. Sure, Starbucks. Anyway, what else could this solution be? Some kind of high-tech robot/coffee-maker combo, vaguely reminiscent of the futuristic Coke Freestyle machine? Maybe, maybe not.

Before anyone gets too excited about the possibility of a Coke Freestyle-esque coffee machine, hear us out -– this is all only an idea. Although Starbucks has indeed filed numerous patents for this idea over the last several years, as Insider notes, we have yet to see any confirmation of an actual prototype.

That being said, a patent filed in December 2022 details how the machine will cut down on order fulfillment time with an automated dispensing system. These coffee makers will also be able to add different flavors, textures, and even colors to drinks. Cotton candy frappuccinos all day everyday!

Best of all, rather than expecting a barista to memorize and then perfectly carry out extreme Starbucks orders, customers might one day be able to instead feed their order to these high-tech coffee machines to make, with little to no room for human error. Sounds like a good deal for everyone involved, if you ask us.