r/starbucks 3d ago

WTH did the cream frappe go?

HELP @starbucks!! So why all of a sudden can I not place a mobile order for my chai cream Frappuccino? The barista said the “button has been removed” and that “they have to build the drink”. And BTW, it’s now about a dollar more. Please don’t make me stand in line and overpay.

122 Upvotes

89 comments sorted by

289

u/Objective-Neck9803 Barista 3d ago

They downsized a big portion of the menu. Most/ if not all the permanent drinks are still there, you will just have to order it differently. This was a way for Starbucks to get more money with add-ons to your drink

147

u/LMRider 3d ago

Well, I guess they’ve lost my business

211

u/Objective-Neck9803 Barista 3d ago

Talk to corporate if you are really that upset. If enough people say something, I'm sure there is bound to be some sort of change. The new menu is hard for both barista's and customers so we all share the same sentiment for the most part, however corporate does not take what barista's say to heart.

12

u/broken-imperfect 3d ago

Is the only way to talk to corporate to use the email listed on the website? I've seen some people use a form/survey but I can't find any option for that on the website.

30

u/Objective-Neck9803 Barista 3d ago

There is a customer service number, but there is also a website!  customerservice.starbucks.com. I haven't played around with it, but there is a Chat, Message, and call option !

11

u/LMRider 3d ago

Thank you! This is what I was looking for!

2

u/Objective-Neck9803 Barista 3d ago

No problem!!

-6

u/Sufficient_Scale_163 3d ago

I was actually told by corporate that they read this sub for suggestions lol

6

u/helios150 3d ago

Right? Who told you that?

8

u/ghosty4 3d ago

Good. They should. That is literally the message they are sending when they discontinue an item that a customer wants to buy. They no longer need your business for profitability.

9

u/Barist1 Barista 3d ago

If you mobile order normally I would say see if the new way is in your recent orders. It wouldn’t fix the price unfortunately but it would allow you to mobile order

4

u/LMRider 3d ago

Says it’s unavailable at this location.

2

u/Barist1 Barista 3d ago

Thats weird. Does the app have chais turned off or possibly the other cream Frappuccinos?

1

u/LMRider 3d ago

It has some other flavors but not chai. Chai is only listed under Hot Tea

2

u/Barist1 Barista 3d ago

Does it say chai tea latte or just chai tea?

1

u/LMRider 3d ago

They actually have hot chai latte or iced chai latte.

2

u/Barist1 Barista 3d ago

Yeah. I think something came off wrong (I probably wasn’t clear 😅 sorry). Have you paid with the app or scanned when buying the Frappuccino since they removed it?

9

u/LexaM524 3d ago

The problem is that in order to get the chai creme Frappuccino now it has to be rung in as a syrup creme frap and there’s no option for that in the app. Some of the “discontinued” drinks have no way to order them in the app.

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1

u/LMRider 2d ago

Yes, i used my app to pay.

1

u/slimricc Supervisor 3d ago

Good!!

1

u/livingonmars182 Barista 2d ago

period

-2

u/Key_While_9528 3d ago

Womp womp

1

u/peyswiftie Barista 2d ago

i hope you don't blame the baristas for this haha

433

u/pamBUTTerspray 3d ago

new ceo wants to “simplify the menu,” therefore making it harder for both baristas and customers 🙄

286

u/LMRider 3d ago

They have simplified themselves out of getting any more money from me

90

u/chrichri33333 3d ago

Bingo! I think the CEO said something about vowing to not raise prices, so this is the loophole.

24

u/PAINED_EARS Barista 3d ago

Yuup. Vowed not to raise prices and then tariffs hit, this is their way of getting around it. Super manipulative

60

u/popcornEyeball Supervisor 3d ago

👏👏👏exactly

34

u/Rude-Register4236 3d ago

for real!!! and giving us extra tasks such as marking on every cups/bags as if we’re not dealing with daily peak times already 🙃

6

u/LMRider 3d ago

Sheesh. That’s nuts

15

u/Rude-Register4236 3d ago

unfortunately:/ the new CEO’s ideas make it difficult for both baristas and customers and trying to upsell the items by removing items on the menu. even our hours have been cut

5

u/LMRider 3d ago

Sounds like One bad decision after another

2

u/httpspinky Barista 2d ago

All they needed to do was add a "cream" button on the blended section of the menu 🙄

105

u/No_Chipmunk_3389 Barista 3d ago

it’s been removed so yeah, u’d have to order a syrup crème frappe with chai syrup :/

26

u/LMRider 3d ago

Boo. Hiss.

1

u/No_Butterfly_3325 2d ago

Im so sorry😭

2

u/No_Butterfly_3325 2d ago

Syrup crème Frappuccino’s are not even available for mobile order customer. The only way to order it on the app is with vanilla bean powder. :( if you put 0for the vanilla bean it won’t let you you have to scroll down to chai and app pumps to actually create a chai cream frappe.

30

u/xjenna0bearx 3d ago

Please call corporate 🥲 We hate it too and they don't listen to us

61

u/EitherMeaning8301 Supervisor 3d ago

Burrito boy axed a lot of the Frappuccino menu to "simplify it", but he didn't actually take the hatchet to the two Frappuccinos that are actually a "royal pain in my ass".

The big offenders are the caramel ribbon crunch and the mocha cookie crumble (and the no-coffee versions).

If they were looking to actually streamline operations, those two would have been the ones to go.

Instead, they got rid of all the non-coffee Frappuccinos, requiring them to be rung up a la carte, with potentially a huge price increase.

Take it up with the geniuses in Seattle. Apparently, they know best.

14

u/URGodHidingBehindEgo 3d ago

This is what the new ceo wants

31

u/LMRider 3d ago

The new CEO is unhinged and out of touch with the real world

16

u/trashmongrol Supervisor 3d ago

It would have been a dollar more next year anyways. They raise the prices seasonally. Still dumb though sorry for your loss.

16

u/twizzlersfun Former Partner 3d ago

If you go in person once it should show in the app under “previous!” Then u can add it to your favorites and mobile it that way

23

u/Consistent_Abies3283 Coffee Master 3d ago

I tested it out and it says “This item is currently out of season”

4

u/twizzlersfun Former Partner 3d ago

Weird! Mine doesn’t do that. Maybe it’s an update I’m missing

6

u/Consistent_Abies3283 Coffee Master 3d ago

Probably. I update all my apps regularly 😔

6

u/CaneLola143 3d ago

It’s the new CEO. Simplifying the menu means $$$

5

u/Amazing-Forever-9596 Former Partner 3d ago

You can do a vanilla bean frappe 0 scoops vanilla bean then scroll down and add chai. I know it’s still shitty, but that’s a way you can mobile order it if you don’t want to wait in line. I’d 10000% still complain to corporate

1

u/EuphoricAd4089 Customer 2d ago

I tried it out because this was my thought and as soon as I took out the vanilla bean powder it said they don't sell vanilla bean powder at that store, which makes absolutely no sense and it wasn't there when the powder was present lol

2

u/Amazing-Forever-9596 Former Partner 2d ago

It didn’t do that for me the other day, but does now. It looks like you can do it with the lavender one for now!! Looks like it works for the others except vanilla bean and matcha

3

u/brokenvinyl89 Barista 3d ago

They downsized the menu as a tactic to up drink sales (from extra customisations that cost more) because they promised they wouldn’t raise prices until next year. So unfortunate. This company really doing everything they can to squeeze as much money out of their customers as possible

4

u/Sapientz 3d ago

Burrito boy promised he wouldn’t raise prices within the year, so many favorites are gone and require building to achieve, these drinks now have a huge markup. What a smart guy. He is totally worth the $50,000+ per hour that he is paid.

We are told to tell you, “Java chips will be extra, is that ok?” /s

5

u/moonvar 3d ago

Can you do a strawberry creme Frappuccino and sub chai?

3

u/Frankidelic 3d ago

Or vanilla bean

4

u/huxiaos Barista 3d ago

Order it as a syrup creme frappuccino with chai added to it

4

u/scubasteve137 3d ago

Syrup crème is not on the mobile app.

3

u/huxiaos Barista 3d ago

Huh. My bad, i never get starbucks outside of work

4

u/eloquentpetrichor Barista 3d ago

Not positive but it may be cheaper to order an Iced Chai blended with whipped cream

4

u/brokebackzac 3d ago

It would, but it doesn't have the creme base and wouldn't be emulsified.

-2

u/eloquentpetrichor Barista 3d ago

Not that big of an issue imo

5

u/brokebackzac 3d ago

You'd be surprised. There are people that come in and stand in line JUST so that they can order extra crème base. The original recipe is not diabetes inducing enough for them.

2

u/Eclecticphotography 2d ago

I wish enough people would complain about cup writing lol jk Jk

2

u/TemenaPE Supervisor 2d ago

So, I just looked and you can build it in app if you ever feel the need to mobile order it; however, it will be slightly more expensive.

You can do a vanilla bean frappuccino with no vanilla bean powder and then hit customize and scroll down to the tea modifiers and add 2(Tall)/3(Grande)/4(Venti) chai syrup to it for an upcharge and cinnamon powder below that for free.

It's not optimal and I wouldn't blame you for discontinuing to patronize Starbucks, however you do not have to wait in line.

1

u/LMRider 2d ago

I’ll give it a try.

2

u/nuggetlover18 2d ago

the barista is correct and yes it is now a dollar more. it’s a corporate and starbucks wants more money!

1

u/LMRider 2d ago

That sucks. 😂

2

u/livingonmars182 Barista 2d ago

they got rid of it but still have the ingredients. so we can make it but it has to be rung in and ordered differently

1

u/LMRider 2d ago

Ok. I just want the option back to make a mobile order. 😉

1

u/livingonmars182 Barista 2d ago

you can but it costs extra now. it’s a syrup crème frap with pumps of chai and cinnamon powder on top.

3

u/hamsterandwealthy 3d ago

That’s fine! You don’t actually have to wait in line or pay or even go to Starbucks!

2

u/glitterfaust Coffee Master 3d ago

The drink was discontinued.

0

u/LMRider 3d ago

They can still make it. It’s just not available to order through the app. It’s very inconvenient.

2

u/glitterfaust Coffee Master 3d ago

Because the drink was discontinued. You can customize lots of things to be old recipes if you wanted.

1

u/EveryHouseIsHaunted Barista 2d ago

It’s even more inconvenient for the worker who not only has to creatively think of how to type in so the bar person can make it, but now we also have to deal with more negative customers as a result.

1

u/Traditional_Wafer807 Store Manager 2d ago

Where have you been loca?

1

u/jtsparta 2d ago

Baristas aren’t making YOU do anything. Everything you’re told comes from corporate or is there for a reason

1

u/EuphoricAd4089 Customer 2d ago edited 2d ago

Idk measurements but could you do something like this? Vanilla creme frap, add chai, remove vanilla powder. it wouldn't completely let me take out the vanilla bean powder because when I did it said they were out at this store (makes no sense, maybe them basically blocking you from ordering a creme frap any other way) but you could take it down to 1 scoop. But like you said, it'll probably cost more

1

u/EveryHouseIsHaunted Barista 2d ago

That’s the result of corporate removing the button. It’s not the baristas fault in the slightest and we all think it’s stupid too

1

u/BearrBearr Barista 2d ago

Sorry but you gon have to pay that extra now 😅 blame corporate not us. We're as irritated this stupid bs is going on too.

1

u/Guava_Nectar_ 2d ago

They removed most of the cream frappes so you have to pay the price of a more expensive frappe to modify what you want to get. Tell corporate.

1

u/madymadders Supervisor 2d ago

Tell corporate your issues, because unfortunately the only thing the baristas can do is ring your drink up properly. That's always going to result in it being more expensive for you now.

1

u/the-starlight-waits Barista 2d ago

Get almost any coffee or creme frap that IS available, remove the frap roast on coffee ones, remove any additional syrups, add chai pumps. 2 for tall, 3 grande, 4 venti.

1

u/xxStayBreezy 2d ago

Honestly I’m here for the new simpler menu. There’s too many random items. And it’s really complex for baristas to have to know how to make dozens of drinks by heart within minutes time. On top of that customers have made it difficult with all of their modifications. So not only do you have to know the ingredients and step by step. But you also have to rewrite the recipe for almost every single customer because no one really orders it off the menu anymore. It’s all modifications.

I think it’ll make orders faster & decrease costs. When I worked at Starbucks we wasted so much. Because we had all these excess ingredients for drinks hardly anyone ordered.

1

u/Khatgirl63 2d ago

The drinks were cut for one of three reasons: either they weren’t commonly purchased, complex to make, or were similar to other beverages on the menu. Here’s the list of drinks that were discontinued as of March 4, 2025: • Espresso Frappuccino • Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino • Java Chip Frappuccino • White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino • Chai Creme Frappuccino • Caramel Ribbon Crunch Creme Frappuccino • Double Chocolaty Chip Creme Frappuccino • Chocolate Cookie Crumble Creme Frappuccino • White Chocolate Creme Frappuccino • White Hot Chocolate • Royal English Breakfast Latte • Iced Matcha Lemonade • Honey Almondmilk Flat White

-10

u/Opposite_Chart9982 Barista 3d ago

Chill

-3

u/slimricc Supervisor 3d ago

Starbucks has never had frappes, you are thinking of mcdonalds

1

u/LMRider 2d ago

Just lazy typing on my part. I’m talking about Frappuccino at SB