Which Starbucks Drinks Have The Most Caffeine?

We're a caffeine-loving nation. And no matter your feelings and preference of coffee versus tea or black versus lattes, Starbucks has become a ubiquitous part of our shopping centers and towns the world over. You probably already have your go-to Starbies order, which offers an array of drinks and snacks for everyone — with oat and other alternative milks, vegan snacks, gluten-free items, and even kosher-friendly options. 

But how do the drinks rank in terms of caffeine content, though? Maybe you're dragging and need the strongest energy boost you can order, or perhaps you're watching your caffeine content, for any number of reasons. Whatever the case, Starbucks' drink menu varies widely in terms of caffeine content, from completely decaffeinated coffee and teas as well as strong enough sips to give you a serious jolt.

The amount of caffeine in your drink is largely in your hands, depending on the size of the drink and how many extra shots you add, when applicable. In general though, the drinks at the tippy top of the caffeine scale include blonde roast style plain coffee, a caffè americano, or nitro cold brews — which have more than plain iced coffee or cold brew, as well as mixed shaken espresso drinks. All of these clock in above 220 milligrams of caffeine. For most healthy adults, the general guidance is to consume no more than 400 in a day, for reference.

Interestingly, it's not one of Starbucks' fancier, mixed drinks like a shaken espresso or mixed frappuccino that clocks in as the drink with the heftiest dose of caffeine — it's the plain Jane cup of coffee, and the mildest sounding one at that! 16 ounces of the "lighter bodied and mellow" coffee with nothing added to it will give you about 360 milligrams of caffeine — nearly eclipsing the RDA for the whole day in one drink. Proceed with caution, or drink up — depending on your mood and needs.

You can choose your preferred bean when ordering a plain hot or iced coffee drink at Starbucks, from blonde roast to Pike Place roast to dark roast or Veranda blend, depending on which flavor and boldness you prefer. While blonde roast takes the top spot for caffeine, no competition, a cup of Pike Place isn't far behind, clocking in at a still-impressive 310 milligrams per 16 ounces, helping you get your day going or helping you overcome the mid-afternoon slump.

If you're craving something sippable and refreshing, a nitro cold brew is a popular choice — and interestingly, the single drink on the menu you absolutely can't order in the jumbo venti size. This is allegedly due to the fact that too much foam, a key component of the drink, would ruin the flavor and integrity of the drink in this large of a quantity. But other reasons might be its high caffeine content — 280 milligrams for 16 ounces — one of the very highest on the menu. As is usually the case, plain old coffee is stronger than drinks that have anything added, so if max pick-me-up is the goal, skip the flavor additions and drink your nitrogen-infused cold brew straight up.

Of the top four most caffeinated drinks, perhaps surprisingly, plain old coffees nearly sweep it, taking three of the four top spots. The fourth highest caffeine drink on the menu is the featured dark roast. Though this is the flavor of plain coffee with the darkest, boldest flavor, as the name would suggest, it's only third in terms of caffeine. Though blonde and Pike Place are higher in content, a cup of this will still certainly wake you up, with a very respectable 260 milligrams per 16 ounces.

Finally moving along to the slightly more complex mixed drinks, Starbucks offers three different flavors of "shaken" espressos — the popular Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, the Iced Hazelnut Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, and the Oleato Golden Foam Iced Shaken Espresso With Toffeenut. Any of these clock in around 250 milligrams of caffeine, despite having lots of yummy added ingredients like milk, syrup, cinnamon, foam, etc. So, if you're after a very smooth, drinkable, milky drink that still packs a punch, reach for one of these — and order as they come, or customize (including adding or subtracting the number of shots of espresso, for a more customizable option).

The fifth most energizing drink to sip on at Starbucks is the caffè americano, which is simply a shot of espresso mixed with hot water, no milk, believe it or not. If you prefer a little milkier, less intense drink, go for a latte. But if you appreciate a strong coffee flavor that's slightly more sippable than a straight shot of espresso, this might be your order — which delivers 225 milligrams of caffeine to get your day started.