Starbucks: supersized

Let’s face it, the most “American” Disney princess isn’t Tiana or even Pocahontas — it’s Ariel.

She may be under water for most of her life, but our little mermaid is a consumerism junky just like us.

Recall her infamous song of greed:
“I’ve got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty / I’ve got whozits and whatzits
galore.”

Despite her trove of goodies and 20 thingamabobs, Ariel’s far from content.

Before long, today’s kids will be hooked on Ariel’s sister siren — the one who croons to the un-caffeinated masses.

Because we adults have an additional mermaid-prompted vice: Starbucks.

There’s no shame in adding an extra shot of espresso to your petite latte, and by all means, get a 20-ounce venti when your eyelids feel droopy, but is enough ever enough?

We’re familiar with the Starbucks sizes “tall,” “grande” and “venti,” but a little known fact is that a fourth size also exists. It’s a cute eight-ounce cup going by the name “short.”

But who wants kiddie sizes? By May 3, Starbucks will be pouring an even bigger beverage size.

Already available in 14 states, the new “trenta” cup gives customers the option of ordering a 31-ounce iced drink. 

While the change is sure to create a happy buzz with the caffeine crowd, critics of the Starbucks “supersize” claim that the drink is simply too large for consumption.
A graphic by the National Post depicts the volumes of the three usual Starbucks sizes compared with those of the new trenta, an average pop can and an average adult human stomach.

The pop can and the Starbucks “tall” only differ by one milliliter, yet the trenta and the venti cup for iced drinks are separated by 325 mL  (nearly the volume of one tall
beverage).

So is bigger better? Or bloated?

The graphic suggests that the trenta — at 916 mL — is just more than the average stomach’s capacity of 900 mL.

But before we go chastising the Starbucks sea witch for bursting our bellies, let’s look at the rest of the facts.

The trenta may be large, but the maximum capacity of the stomach is much larger — anywhere between 2,000 mL and 4,000 mL. 

The National Post graphic seems to forget the most important factor of the trenta size: It’s for iced drinks, not hot.

And the main part of these iced drinks isn’t coffee. Ice is filled to the cup’s brim; the actual drink is more like an afterthought.

Consequently, the trenta-to-stomach-volume comparison is null and void.
The cup may be big, but it’s the ice that fills it, not the coffee. So breathe easy, America: The 31-ounce trenta won’t kill you.

Then again, neither will the mysterious 8-ounce short.


E-mail: paihenry@indiana.edu