In a viral TikTok video, a Starbucks customer shows viewers what the coffee chain’s new olive oil-infused beverage looks like. Reader, it doesn’t look good.
Starbucks describes the beverage as an “experience like no other” and adds that the drink is, “Velvety smooth. Deliciously lush.”
Well, it certainly doesn’t look that way in the video shared by user Sal (@bananashrooms). What she shows is a light brown iced coffee with a layer of thick, congealed-looking yellow olive oil on top. You know when you put saucy food in the fridge overnight, and the fat separates at the top? That’s what this drink looks like.
“You can see the ooey gooey olive oil on the sides of the drink,” Sal says.
When she stirs the drink with her straw, the olive oil moves around in gobs. Viewers can even see how the new ingredient coats the outside of Sal’s straw.
“Really what it is is like an oil spill on your iced coffee,” she adds.
@bananashrooms Starbucks new olivie oil iced coffee 🥴 #oleato #starbucks #oliveoil #starbucksdrinks ♬ original sound – sal
The viral TikTok has nearly 400,000 views and upwards of 1,700 comments.
“Everybody’s so creative,” one person commented, referencing TikToker Tanara Mallory’s iconic catchphrase when reacting to food monstrosities.
“Starbucks really serving lard coffee,” a commenter joked.
Another asked, “Is that not a cup of bacon grease?”
The Oleato made its February debut in Italy and is now being introduced in select locations in Seattle, Chicago, New York City, soon to be followed by locations in Japan, the Middle East, and the United Kingdom.
Some commenters speculated that maybe the drink looks strange because it’s meant to be served hot. While the Starbucks promotional image for the Oleato does include a hot coffee, it also prominently features not one but two iced versions of the drink. One is fairly standard-looking iced coffee with olive oil-infused oat milk, and the other is a cold brew with “Golden Foam,” AKA olive oil-infused foam, on top.
Starbucks fans in the comments are saying that instead of coming out with an olive oil drink nobody asked for, the coffee giant should focus on bringing back discontinued fan favorites or new flavors that make more sense.
Among the suggestions were the S’mores Frappuccino, lavender syrup, raspberry syrup, coconut syrup, peach refresher, and blueberry black iced tea.
One person gave a disgusting description of what the drink reminded her of.
“I just had bronchitis and this looks strikingly familiar,” the commenter shared.
The Daily Dot reached out to Sal via Twitter direct message.
