A Starbucks worker shared one of the only drinks that wakes her up in the morning so that she can feel energized throughout her workday, and spoiler alert: It’s not your regular cup of joe.
Starbucks unveiled the Refreshers in 2012. In a press release announcing the drink, Starbucks called it “a global breakthrough beverage innovation that delivers a distinctly new take on thirst-quenching refreshment while providing a natural boost of energy from green coffee extract and real fruit juice.”
According to the release, the green coffee extract is “made from unroasted 100% arabica beans,” which will provide consumers with a “a boost of natural energy from caffeine.” However, due to the appearance and taste of the Refreshers—it tastes and looks nothing like a traditional coffee beverage—it’s hard to tell you’re consuming caffeine.
A child learned the hard way that looks can be deceiving after finding out that her go-to beverage from Starbucks, the Strawberry Açaí Starbucks Refresher, contains caffeine—a grande contains 45 milligrams of caffeine, to be exact. The account holder of @shopdearhannah, a Texas-based boutique, filmed the child’s revelation for this video, which was viewed 2.9 million times since it was posted on July 15.
Barista and TikToker Kat @spaceddouttt stitched @shopdearhannah’s video to issue her PSA.
Watching @shopdearhannah’s video reminded the Starbucks barista of all the times a customer ordered one for their “very young child,” Kat says. “I’ve actually had parents come back [and ask me], ‘Why is my kid acting like that?’”
The barista says she always has to inform the parents the Refresher have caffeine in them.
“It’s got lots of caffeine in it. It’s one of the only things that actually, like, wakes me up in the morning when I’m working,” Kat continues. “Caffeine is a chemical, and it doesn’t always come from coffee, so…”
“Stop buying children strwb acai if you dont want them to bounce off the walls,” Kat added in the caption of the video, which was viewed 1.4 million times since Aug. 31.
@spaceddouttt #stitch with @dear hannah stop buying children strwb acai if you dont want them to bounce off the walls #starbucks ♬ original sound – kat
Just like the child in @shopdearhannah’s video, viewers were shocked to learn that the Refreshers contain caffeine.
“IT HAS CAFFEINE???” one viewer asked in a comment that got over 360 likes.
“Is that why I get so cracked our after drinking them? I order it every single time omg I didn’t know they had caffeine,” a second shared.
One barista said their favorite part of the job was telling unsuspecting parents that the Refreshers contained caffeine. “It’s coffee bean extract there’s soooo much caffeine i always ask the parents like (are you sure?!???),” a second remarked.
Starbucks offers 12 different Refresher beverages, ranging from new Frozen Refreshers to the infamous “Pink Drink.” A tall of the Strawberry Açaí Starbucks Refresher contains 35 milligrams. A venti contains 70 milligrams, and a trenta contains 90 milligrams. For comparison, a grande medium roast coffee at the chain contains 310 milligrams of caffeine.
The Daily Dot reached out to Kat via TikTok comment.
