A TikTok chronicling ordering a Starbucks drink with light ice set off a storm of comments that exposed the folly of light-ice orders, even though some remained loyal to the concept and sided with the creator.
The video was uploaded by @valmarans, who combined a screen grab from their Starbucks order with the viral meme of a man in a Burger King shirt dancing and singing along to Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa’s “One Kiss” before rage-kicking the screen. It’s drawn more than 529,000 views as of Saturday.
@valmarans But why do I have to drink melted ice water now 😿 #CapCut #starbucks #starbucksdrinks #starbuckshacks #starbies #starbiestok #brownsugarshakenespresso #foryou #fyp #foryoupage #fypシ ♬ original sound – Val Marans
The video shows the elaborate order, “Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso” with light ice, and emphasizes the “light ice” element in an on-screen caption. The very last part of the short video shows a picture of the Starbucks drink with decidedly heavy ice.
The accompanying caption asks, “But why do I have to drink melted ice water now?” Perhaps a rhetorical question, it nonetheless got answers from many commenters who weighed in, in the tradition of other light ice debates that have become part of the TikTokverse.
Many of them were from the “less ice does not mean more drink” camp. A representative from that school of thought asserted, “Ppl need to stop thinking less ice will mean more coffee.”
Another emphasized the essentiality of ice in the recipe, noting, “Wait till you find out shaken espressos are 3/4 ice and 1/4 espresso and milk.” That person went on to say that “lite [sic] ice” here actually means “a half-empty cup.”
Others advised ordering a brown sugar latte if ice is troublesome.
A fellow barista simply declared, “It’s so triggering when people order with light ice.”
That led to a thread in which people wondered why it’s so hard to make people’s drinks the way they want them, including a user who remarked, “The amount of beverage you serve us doesn’t come out of your paycheck.”
Another barista said, “If anything, you’re going to get more milk if I’m in a good mood.”
The volume of comments surprised the creator, who noted, “Wow, the amount of comments about not knowing what I am ordering.”
The Daily Dot reached out to the creator via TikTok comment and to Starbucks via email.
