A woman is going viral after creating a simple hand-drawn chart that explains why Starbucks drinks taste wildly different depending on the size you order.

Starbucks customers who notice a difference in taste between the same drink in different sizes may not be imagining things. A TikToker shares a chart explaining why Starbucks’ espresso-to-size ratio could cause the discrepancy.

Why do Starbucks drinks taste different depending on size?

In a video with over 19,000 views, TikToker Shannon (@shannon.chaos.edition) holds up a hand-drawn chart.

“Have you ever ordered a Starbucks latte and you’re like, ‘Damn, this is really good.’ And then the next time you go to Starbucks, you order it in a different size and you’re like, ‘Why does it taste like ass?'” she asks.

“What I have before me on this graph is the percent espresso in different Starbucks drink sizes,” she begins.

Her chart shows that both a short (8 oz) and a tall (12 oz) come with one shot of espresso. A grande (16 oz) and a venti (20 oz) each come with two shots.

That means the short and grande drinks have a higher espresso-to-water ratio, making them taste different. When it comes to the European-style sizes, “That’s just like too much, that’s like a whole meal,” Shannon says.

Shannon also notes that Starbucks uses the same amount of syrup across sizes, which can further skew the flavor depending on how much espresso the drink contains. The syrup ratio remains the same across all drink sizes, regardless of the amount of espresso added.

Customers react to the viral chart

In the comments, other Starbucks customers say Shannon’s chart finally explains what they’ve suspected for a long time.

“Noooo, I only order tall. Grande is too big, but short is too small. I just want to taste the coffee,” one writes.

“Wait, a venti is the same amount of espresso as a grande…,” another says.

“It doesn’t make SENSE I always add an extra shot to a venti because WHY DOES IT NOT HAVE ANOTHER,” a third adds.

@shannon.chaos.edition Why some Starbucks drink sizes taste worse #starbucks #holidaydrinks #pumpkinspicelatte #starbuckscup ♬ original sound – Shannon

Another coffee lover proposed a solution: “There should be. ONE SHOT added PER SIZE UP. Prove me wrong. You can’t.”

Others shared how they improve the espresso ratio by customizing the drink.

“I get a Venti with three extra shots of espresso,” a commenter suggests.

“I always order extra shots, venti needs seven shots to taste good with all that milk,” a second writes.

“You can ask for half a shot and it will charge you around 60-ish cents, depending on where you are,” suggests another.

Baristas weigh in

One Starbucks barista chimed in with advice, saying, “This is for hot drinks!”

A former employee said, “When I worked at Starbucks, the first few weeks I thought venti was always three shots — nobody ever complained, but I probably lost them some money, which I can be proud of in hindsight!”

Another barista shared, “I work in an Italian-style coffee shop and I frequently have to explain to people that ordering our ‘large’ (16 oz) with an extra shot that our 16 oz already comes with three shots and if they are used to ordering at Starbucks, that’s the same as ordering with an extra.”

The video is now circulating as a tiny coffee-education PSA for anyone confused about why their favorite Starbucks drink occasionally hits—or misses.

The Daily Dot reached out to Shannon for further comment.

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The post This viral chart explains why your Starbucks latte tastes weird in certain sizes appeared first on The Daily Dot.

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