On Sept. 29, Starbucks launched its protein line, consisting of cold brews, matchas, and lattes that contain 19 to 36 grams of protein. Depending on which drink and size you order, that may be equivalent to the amount of protein in a Chipotle chicken bowl. It’s a good concept, as it maximizes efficiency. With just one drink, for under $10, one can get a boost of caffeine while also meeting their daily protein goals.
But the execution of these drinks, some Starbucks customers have claimed, has been rocky so far.
Texas-based teacher Carol (@chabeard25) is one such customer.
“So, I have a brief public service announcement. I haven’t been to Starbucks in a while, but I did get a gift card,” she starts a video she posted to TikTok. “I went to get a Pecan Crunch Latte, and I saw in the app that they now have protein milk.”
Since she enjoyed Dutch Bros’ protein latte, she figured she’d give the Starbucks protein offering a go. Dutch Bros utilizes protein milk (think Fairlife milk) for its protein line, while Starbucks adds whey protein powder to its drinks. So it’s no surprise the drinks are hard to compare.
Carol, who substituted the regular milk in her Pecan Crunch Latte with protein milk, flips the camera over to show her drink.
“Do you see that? That’s completely solid,” Carol says, appalled.
She uses a spoon to show the consistency of the drink. It seems as if the drink curdled and is more akin to oatmeal or nearly melted ice cream than to a latte.
“What is this?” she says. “It’s just the whole drink.
Carol further expresses her disappointment while tagging Starbucks in the caption. She writes, “Protein Latte gone wrong. This entire thing is ruined. $7 down the drain, except not because my drink is SOLID. As in not liquid. @Starbucks what is going on????? This was deplorable.”
Though Starbucks notes prices vary by store, it’s generally around $1 to substitute regular milk for protein-boosted milk and $2 to add protein cold foam to a drink
Starbucks Customers And Employees Weigh In
The video garnered over 98,000 views. Many Starbucks customers also complained about the texture of their drinks.
“Got one today and it was the exact same, it was like a full cup of oatmeal. Absolutely pathetic,” one viewer shared.
“I had the banana protein matcha yesterday and the texture was really slimy,” another recalled.
One Redditor posted a photo of their protein latte, and it seemingly turned out the exact same as Carol’s.
They shared on the Starbucks subreddit:
“Just wanted to share my experience this morning at Starbucks. I ordered one of the new protein hot coffees – truthfully, my experience with protein and hot coffee at home has never ended well but I assume Starbucks wouldn’t sell a bad product. I was wrong. Upon arriving home, I tried to sip my coffee and nothing came out of the lid. When I opened it, the entire coffee was the consistency of oatmeal. Who approved this hot coffee idea? After going on [TikTok], it looks like numerous customers are having the same issue.”
Why Does It Look Like That?
Baristas proposed explanations as to why Carol’s latte turned out this way.
“WE. ARE. NOT. BEING. TRAINED. I have had it come out differently each time,” one commenter emphasized. “I follow the recipe card and it still is just not consistent. The powder is going to RUIN our cold foamers lol.”
“Hate to say it but it takes a few days to a week for everyone to memorize the recipe. For that first week, everyone is making mistakes. Never get something new the first week,” a second explained.
“Barista – they made it wrong. Didn’t cut it with regular milk. Also, looks kind of curdled, may have been done extra hot (giant no no),” a third stated.
The most likely reason for Carol’s disappointing latte has to do with the whey protein itself. Since it’s powder, improperly mixing it can make your coffee clumpy.
@chabeard25 Protein Latte gone wrong. This entire thing is ruined. $7 down the drain, except not because my drink is SOLID. As in not liquid. @Starbucks what is going on????? This was deplorable… #starbucks #proteinlatte #hardpass
BroBible reached out to Carol via TikTok comment and direct message. BroBible also reached out Starbucks via press email.