Now that Starbucks Mini Frappuccinos have arrived, I'm currently deep in the throes of researching answers to each and every question I have about them (which, by the way, are many). Today, I'm looking into the following query: How much does a Starbucks Mini Frappuccino cost? If I lived anywhere near a Starbucks, the easy way to find out would just be to, y'know, go order one. Alas, though — as I have lamented numerous times before, my nearest Starbucks is several towns away and the car my boyfriend and I share is at work with him right now. Welcome to the suburbs, where nothing is within walking distance and going everywhere is an event. (The 'burbs have their good points, but sometimes I really miss the ease of access provided by city life.)
So, since I can't just go buy one, I did a little digging. The short answer to the question “how much does a Starbucks Mini Frappuccino cost?” is as follows: Less than a Tall Frappuccino of the same flavor (obviously), but it'll vary depending on a variety of factors. A Starbucks spokesperson told Bustle via email, “The 10-ounce Mini Frappuccino costs about 20 to 30 cents less than the conventional tall (12-ounce) beverage; since Frappuccino is a highly customizable beverage, pricing will vary per beverage and market.”
We already know that the more things you add to your Frappuccino — flavored syrups, drizzles, and so on — the pricier it will be. But you know what did kind of surprise me? The fact that pricing can also “vary per market.” I've always just kind of assumed that fast food and fast casual restaurant chains have standardized prices across markets, but on second thought, perhaps that was an erroneous assumption to make. The cost of living isn't the same in every location, so it perhaps shouldn't be as surprising to me as it is that Frappuccino prices differ based on location, too.
The upshot of this little tidbit, though, is that I can't quote an exact price for the Mini Frapp for you, because it might be different where you live than it is where I am. But I have some good news, too: It might not be as difficult as you think to estimate it anyway: The website Fast Food Menu Prices actually lets you compare prices — well, the most recent prices they have in their database, that is — between states.
Consider, for example, the humble Mocha Frappuccino. According to Fast Food Menu Prices, a Tall Mocha Frapp will set you back approximately $5.17 in the state of New York. Go next door to New Jersey, though, and that price estimate drops to $5.14. Meanwhile, it drops even further if you go to Iowa — and by “further,” I mean “a lot further.” Fast Food Menu Prices estimates the cost of a Tall Mocha Frapp in Iowa as $4.03. Yowza.
So, going by Starbucks' official pronouncement that a Mini Frapp will cost between 20 and 30 cents less than a Tall, we can estimate a Mini Mocha Frapp's cost as follows for those three locations:
- New York: $4.87 to $4.97
- New Jersey: $4.84 to $4.94
- Iowa: $3.73 to $3.83
Again, it's worth remembering that there are a few factors at work here. For one, Fast Food Menu Prices' data should be considered estimates only; furthermore, the costs will change depending on which flavor Frappuccino you order, and if you get a lot of bells and whistles, the whole thing will obviously be more expensive. But hey, I suppose at least if you're planning on getting a Vanilla Bean Frappuccino with one pump of every single syrup available and all the drizzles, you can rest easier knowing a Mini version of your monstrosity will be a tiny bit cheaper than a Tall one. Or… something.
Anyway, a buddy of mine who did recently acquire a Mini Frapp told me that it's “the perfect size for a Frappuccino” — so if you love Frapps, but can't usually stomach a whole 12-ounce one, be sure to nab a cute, tiny one while you can. They're only around until July 6, so act fast. Happy coffee-ing!
Images: Starbucks; Giphy (3)
