Order Starbucks Cold Foam Separately If You Plan To Drink It Later

Starbucks fans are no strangers to the coffee chain's seemingly endless customization options, from flavored syrups and sauces to sweeteners, drizzles, and whipped cream. But one drink topping seems to reign supreme among customers these days: the oh-so-frothy cold foam. While you can request it atop anything from cold brew coffees and iced lattes to fruity refreshers and teas, you may want to order it on the side if you plan on drinking your beverage later.

The cold foam has quite a short half-life, given its super light nature. While a dollop of fluffy frothed milk provides a light-yet-luscious mouthfeel upon first sips, as it lingers on the liquid, it begins to seep down and infuse into the rest of the drink. Unfortunately, as time passes, its decadent presence diminishes. But if you're planning on consuming your drink sometime after ordering it, or if you're taking it on the go to bring it to someone else, you can maintain the magic of the cold foam (and the joy of a fresh sip) simply by requesting it on the side.

Starbucks will accommodate your request by putting the dairy topping into a separate plastic cup, preserving its structural integrity and allowing you (or the drink's recipient) to refrigerate it until it's time to enjoy. Then, the cold foam can be poured on and freshly savored as it's meant to be.

Since it was widely introduced to Starbucks coffee shops in the United States and Canada in 2018, the velvety foam layer has rapidly risen in popularity. By August 2023, the ubiquitous cold foam topping, which has now expanded to Starbucks stores worldwide, became the chain's quickest-growing add-on option. It's no wonder why. The unique dairy topping, created by cold-frothing nonfat milk, provides a cloudlike layer of fluffy, creamy goodness to all sorts of cold sips.

The cold foam's cult status has lent itself to TikTok-famous iced latte concoctions and buzzed-about limited-time flavors for the holidays. But here's the thing: Cold foam is not only one of Starbucks' most popular drink toppings but also one of its most priciest — and most delicate. Though it may be worth the extra $1.25 to upgrade your sip with the creamy add-on, you likely won't get the best bang for your buck if you're not enjoying your cold foam-topped beverage immediately.

So not only will ordering it on the side ensure you get the tastiest sip of cold foam whenever you do get around to drinking it, but it'll also make sure you get your money's worth — and then some. After all, you can even save some to add to a second beverage later. Talk about a hack that keeps on giving.