Barista Life Blog · 1 min read

Starbucks Blonde Roast vs Starbucks Pike Place (grande): which has more caffeine?

Starbucks Blonde Roast has more caffeine than Starbucks Pike Place (grande): 360mg vs 310mg in the same 16 oz grande. That is a 50mg gap, and since the cans match, the per-serving number is the whole story.

Starbucks Blonde Roast vs Starbucks Pike Place (grande): the numbers

Starbucks Blonde Roast Starbucks Pike Place (grande)
Caffeine per serving 360mg per 16 oz grande 310mg per 16 oz grande
Caffeine per fl oz 22.5mg 19.4mg
Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) 1.1 1.3

Sources: Starbucks Blonde Roast's figure is verified in our Starbucks Blonde Roast caffeine guide against Starbucks nutrition listing (source); Starbucks Pike Place (grande)'s figure is verified in our Starbucks Pike Place (grande) guide against Starbucks menu data (source).

Which one should you pick?

Pick Starbucks Pike Place (grande) when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Starbucks Blonde Roast when you actually need the bigger hit and know your tolerance. If you are stacking either with other caffeinated drinks through the day, run the math against the 400mg reference rather than guessing.

For context, the FDA cites 400mg of caffeine a day as an amount generally not associated with negative effects in healthy adults. Tolerance and health vary, so treat these numbers as information, not advice.

Related reading

FAQ

Does Starbucks Blonde Roast or Starbucks Pike Place (grande) have more caffeine? Starbucks Blonde Roast: 360mg per 16 oz grande versus 310mg per 16 oz grande for Starbucks Pike Place (grande).

Which is stronger per ounce? Starbucks Blonde Roast, at about 22.5mg per fluid ounce versus 19.4mg for Starbucks Pike Place (grande).

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