Starbucks Pike Place (grande) has more caffeine than brewed coffee on both counts: 310mg per 16 oz grande against 95mg per 8 oz cup, and about 19mg per fluid ounce against 12. The serving sizes differ, so the table below shows both ways of counting.
Starbucks Pike Place (grande) vs brewed coffee: the numbers
| Starbucks Pike Place (grande) | brewed coffee | |
|---|---|---|
| Caffeine per serving | 310mg per 16 oz grande | 95mg per 8 oz cup |
| Caffeine per fl oz | 19.4mg | 11.9mg |
| Servings to reach 400mg (FDA context) | 1.3 | 4.2 |
Sources: Starbucks Pike Place (grande)'s figure is verified in our Starbucks Pike Place (grande) caffeine guide against Starbucks menu data (source); brewed coffee's figure is verified in our brewed coffee guide against USDA FoodData Central (source).
Which one should you pick?
Pick brewed coffee when you want the lighter dose or a slower ramp, and Starbucks Pike Place (grande) 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
- Starbucks Pike Place (grande): the full caffeine guide
- brewed coffee: the full caffeine guide
- The verified caffeine database
- Every drink compared: the comparisons index
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Gear from this guide
FAQ
Does Starbucks Pike Place (grande) or brewed coffee have more caffeine? Starbucks Pike Place (grande): 310mg per 16 oz grande versus 95mg per 8 oz cup for brewed coffee.
Which is stronger per ounce? Starbucks Pike Place (grande), at about 19.4mg per fluid ounce versus 11.9mg for brewed coffee.
Comparing caffeine? The caffeine comparison tool puts hundreds of drinks side by side, and the caffeine curfew calculator can check your cutoff time for tonight.
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