Starbucks Brings Back Happy Hour for Affordable Afternoon Caffeine Fixes

1. Almond Syrup

Starbucks’ almond syrup was subtly nutty all while adding sweetness to fan-fave drinks like lattes and hot chocolates! Despite its loyal following, Starbucks discontinued it around 2008, likely due to low demand and a general restructuring of their menu. Many fans still miss it for its unique taste and versatility, though the chain still offers plenty of nutty flavors like hazelnut and pistachio (though the latter is seasonal).

2. Raspberry Syrup

Gone, but not forgotten! Starbucks’ raspberry syrup was always so tasty in an iced white mocha or in their lemonade bevs. It offered a bright, fruity flavor with a nice sweet-tart balance. Plus, it added a fun color to any sip! Sadly, Starbucks began phasing it out around 2023, likely due to waning popularity and a shift toward more natural fruit inclusions.

3. Butterscotch Syrup

The butterscotch syrup debuted in 2016 with Starbucks’ very own Smoked Butterscotch Latte, bringing all the nostalgic, candy-like flavor notes with it. The syrup itself was fairly rich, buttery, and caramel-y. Mmm. Though it was beloved at the time, this flavor was only around seasonally and eventually discontinued, probably due to lacking demand.

4. Juniper Syrup

Widely known as one of Starbucks’ more-experimental flavors, the juniper syrup launched around the winter holidays in the famed Juniper Latte that carried botanical notes of pine, citrus, and sage. This now-discontinued flavor turned out to be notoriously divisive among Starbucks fans, though the small niche that really adored it still beg for the flavor to come back to menus!

5. Pineapple Ginger Syrup

This summery flavor was introduced to the Starbucks menu back in the spring of 2020 for a few limited-time drinks. With the sweetness of pineapple but the subtle spice of ginger, it was a pretty bold syrup choice at the time. It came and went from menus super quick, though Starbucks still offers plenty of fruity options like strawberry, blackberry, and cherry.

6. Sangria Syrup

Sangria syrup was first used in Starbucks' iced teas to mimic the fruity, wine-inspired flavors of a traditional sangria… all without the alcohol. Sneaky! It tasted slightly of apple, berry, and citrus, making them taste like a true mocktail! It likely didn’t stay on menus long because it was a limited-time offering and didn’t gain enough traction to return.

7. Valencia Orange Syrup

Starbucks’ Valencia orange syrup was another of the fruity variety. It was widely used in iced drinks like Refreshers, though some baristas really enjoyed it in mochas for a unique orange mocha vibe! It was super summery, though it ended up being phased off menus as Starbucks tested new flavors like dragonfruit, pineapple, and passionfruit.

8. Mango Syrup

This one’s a total throwback! Starbucks’ long-gone mango syrup was super tropical and, of course, fruity. It paired especially well with the chain’s green teas and lemonades, though they ended up trading the more-artificial, syrupy mango flavor for a natural juice blend over the years.

9. Marshmallow Syrup

Made popular with the S’mores Frappuccino that hit menus in 2015 (and made a reprise in 2019), Starbucks’ marshmallow syrup was truly one of a kind. Creamy and sweet, it had a nostalgic quality that not many other Starbucks syrups did. Unfortunately, Starbucks cut it from the menu since the S’mores Frappuccino was only around for a single summer.

1. Cloud Macchiato

Launched in collaboration with Ariana Grande back in 2019, the Starbucks Cloud Macchiato featured a fluffy, meringue-like foam topping made by blending nonfat milk, vanilla syrup, and a “cloud powder.” It was available to order in two familiar flavors: caramel and cinnamon.

Several Starbucks baristas noted that they simply did not care for making it, especially because the included cloud powder contained egg. This frustrated many plant-based customers, as the drink couldn’t possibly be made fully vegan.

“Was more annoying to make than anything,” one barista commented on Reddit. “Also they didn’t [really] advertise that it contained egg.”

“Tasted foul, irritating to make, having to explain that it cannot be made vegan (thanks Ariana…), and if it was mobile ordered you were almost guaranteed to receive a deflated cup of disappointment and regret,” another user said.

2. Spicy Refreshers

I got to get a first taste of Starbucks’ Spicy Refreshers when they dropped during the summer of 2024. Admittedly, I didn't think they’d be that good, especially because at the time, it seemed like the chain was grasping at straws to retain their fan base. At the same time the spice-infused Refreshers launched, Starbucks also debuted their (short-lived) boba, and it was just wild. There was also a Spicy Cream Cold Foam included in the launch.

Out of the three Refresher flavors available (dragonfruit, strawberry, and pineapple), the pineapple one tasted the best. The trio turned out to be pretty hit or miss, and lots of fans and baristas agreed.

“Those spicy drinks feel like a fever dream,” one person wrote on Reddit. “Genuinely forgot we had those and forgot how horrible they were.”

Funnily enough, many more people weighed in and said the now-discontinued drinks were only tasty with a shot of tequila included. Fair enough!

3. Oleato (Olive Oil) Drinks

Introduced in January of 2024, Starbucks’ first-of-its-kind Oleato beverages were crafted using extra virgin olive oil. The chain promised a “luxurious and next-level” flavor, but these drinks ended up totally bombing. Many customers and baristas reportednot being able to drink them whatsoever, or simply feeling sick if they did sip ‘em down.

"The barista refunded me after she saw me spit it back into the cup," this Redditor said.

"At my location, NOBODY likes the olive oil," another person noted. "Not even us baristas, it’s disgusting honestly."

4. Unicorn Frappuccino

Oh, lord. This discontinued Starbucks drink from 2017 truly needs to be studied. Available for a limited time, the Unicorn Frappuccino went viral for its “flavor-shifting, color-changing" qualities. It was crafted with an insane lineup of ice, milk, pink powder, sour blue powder, crème syrup, mango syrup, and sour blue drizzle – this massive load of sugar concerned plenty of people, too.

A former partner on Reddit verified that the reception of the so-called "famed" Unicorn Frappuccino wasn't all that it was cracked up to be:

"I think the worst part for me was, although it looked cool/pretty, it tasted absolutely horrible," they wrote. "If I recall correctly, it was the thick mango syrup, white chocolate, and some sour blue drizzle. I would say at least half of the customers who actually managed to get one from my store would return them half-full saying it was ‘disgusting’. And honestly, I agreed."

“If you were working in 2014-15, you get 'Nam flashbacks when anyone mentions unicorns or mermaids," another barista commented.

5. Toasted Vanilla Syrup

Discontinued at the end of 2023 for being generally unpopular, Starbucks' Toasted Vanilla syrup wasn’t quite well-received by baristas.

“That toasted vanilla smelled like every middle school mean girl ever, and it tastes like butt,” one person commented.

“Can’t believe I completely blocked the toasted vanilla out of my memory,” another said. “Sh-t was so nasty.”

6. Kiwi Starfruit Refresher

Crafted with green coffee extract, ice, and kiwi pieces, the long-gone Starbucks Kiwi Starfruit Refresher hit menus in 2020, but sadly fell off in favor of other Refresher flavors like pineapple and blackberry. Several Starbucks baristas were happy to see it go since it tasted so bad.

“I remember making it when I was training and thinking, ‘this shit smells like battery acid.,’” someone commented.

Who are the main 4 in Fantastic Four?

The Fantastic Four revolves around Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Entertainment Weekly just dropped a bunch of new pictures from the film — like this shot of Ben securing his helmet for space exploration.

When is The Fantastic Four?

Marvel's Fantastic Four takes place in the 1960s...in a different universe. Because with Marvel's multiverse, anything is possible.

"We knew that we'd be on another Earth, so we had a chance to reinvent what the '60s looked like," director Matt Shakman (who also directed WandaVision!!) tells EW. "I was really interested in imagining the Fantastic Four being astronauts. Instead of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin going to the moon, what if it was Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben who were really the first to go into outer space, the first to push those boundaries?"

Who's in The Fantastic Four cast?

The Fantastic Four cast was, without a doubt, the most important part of the movie to get right. "It wasn't just a search for who was the best Ben and who was the best Johnny, but also who was the best family?" Matt Shakman says. "Who was the best married couple? Who were the best siblings and honorary uncle? So it's been very gratifying to see the incredible chemistry that the four of them have had since the beginning."

The cast includes:

• Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic: the leader of the Fantastic Four with the power to stretch his limbs.
• Vanessa Kirby as Sue Storm/The Invisible Woman: Reed's wife who can turn invisible and create force fields.
• Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch: Sue's brother who can ignite into flame and fly.
• Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing: Reed's best friend who basically appears as a mass of rocks.

Are Sue Storm and Reed Richards married?

Yes, Sue Storm and Reed Richards are married — and they make a perfect team.

"If he is the most scientifically intelligent person, then she is the most emotionally intelligent person on the planet," Matt Shakman tells EW. "Between the two of them, they're building an idealistic society."

"If you played an exact '60s Sue today, everyone would think she was a bit of a doormat," Vanessa Kirby adds. "So figuring out how to capture the essence of what she represented to each generation, where the gender politics were different, and embody that today, was one of the greatest joys of this."

But they're also quickly going to become a family of three because Marvel confirmed during CinemaCon that the theory about Sue being pregnant is correct!

"One of the things I love most from Sue's history is when she becomes Malice, and all her dark stuff comes out," Vanessa Kirby says. "I wanted to make sure that there were tones of Malice in there with her, that she wasn't just the stereotype of a goody, sweet mother."

"I've always been really interested in the mess of femininity," she continues. "Not just the tough, invincible, powerful woman, but also a mother who gives birth, which is itself a superhero act. I love that these characters are real humans in a messy family who argue and try to work it out and get things wrong."