Starbucks to Charge Customers $1 for ‘No Water’ Refresher Requests

• Starbucks told Insider it will charge customers $1 for Refresher drinks requested with no water.
• Three baristas said they are concerned about the change, which takes effect Tuesday. 
• The change doesn’t impact requests for low or no ice, as some social media posts have speculated.

Starbucks will soon start charging customers extra for a specific customization on one of its popular drinks.

Starting May 9, Starbucks will charge $1 to customers who request no water in Refreshers, a company spokesperson told Insider. Refreshers are beverages made of juice and green tea that have been on Starbucks’ menu for about a decade.

A Starbucks spokesperson said the customization requires more Refresher base, and the price increase accounts for the additional product. 

“This change allows us to provide a more consistent approach to customization, similar to other beverage customizations such as an adding an espresso shot or syrup, which incur an additional charge,” the spokesperson said.

Speculation and concerns about the new charge has sent some customers and baristas into a frenzy on social media. Some of the frenzy has been fueled, in part, by misinformation.

Some popular posts in a Starbucks Reddit forum speculated that Starbucks planned to start charging extra for Refresher requests with less or no ice. The Starbucks spokesperson said there will be no additional charge for less or no ice on refreshers, however. The change only impacts requests for no water. 

Still, even small changes can irritate customers and employees.

Three Starbucks employees told Insider they were nervous about facing backlash from customers over the new charge. Their remarks echoed concerns shared in dozens of posts on social media.

“As with other such changes, the responsibilities of informing customers will largely fall to partners in store,” a Starbucks employee told Insider. The employee asked for anonymity due to fear of repercussions. His identity is known to Insider.

In the past, when Starbucks discontinued syrups or changed how customers earned Starbucks Star rewards, some employees have said they faced angry customers. 

Do you work at Starbucks or order your Refreshers with no water? Contact Gloria Dawson via the encrypted messaging app Signal (+1-516-721-6598) or email (gdawson@insider.com). Check out Insider’s source guide for other tips on sharing information securely.