Seattle: Starbucks is bringing its long-rumored “secret menu” into the spotlight, officially adding fan-favorite custom drinks to its app and launching a nationwide contest with a $25,000 grand prize.
The company announced Monday that members of the Starbucks Rewards loyalty program can now access curated drink customizations under the “Offers” tab in the app. These drinks — previously known through word-of-mouth and social media — will be available at participating stores.
The change comes as the chain debuts four drinks that originated as off-menu hacks: Cookies on Top, Dragonfruit Glow-Up, Lemon, Tea & Pearls, and Just Add White Mocha.
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Starbucks Secret Menu Becomes Official in 2025
The “secret menu” has long been a part of Starbucks’ unofficial culture, with drinks like the Cotton Candy Frappuccino or Twix Iced Mocha passed down via Reddit, blogs, and YouTube since at least 2011. The concept became so widespread that Starbucks itself launched a “Not-So-Secret Menu” channel on Instagram, now with over 151,000 followers.
As part of this new rollout, Starbucks has added four pre-customized drinks to the app:
- Cookies on Top: Cold Brew with vanilla syrup, Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam, and cookie crumble topping
- Dragonfruit Glow-Up: Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade with peach juice blend, blended and topped with Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
- Lemon, Tea & Pearls: Black tea and lemonade with raspberry-flavored popping pearls
- Just Add White Mocha: Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso with White Chocolate Mocha Sauce and Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam
These drinks are now available for one-tap ordering through the Starbucks app.
$25,000 Contest to Find the Next Secret Hit
To boost engagement, Starbucks also launched a nationwide Secret Menu Contest running from July 14 to July 20. Customers and employees are invited to submit their original drink customizations via the contest page.
The top four finalists, selected by Starbucks, will receive $5,000 each, and their creations will be featured in the Starbucks app from August 18–25. Public voting on Instagram will determine the grand prize winner, who will receive an additional $25,000.
Starbucks Balances Innovation with Simplification
The move comes just months after Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol began simplifying the menu to reduce complexity for staff, trimming several Frappuccino options earlier this year. However, the company has since introduced Strato Frappuccino Blended Beverages to appeal to customers seeking new premium options.
By officially supporting custom drinks — once seen as burdensome for baristas — Starbucks aims to strike a balance between personalization and efficiency.
A Social Media Staple Goes Mainstream
The secret menu has deep digital roots. Content creators and baristas began promoting off-menu combinations in the early 2010s, turning them into shareable trends. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have helped revive interest, while Starbucks’ official embrace marks a new phase of integration.
“This app update marks Starbucks’ first official adoption of the concept,” Food & Wine reported.
Whether this change will dilute the “secret” mystique remains to be seen. But for many fans, easy access could mean fewer awkward ordering experiences and more room for creativity.
