Starbucks launches ChatGPT AI tool to match drinks to moods, but ordering experience divides users

Stuck in a Coffee Rut? ChatGPT Can Now Plan Your Next Starbucks Order

If you like getting your daily cup of coffee from Starbucks, you'll now be able to consult with ChatGPT for your next beverage. Starbucks said on Wednesday that a new Starbucks app in ChatGPT, now in beta, will help you figure out your next order based on your mood or craving in the moment. Although you won't be able to order your Starbucks coffee directly through the ChatGPT app, it will suggest drinks and menu items you may enjoy, then direct you to the Starbucks app or website to complete your order. OpenAI has added a host of other apps you can interact with in ChatGPT since announcing the functionality last year. You can do everything from browsing home listings to designing playlists without leaving the chatbot interface. You'll be able to use prompts like, "@Starbucks, I want something bright to start my morning," or upload an image to describe your mood and location. Once the menu suggestion appears in ChatGPT, you can start the order through the chatbot and then complete it in the Starbucks app or online. Paul Riedel, senior vice president of digital and loyalty at Starbucks, said in a statement that Starbucks noticed customers weren't always starting off by looking at the menu. "They're starting with a feeling," he said. "We wanted to meet customers right in that moment of inspiration and make it easier than ever to find a drink that fits." Starbucks said interacting with ChatGPT lets you personalize your order more and discover menu options you never considered before. (Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET's parent company, in 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.) When I tried out the new feature, I asked it about the oddest beverage combinations you can get at Starbucks. One interesting combo ChatGPT came up with was espresso with lemonade. The AI described another drink as "basically liquid dessert soup," if that's more up your alley.

Ordering with the Starbucks ChatGPT app was a true coffee nightmare

Venti iced coffee, light skim milk. That's what I get at Starbucks. It is what I have gotten at Starbucks every time I've been to Starbucks for as long as I can remember, other than a brief love affair with the caffe misto a few years ago. In person, my brain barely needs to activate to say the words aloud; in the app, it's four taps and I'm ready to go. My first time ordering Starbucks through its new ChatGPT integration, which launched last week, was comparatively a complete mess. Getting started is easy enough, if not exactly obvious: Just open ChatGPT and type "@Starbucks" plus your order. You can probably guess what happens next, right? I promise you're wrong. "Order me a Venti iced coffee with light skim milk," I typed, to which ChatGPT responded: "The Iced Coffee is exactly what you're after -- cold-brewed and served unsweetened, so adding light skim milk will keep it smooth without getting heavy." Cool, thanks for the info ChatGPT. Please order me coffee. Above the message, ChatGPT added what I figured out was a menu, showing the three most likely things I might have meant by "iced coffee." Iced Coffee was the first option, victory! But I had to select "Customize," then scroll through the pop-up UI and select both the right size and the milk addition, or else when I tapped "Add to cart" I got just a Grande black iced coffee. I should note that this had already taken longer than it takes to open the Starbucks app, tap "Order," tap the name of the closest store, tap the plus sign next to the drink I always get, and check out. But I soldiered on: I got the drink I wanted in the cart, and then went to add my wife's drink to my order. She calls it "the fruity tea," which is not a name, but is the kind of fuzzy search ChatGPT ought to handle well! It offered me Iced Green Tea Lemonade, which is a reasonable but wrong guess. I eventually remembered it was the Passion Tango Tea, at which point ChatGPT offered me another enthusiastic description of the tea. Once again, I scrolled up, I customized, and I added to cart. At that moment, I got an ominous pop-up: "This chat is nearing its limit." I'm a free-tier ChatGPT user, but I haven't touched the app in weeks (I'm mostly a Claude guy these days), so hitting the limit this fast was a bit surprising. Also, why is there a limit at all, when I'm trying to do a thing that theoretically makes both ChatGPT and Starbucks a bunch of money? To get things done as quickly as possible, I went to check out. Turns out, ChatGPT has my location wrong, and offered a list of stores half a state away from me. When I went to the map view, where ChatGPT said I could change my location, all I got was an "Oops! Something went wrong." message. And right about then, I got another pop-up: "You're out of messages with the most advanced Free model." It told me it would reset -- in five hours. Until then, I'd be shunted to some other, lesser model. Any rational person would have given up a while ago, right? This is a straight-up terrible ordering experience, made vastly more complicated by the back-and-forth chat system that conferred exactly zero discernable AI upside. But, like a good journalist, I tried again -- I started over, @-mentioned Starbucks, and told it my order as succinctly as possible. It confirmed my request, and then let me down gently. "I can't place your order directly or add it to a real cart," it said, before offering to walk me through how to use the Starbucks app. Evidently, the model I'd been downgraded to didn't support the more advanced Starbucks features -- or have any idea what I'd just been up to. I can't shake the idea that this app -- like so many AI tools -- appears to be designed for people that simply don't exist. In Starbucks' own blog post, it suggests you might prompt the app with things like "Recommend a drink that matches the vibe of my outfit" or "I'm in the mood for something cozy and nutty." Is that how anyone actually decides their beverage of choice? At best, these features are silly fun. At worst, they'll lead to even more people dreaming up ridiculous, 12-ingredient, made-to-be-TikToked drinks that drive baristas batty all day. The actual dream of AI coffee ordering has been the same for a long time: I want to say "order me coffee," and my assistant should know exactly what to get me and from where. The tech industry tried this in the era of Google Assistant and Alexa, and they're trying again in the times of ChatGPT. There's a chance that truly useful AI agents, like the ones Google is testing with Gemini, can go click around for you and get the job done automatically. But chat ain't it, friends. Coffee ordering, like so many things in life, is not a creative experience designed for conversation. It is a transaction. Ideally, a very short one, because I haven't had my coffee yet.

Latest AI (coffee) buzz: Starbucks launches ChatGPT app to help customers discover their next drink

Starbucks is getting in on the agentic buzz. The Seattle-based coffee giant launched a beta app inside ChatGPT on Wednesday, leveraging OpenAI's chatbot to help customers discover drinks and capture their "vibe." Customers can access the app by enabling it inside ChatGPT's app directory. Start a conversation prompt with "@starbucks" to customize orders and choose a location to order from. While the order can be started in ChatGPT it has to be finished in the Starbucks app or on Starbucks.com. You don't need to just have a drink flavor in mind. The bot will even offer up suggestions based on a photo of your current outfit. Based on what I'm wearing right now, I'm not sure I'd want to drink that, but you get the point. "Over the past year, one thing has become clear: customers aren't always starting with a menu," Paul Riedel, Starbucks senior vice president of digital and loyalty, said in a statement to CNBC. "They're starting with a feeling. ... We wanted to meet customers right in that moment of inspiration and make it easier than ever to find a drink that fits." Other companies are leaning into partnerships with OpenAI to reach customers through ChatGPT, including Expedia, Zillow, Target, Walmart and others. Starbucks is in the midst of an operational overhaul under CEO Brian Niccol, who joined the company in September 2024. Niccol led a similar revamp previously as the top executive at Chipotle, and at Starbucks is pairing old-school service standards with new technology. One of those new tech components is Green Dot Assist, an AI-powered tool built on Microsoft's Azure OpenAI platform that helps baristas look up drink recipes, troubleshoot equipment issues, and figure out where to put staff during a rush. The technology went from a 35-store pilot last June to full deployment across North American stores in November. The changes seem to be having an impact. In January, Starbucks reported its first U.S. comparable transaction growth in two years. Both loyalty members and casual customers are visiting more often. Service times at peak are running below the company's four-minute target, even with the increased traffic. Starbucks also announced in March that it plans to open a corporate office in Nashville, Tenn., in a bid to grow across North America and establish "a more strategic presence" in the Southeast region of the U.S. The move will impact some Seattle-based jobs related to the coffee giant's North American supply-chain operations.

Starbucks is now in the ChatGPT app store -- here's how to order drinks to match your mood and outfit

From "OOTD" lattes to mood-boosting cold brews, here is how to use the new OpenAI integration to automate your morning caffeine fix Take a quick trip into the ChatGPT app store and you'll be treated to a bunch of options tied to some of the most recognizable brands you regularly use. Recently, Tubi has joined the chatbot as the first streaming service app that can be prompted to find you your next cult classic film obsession. Plus, Ticketmaster is now embedded in the AI tool, allowing users to ask it for recommendations and ticket prices for concerts and sporting events. Now, Starbucks has joined ChatGPT, to make it even easier for customers to get inspiration for their next order. Here's how to access the new Starbucks app inside ChatGPT (currently in beta) and the prompts to use with it that will generate the best drink results. Prompting your next Starbucks order Within the ChatGPT app hub, you can find the Starbucks app by searching for it through the "Apps" directory in the sidebar menu, on the left of your desktop screen. For mobile ChatGPT users, simply tap on the two lines in the top left corner of your screen and again on the Apps menu to look up the Starbucks app. After finding it, you'll see it in the chat box and you can start prompting away. Starbucks' official blog post offers some simple prompt suggestions to help users get started, such as: "I'm craving an afternoon boost that isn't too sweet." That same blog post also recommended uploading a photo of the weather, your current outfit, your workspace and a sunset to command the Starbucks app to generate drinks that match those different conditions. After choosing a drink, you can customize it even more to match your taste, find the Starbucks in your area to order it from and complete the purchase process with the Starbucks app. We also generated 14 useful prompts that should help you discover new drinks you probably didn't even know existed and will probably drink every morning before work. Try these out with the Starbucks ChatGPT app and let us know what kind of drinks it came up with in the comments: * Give me a Starbucks drink that makes me feel like the main character in a cozy fall movie. * Recommend a high-caffeine Starbucks drink that doesn't taste overly bitter. * Find me a Starbucks drink that tastes like a rich chocolate dessert but isn't too heavy. * Build me a low-sugar Starbucks order that still feels like a treat. * What should I order at Starbucks if I need to stay focused for the next 4 hours? * Give me a refreshing Starbucks drink that tastes tropical, like I'm on vacation. * Create a custom Starbucks drink with a unique flavor combo I wouldn't think to try. * Build me a Starbucks order that's high in protein, low in sugar, and actually tastes good after a workout. * I want a warm, comforting Starbucks drink for a rainy day. What should I get? * I like vanilla, oat milk, and iced drinks. Recommend the perfect Starbucks order for me. * I'm about to game for 6 hours -- what Starbucks drink keeps my energy up without a crash? * What's the fastest Starbucks order I can grab when I'm slammed but still need real energy? * Recommend a Starbucks drink that boosts focus and alertness without making me jittery during meetings. * Create a Starbucks drink that helps with bulking -- higher calories, balanced macros, not just sugar. The takeaway Using ChatGPT to produce unexpected drink recipes with the aid of Starbucks is something we never knew we wanted until now. Whenever we run into a mental block while trying to come up with a drink that matches our current mood, clothing, or hobby, we'll be sure to hop into the Starbucks app to generate something that looks delectable and hopefully tastes just as good. We're going to have a lot of fun prompting the Starbucks ChatGPT app to give us its top pics from the secret menu, too. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok.

Starbucks' new AI tool in ChatGPT suggests drinks based on your mood

Why it matters: The coffee giant is among the first major restaurant chains embedding AI into discovery and ordering -- a preview of the next-gen digital menu. Driving the news: Starbucks' beta app is now available in ChatGPT, built around consumers' appetite for personalization. * The company has been leaning into customization, including a "secret menu" and trending drink features fueled by social media. How it works: In ChatGPT, users can prompt @Starbucks with requests like "something bright to start my morning" or "an afternoon boost that isn't too sweet." * Customers can also upload a photo -- like their outfit or the weather -- to get drink suggestions that match the vibe, the company says. * They can customize drinks and start an order before finishing checkout in Starbucks' app or website, Starbucks says. What they're saying: Customers "aren't always starting with a menu -- they're starting with a feeling," said Paul Riedel, Starbucks' SVP of digital & loyalty. * "This is the kind of technology that sparks creativity and helps customers discover something new," Riedel said. Yes, but: As AI takes a bigger role in everyday choices, tools like this raise questions about how much decision-making consumers outsource.

Starbucks' Baffling ChatGPT Collab Treats Customers Like Empty, Soulless Venti Cups

Can't-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech As AI chatbots go, OpenAI's ChatGPT isn't the most provocative. Its relentlessly upbeat, hand-holding style has drawn constant criticism for coming across as condescending. Still, Starbucks' newly announced partnership with the chatbot may have pushed that paternalism to a whole new level. Announced on Wednesday, the new "Starbucks app" is basically a widget within ChatGPT. After enabling Starbucks connectivity in the ChatGPT app, users can type "@Starbucks" to receive "personalized drink recommendations tailored to your taste, mood, and goals." According to the Starbucks press release, this can include prompts like "I want something bright to start my morning," and even ridiculous requests like "recommend a drink that matches the vibe of my outfit." "You don't need to know the name of a drink, just start with how you're feeling or what you're craving -- in your own words or through a photo," the presser enthuses. "It's discovery that feels effortless." We tried out the beta, and though it booted us after two attempts, it didn't blow us away with creativity. First we prompted it to give us a "drink to order for the 2026 Gathering of the Juggalos," then for a drink that "matches our vibe," along with a picture of Elon Musk's infamous Baphomet armor. Both times it recommended the Iced Mango Dream Energy Drink, assuring us that "you don't sip something subtle -- you arrive with it." Even with the best-faith read, it's hard to understand what problem this is meant to solve. If anyone's struggling to remember a 10-word string of buzzword drink titles, it might be time to redesign the menu. Assuming customers are unable to decide on a drink without algorithmic assistance reduces them to a pig waiting for their customized slop, and only really serves to make life harder for the baristas pulling the ungainly orders together. Let's not mince words here: this is coffee we're talking about. In most countries, it's sacrilege to order anything but espresso after 11am, let alone pump your milky-caffeine slurry full of sugary flavor syrup. If you don't already know what you want from Starbucks, you're in a place that vibe coding can't fix. Or, as journalist and author Tyler King put it: "if you are so paralyzed by an indecision that you need a chatbot to tell you what coffee drink to order, you probably need to check into a rehab."

Starbucks wants you to ask ChatGPT about what coffee to get, right as America boils over with AI backlash vibes | Fortune

Starbucks has a solution for unsure coffee lovers who face a truly dizzying amount of choice: Just let software make a selection for you. The Seattle-based chain is testing a beta app in ChatGPT that helps users discover drinks based on vibes and gut feelings alone, the company announced Wednesday, marking another step in corporate America's bid to make business-facing activities feel less like a menu search for customers. The beta app is built directly into ChatGPT, where users can enter a prompt describing their caffeine-laced needs and wants. Asking for "something sweet and nutty" can generate a pistachio latte recommendation, for instance. Users can also upload photos and ask the app which drinks would aesthetically complement their clothes or environment. Starbucks joins retail and travel booking services that have already rolled out similar features offering personalized recommendations to users. Companies are looking to slowly chip away at the burden of choice that comes with shopping, travel, and dining, but in relieving customers of their decision-making, firms might run some unexpected risks. Take Walmart as an example. Last year, the company announced a partnership with OpenAI that would allow some customers to shop for Walmart products and checkout directly with ChatGPT. The program was first available for around 200,000 Walmart products, and executives were looking most closely at conversion rates, the percentage of shoppers that end up actually making a purchase. The trial was a flop. Conversion for products suggested by ChatGPT were three times lower for items that had to be bought through the app than for products that required clicking through to Walmart's main site, according to a Wired report last month. The company has pivoted to embedding its own AI chatbot into ChatGPT to streamline procedures, but shoppers still seem to value the decision-making that accompanies shopping. Daniel Danker, an executive overseeing AI products at Walmart, told Wired that one of the experiment's shortcomings was that shoppers tend to decide on buying accessories alongside their main purchases. Discovery or repetition Starbucks' app will be different in that users can't make a purchase directly through ChatGPT, but it could still change the way consumers find their next favorite item, perhaps for the worse. Some research has suggested AI recommendations might even be taking some of the excitement out of shopping by browsing. One 2025 study from a university in China, published in the journal Advances in Consumer Research, found that AI-generated suggestions on e-commerce platforms actually tended to lead to more negative feelings among shoppers. While some users appreciated greater simplicity, many reported feeling stuck in "information cocoons," where AI assistants provided repetitive recommendations that reinforced existing preferences, rather than prompting towards interesting or unexpected products. Starbucks representatives say its app can avoid this pitfall by reacting to feelings described or environmental cues rather than user history. "We want to meet customers right in that moment of inspiration and make it easier than ever to find a drink that fits," Paul Riedel, a senior vice president at Starbucks, told Fortune in a statement. "This is the kind of technology that sparks creativity and helps customers discover something new." Companies like Starbucks that are experimenting with AI recommendations are doing so as Americans start pushing back against interacting with the technology in all aspects of their lives. From resisting its use at work to rejecting AI-generated digital content, consumers are starting to feel AI fatigue, even anger. Brands are aware, with some recently pulling AI-created ads that received criticism online. A Harris Poll survey released this week found that only 39% of American consumers trust AI to make everyday purchases for them, with a large majority still skeptical of product quality when it is presented online. Starbucks itself has also gone to great lengths to distance itself from the automation narrative in favor of preserving face-to-face interactions with customers. Last year, CEO Brian Niccol announced more locations would be increasing barista headcounts with fewer automated servings options, and called for more personal touches such as "handwritten notes" accompanying orders and using ceramic cups rather than disposable ones. To be sure, Starbucks customers could surely do with some light guidance when the time comes to order. Between customizable sizes, number of espresso shots, sweetener types, and all the extra garnishes the coffee shop chain is known for, a simple latte order can sprawl into more than 300 billion distinct options. The enormous list of possible combinations has been cited as one reason behind long wait times during busy hours. After current CEO Brian Niccol took the job in 2024, one of his first moves was to slash menu size by 30%, calling many of the chain's offerings "overly complex." AI recommendations might make it easier for customers to grapple with plentiful options, whether they are looking for a unique cut of sweater or a particular shade of caffeinated drink. Companies are trying to turn that decision fatigue into a competitive advantage, but if customers are pushed to order a specific blend of a caramel latte every time they get a coffee craving, they might miss the unexpected joys of a more tedious browse.

Starbucks launches beta app in ChatGPT for drink discovery

Starbucks $SBUX has launched a beta app inside ChatGPT designed to help customers find new drinks, the company said. To use the integration, open ChatGPT's app directory, enable Starbucks, and include "@Starbucks" in your prompt. You can browse drinks, customize orders, and choose a pickup location within the chat, but you must complete the purchase on the Starbucks app or website. This step is important given how central the loyalty program is to Starbucks' business model. "Customers aren't always starting with a menu," Paul Riedel, Starbucks SVP of digital and loyalty, said in a statement. "They're starting with a feeling... We wanted to meet customers right in that moment of inspiration and make it easier than ever to find a drink that fits." The ChatGPT integration is part of a broader effort by Starbucks to reverse a traffic slump. Measures taken under the "Back to Starbucks" plan have ranged from restoring in-cafe seating and streamlining the menu to restructuring the tiers within its rewards program. Those efforts appear to be gaining traction: CNBC noted that the fiscal first quarter ending Dec. 28 marked the first period of positive traffic growth after two straight years of customer losses. Drink discovery has also become a tool for attracting younger customers. According to CNBC, younger consumers -- particularly Gen Z -- place greater value on distinctive, customizable drinks when choosing where to go. This is not Starbucks' first time using generative AI or working with OpenAI. Last year, they launched Green Dot Assist, an AI tool for baristas, with help from Microsoft $MSFT Azure's OpenAI platform. CNBC also notes that other retailers like Walmart $WMT, Etsy, and Booking.com are testing ways to sell through ChatGPT.

Try a LattAI? Starbucks Debuts ChatGPT App for AI Drink Suggestions - Decrypt

The integration represents a major consumer brand's adoption of AI for personalized product discovery and commerce. Starbucks launched a beta app within ChatGPT on Wednesday that uses AI to recommend drinks based on user mood descriptions or uploaded photos. The integration allows customers to describe their feelings or share images to receive personalized beverage suggestions. Users can browse drinks, customize orders, and choose pickup locations within the ChatGPT chat interface, though they must still complete their purchase through the Starbucks app or website -- the AI chatbot can't handle that step, at least for now. "Over the past year, one thing has become clear: Customers aren't always starting with a menu. They're starting with a feeling," said Paul Riedel, Starbucks' senior vice president of digital and loyalty, per CNBC. "We wanted to meet customers right in that moment of inspiration and make it easier than ever to find a drink that fits." The ChatGPT app joins a growing list of major brands integrating AI chatbots into shopping experiences. Walmart and Target have teamed with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into their retail operations, while e-commerce platforms Etsy and travel booking site Booking.com are testing shopping and purchasing through ChatGPT's interface. Delivery operators DoorDash and Uber Eats have created ChatGPT apps that allow users to turn recipes into shoppable grocery lists, browse restaurant menus, and place delivery orders. The ChatGPT integration builds on Starbucks' existing AI investments. The company already uses AI internally through Green Dot Assist, an AI-powered virtual assistant for baristas built on Microsoft Azure's OpenAI platform that helps with drink recipes, equipment troubleshooting, and staff deployment. The system went from a 35-store pilot to full deployment across North American stores last November. The AI-powered customer engagement tool arrives as Starbucks works to reverse a prolonged sales slump. The company's fiscal first quarter ending Dec. 28 marked its first period of positive U.S. comparable transaction growth after two years of customer losses. Service times at peak hours still run below the company's four-minute target despite the increased traffic, however, suggesting the company continues seeking new ways to attract and retain customers.

Starbucks' New ChatGPT Integration Is a Potential Privacy Nightmare

AI is a divisive technology. Some of us can't stand it, and avoid it at all costs. Others are AI-curious, and dabble with certain apps or features; still others still embrace it with enthusiasm, and use the tech for as many purposes as possible. Still, though I'm aware of this AI spectrum, I'm struggling to understand who exactly would want to connect their Starbucks account to ChatGPT -- so, naturally, I connected mine. Starbucks rolled out this collaboration on April 15 as a "natural, personal, and fun" way to discover new drinks to order. As someone who only ever orders a plain coffee with cream, or maybe an iced espresso, perhaps this would finally be my opportunity to branch out my taste buds, and have artificial intelligence recommend a new favorite? I'm far too shy to just, like, ask the barista for a recommendation, and I don't trust my friends to have good taste. ChatGPT really is my only hope of finding a new coffee I might enjoy! To get started, you need the latest version of the Starbucks app, as well as the ChatGPT app. You first open ChatGPT, head to "Apps," locate "Starbucks," then hit "Connect." ChatGPT then presents you with some information about what data you agree to share (boring!), including a "summary of your recent context and intent within ChatGPT." That's quite a bit of data just to ask for drink recommendations, and I'm not sure why it's necessary. It does seem to be the standard data agreement with other ChatGPT apps, but, again, why is that much data needed here? I understand requiring access to ChatGPT in order for the app to function, as well as the data generated by your requests for drinks, but in my view, Starbucks really doesn't need a summary of any past ChatGPT use to recommend me a coffee. To that point, I also have the option to let ChatGPT reference chats and memories when sharing data with Starbucks. I'm looking for my next go-to Starbucks order; why wouldn't I share my all of my intimate ChatGPT interactions with Starbucks? At least this one's optional: If you leave the toggle disabled (the default setting), Starbucks won't have access to memories and chats -- just the aforementioned summaries. ChatGPT also warns that by connecting the Starbucks app here, attackers could target my Starbucks data, or use the Starbucks app to access my ChatGPT data. Exciting! This definitely seems worth it! Again, it doesn't seem like the Starbucks app integration is particularly special. You're presented with the same splash screen when you do the same for other apps, like Photoshop. But I think it's important to think through the privacy implications of any app integration with ChatGPT, especially as not all apps are created equal. Do you really want to be giving Starbucks access to your ChatGPT data, and vice versa? Do you want ChatGPT knowing where your nearest Starbucks location is? All for, and I can't stress this enough, a generative AI's recommendation for a Starbucks drink? And how are those recommendations, anyway? Let's find out. Once you agree to the terms, you're in. You can now start up a ChatGPT conversation as usual, type @starbucks to pull up the Starbucks app, and fire away. My first query was for an afternoon pick me up. This generated a widget featuring six different menu items, including an "Iced Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino," "Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew," and "Nondairy Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew." If I wanted, I could hit a "Customize" option to adjust the ingredients in the order, and an "Add to cart" button to add the drink to my cart. Underneath the widget was a breakdown of each drink recommendation, including things like flavor and caffeine count. Upon seeing the caffeine count listed, I decided to ask ChatGPT for the drink option with the most possible caffeine. Again, I was given six recommendations, but the top choice was my go-to: a venti blonde roast, which the app said contained around 315mg of caffeine -- despite Starbucks' website claiming the drink has anywhere from 390 to 490 mg. That's a big difference, seeing as the safe daily caffeine limit is generally listed at 400mg. Next, I decided to see if Starbucks would recommend something with as much sugar as possible. It came back with another list, this time with the "Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino" taking the crown, packing 60g of sugar. (Starbucks' website confirms this for the grande size; the venti has 78g.) That's a lot of sugar, sure, but was it really as much sugar as Starbucks could give me? ChatGPT seemed to sense my disappointment, and said, "If you want, I can build you a custom order that maxes out both caffeine and sugar at the same time." Now we're talking! ChatGPT returned with a step-by-step list to turn a Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino "into a monster:" The bot said that the modifications would increase the sugar from 70 to 90g, depending on how "aggressive" I got, while the caffeine would shoot from from 85mg to a range of 200 to 300mg. When ChatGPT asked if I'd like to optimize my custom drink so it would still taste good, rather than like "liquid candy sludge," I said "actually, could you make it worse?" And it did, giving me instructions on how to "break" the drink, offering a list of changes, including tons of syrups, sauces, more chocolate chips, and light ice to make it "less refreshing, more dense and overwhelming." It gave me the choice to make it even worse, and I agreed. ChatGPT took another opportunity to "ruin it on purpose." Its new concoction, it said, was designed to taste like "burnt coffee trying to escape a caramel milkshake," with "chocolate chips suspended in syrup cement." Perfection. I asked the bot how I could order it, and, to my surprise, it only recommended how to order it in person or on the Starbucks app -- not through ChatGPT itself. At this point, I realized ChatGPT had stopped offering me ordering options, and instead opted for text-based recommendations only. When I asked why, it told me I couldn't ask it order in the app. When I told it that it had previously given me the option (and noted that an ad for the feature indicated I could order in the app), ChatGPT said "That ad is a bit misleading." Okay. Even after I went back to the previous chats that still had the ordering widget, either the widget would "expire," or I'd be taken to the store locator but not allowed to choose a location. I chalk this up to ChatGPT dropping me down to a weaker model with less angentic capabilities. But it doesn't matter, because there's no way I'm ordering this monstrosity, on the app or in person. The whole point was to avoid human interaction, after all. Now I'm left with no new coffee orders, a chatbot that's gaslighting me, and a severe caffeine withdrawal. Maybe ChatGPT has some advice for how to deal with that.

Starbucks' ChatGPT experiment could quietly reshape how people order coffee

Not sure what to order on your next Starbucks run? Now ChatGPT can help. Starting April 15, users will be able to turn to ChatGPT for help deciding on their next Starbucks order through a new integration with the coffee chain. To activate the feature, users simply tag @starbucks within a chat with the AI agent to trigger the new in-platform beta Starbucks app. Users will be able to prompt ChatGPT to offer drink order advice based on mood, cravings, or even an image. For instance, a user might prompt ChatGPT with "@starbucks I'm looking for an iced pick me up," with the LLM then suggesting an Iced Dragon Energy Drink alongside 5 additional options. "Over the past year, one thing has become clear: customers aren't always starting with a menu. They're starting with a feeling," Paul Riedel, senior vice president, digital & loyalty at Starbucks wrote in a blog post announcement.

Starbucks Just Launched an AI Order-Picker on ChatGPT. Is It Genius or Insane?

If it catches on, customers would open ChatGPT, tag @Starbucks, describe what they're in the mood for -- or upload photos of their outfits, or the weather outside -- and the AI would suggest a few drinks they might like. Then they'd checkout in the Starbucks app. "Customers aren't always starting with a menu," Paul Riedel, Starbucks's senior vice president of digital and loyalty, wrote in the company's announcement. "They're starting with a feeling." Personally, I'm starting with a feeling of skepticism.

Starbucks Is Using ChatGPT to Change How You Buy Coffee

Your next Starbucks run could be inspired by what you're wearing. Starbucks is introducing a new AI-powered feature within ChatGPT that suggests drinks based on your mood, cravings, or even a photo. The move makes it one of the first major restaurant chains to embed AI into the discovery and ordering experience, offering a glimpse into the future of the digital menu. "This is the kind of technology that sparks creativity and helps customers discover something new," the company's senior vice president of digital and loyalty Paul Ridel said in a statement. This is the latest step in the company's ongoing push toward customization, building on features like a "secret menu" and trending drinks that have been fueled by social media.

Starbucks tests ChatGPT to suggest drinks by how you dress, your 'vibes'

The matcha drink may serve as a greener alternative to coffee Starbucks has begun testing a ChatGPT-powered ordering experience that turns a customer's "vibe" -- or a photo of their outfit -- into a drink suggestion and routes the selection into a purchase completed in the Starbucks app or on the company's website. A beta is available to customers in the US as of Wednesday, the company's rollout indicated. Users can ask for ideas that match a mood or a scene, specify preferences like protein or sugar-free options, and choose a store location from within the ChatGPT interface before finalizing their order, the company's senior vice president for digital and loyalty, Paul Riedel, said as the feature debuted. "Over the past year, one thing has become clear: customers aren't always starting with a menu. They're starting with a feeling," Riedel said. He called the beta "an opportunity for us to listen, learn, and refine as we go," and added, "This is only the beginning," according to Business Insider. Agentic commerce The test positions Starbucks among the first large food brands to plug generative AI directly into discovery and ordering. It is part of a wider shift toward "agentic commerce," in which chatbots guide users from discovery to checkout across retail and delivery platforms. Several major brands have already integrated ChatGPT into shopping flows -- including Walmart and Target for product discovery and purchases -- while operators like DoorDash and Uber Eats let users turn recipes into shoppable lists or browse menus and place delivery orders. Fast-food chains such as Burger King and Firehouse Subs help customers find nearby locations and deals through the chatbot, according to Business Insider. Starbucks has also been rolling out Green Dot Assist, an AI virtual assistant for baristas. It was piloted at 35 locations before broader deployment this year, indicating a parallel focus on tools for employees alongside customer-facing AI. The system correlates opt-in mood inputs with historical purchases, weather, time of day, and regional patterns. An engineering push yielded a 22% rise in average transaction value during pilot tests in Seattle and Austin, according to internal metrics leaked to The Verge. Baristas in pilot stores have been using the AI suggestions as conversational openers rather than rigid scripts. Internal surveys indicated that most felt the tool supported their ability to connect with customers. Latency is a key operational constraint. A 1.8-second pause between mood selection and suggestion adds up to a significant annual time cost at global scale. Engineers are experimenting with edge caching and quantized model distillation to reduce delays. Can't you decide on a coffee? Early usage shows both flexibility and limits. In a test that blended outfit details, warm weather, a walk in Central Park, and a request for a summery, polished-but-not-too-sweet drink with non-dairy milk, the tool pointed to a Cold Brew with almond milk as a fit. The system also sometimes surfaced unconventional pairings -- like espresso with lemonade. Critics question the need for a chatbot to choose a latte or cold brew. They argue that if customers struggle to recall drink names, the menu may lack clarity. Some critics also warn about dependence on AI for small, daily decisions, suggesting that if indecision is so acute that a chatbot must settle a coffee order, the issue may not be technological. A 2025 study found that algorithmic suggestions on e-commerce platforms tended to produce more negative feelings, with many shoppers reporting they felt stuck in information cocoons; separate survey data indicates only 39% of consumers in the USA currently trust AI to make everyday purchases on their behalf. Starbucks framed its personalization strategy as especially relevant to Gen Z audiences that gravitate toward tailored experiences and like to engage with brands early in the decision process.

Starbucks Brews AI-Powered Drink Picks Inside ChatGPT | PYMNTS.com

By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. With this app, customers using ChatGPT can tag @Starbucks, describe their mood or upload a photo that reflects their mood, and receive recommendations of Starbucks drinks that match their request, the coffee chain said in a Wednesday (April 15) blog post. Paul Riedel, senior vice president, digital and loyalty at Starbucks, wrote in the post that the company has found that customers often start with a feeling rather than a menu. "People open chat tools to think out loud -- to describe the kind of moment they're in, or imagine something they want to create," Riedel wrote. "'I need something warm and cozy.' 'Give me a boost.' 'It's sunny and I want something refreshing.' Or sometimes a picture says it best." "We want to meet customers right in that moment of inspiration and make it easier than ever to find a drink that fits," Riedel added. OpenAI announced in October 2025 that it launched a feature that lets ChatGPT users chat with third-party apps while in conversation with the chatbot, together with a software development kit that enables developers to build those kinds of apps. The new app joins several other artificial intelligence-powered features Starbucks has rolled out. The company said in a January blog post that these include an AI-powered, real-time companion for coffeehouse partners that is called Green Dot Assist and delivers conversational answers questions about things such as recipes, routines and service standards. Another AI-powered solution is Starbucks' Smart Queue technology that sequences orders across cafe, drive-thru, mobile and delivery to keep production running smoothly. "We design AI to strengthen, not replace, the human connection at the heart of every coffeehouse," Bhagyesh Phanse, senior vice president, chief data and analytics officer at Starbucks, wrote in the January post. "Our approach is practical and grounded: use AI where it helps partners deliver exceptional craft, deepen customer connection and improve the rhythm of the coffeehouse." Starbucks Chairman and CEO Brian Niccol said in January that digital platforms will play an important role in the next stage of the company's turnaround strategy. Speaking during an earnings call, Niccol highlighted Green Dot Assist and said that this AI-powered virtual assistant provides a foundation for developing and scaling "thoughtful AI solutions that reduce friction for partners and help them focus on craft and connection with our customers."