Starbucks' App Now Limits Some Absurd Drink Modifications

You're still able to order a venti, extra hot, extra foam, soy milk, four-shot, five-pump Caramel Macchiato via Starbucks' app, but the death knell has sounded for some other over-the-top drink orders.

In an effort to cut down on stunt orders like an all-syrup caramel macchiato or a venti drink that's just 20 shots of espresso (yes, a former barista tells us this was a real order), Starbucks app now allows customers to add only 12 of the same modifications to a drink. That means you can only add a pump of caramel syrup 12 times, or an espresso shot 12 times. According to the Starbucks' app FAQ section, a customer can still add an unlimited number of unique modifications.

Business Insider talked to baristas who say that stunt orders like the 20/20—20 pumps of vanilla, 20 pumps of hazelnut syrup—are more common via the app than face-to-face orders, likely because of the high embarrassment factor of ordering such a drink IRL. (Despite the limit on modifications via the app, no such rule will apply to orders placed in person.) And those silly modifications obviously slow down service as baristas fill venti cups with pure saccharine and whipped cream.

Starbucks customer service says the new modification limit will "help create a more consistent experience and allow our partners to best craft the customized beverage for our customers." If you're desperately craving a 30-pump PSL, you'll now just have to make it yourself.