As luck would have it, one day I woke up and found myself in Texas! (LOL). I wanted to share with you (all of you readers) my visit to a Starbucks in Southlake, Texas. This store is located in the “Towne Square” area of Southlake, and has something very unique and special – the “customizable” Frappuccino! And just to clear up any confusion, yes, it really is that bright and sunny in Texas in October. I definitely felt blinded by sunshine.
The “Custom Blended Frappuccino” is a Starbucks Frappuccino where the barista can customize it to the customer’s liking. Just to try something unique, I ordered a Soy Espresso Frappuccino:
With the customizable Frappuccino, a customer could order a decaf Frappuccino, or adjust the amount of sweetness, or have great milk customization too: 2%, whole milk (default), nonfat, and soy.
This limited test Frappuccino has been in testing phase for a long time; I would guess a full year. I first heard of it from mystarbucksidea.com because customers would post online that they did or did not like the Frappuccino. Their idea often would be something like “bring this everywhere” (or the opposite). Given the posts I’ve seen at various Starbucks related websites, I believe this Frappuccino started as a very limited and small test in Florida, and then moved to testing phase in Dallas, Texas area.
Though this picture makes it difficult to read the menu boards, one can see that in Southlake Texas, their Starbucks as a unique Frappuccino menu board:
I arrived at this Starbucks at about one in the afternoon, and in addition to ordering the Frappuccino, I got food and asked for Anniversary Blend coffee. I saw an urn marked “Anniversary Blend” and so I thought that must be what was on the brew for the bold pick. A barista, who I later learned is “Jeca” told me that after noon, the store only brews “Pike”. Props to Jeca for not calling it “Pike’s”. That is a pet peeve of mine. There is no “s”. I explained that I wanted something bold.
Jeca immediately offered to brew something, if I had the time to wait. I said sure, and after some discussion, we settled on Cafe Estima, because another barista found an open bag of it. “Brew on demand” appears to be alive and well in Southlake, Texas. Another round of props!
I got my food, plopped down in leather wall chair, and waited. This store has recently been remodeled and has an abundance of leather furniture, beautiful dark wood cabinetry, and has both a Mastrena espresso machine and a warming oven.
I had only a short visit to this Starbucks, but definitely enjoyed it! A barista brought my coffee out to my table. So I enjoyed my food, drank my coffee, and later made small talk with the barista working the bar. Here’s another interior pic of this store:
This store was clean and friendly, and I poked my head into the ladies’ room which was also clean and stocked.
Upshot: I would definitely recommend this store to a friend!
As to the unique customizable Frappuccino: It was definitely good and there is no doubt I would order them on a hot summer day in Seattle. I only have to wonder whether it is ever a good idea to change something as iconic as the Frappuccino. Millions of Starbucks customers know the Frappuccino for what it is now, and a change to any new Frappuccino would likely create a great stir. With millions of people each week walking through a Starbucks, a new Frappuccino will cause an uproar, both good and bad. Maybe this is why it’s been in testing phase for such a very long time. Personally, I liked it, but I’m not a hardcore Frappuccino drinker, and the Frappuccino for me is always an occasional treat and nothing more. It did have a lot of coffee flavor, and tasted great on a warm October day. Two thumbs up on the new Frappuccino.
(PS: If you want to read about another test beverage, click here for the review of the Honey Vanilla Vivanno which I really really really want Starbucks to launch nationally. Please please please Starbucks!)
27 Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Socialize
Actually Melody, we tested the customizable Frappuccino up in Marysville for a couple months before it moved down south 🙂
I think it’s funny you get annoyed when people call it Pike’s. I don’t even notice anymore. Part of me gets annoyed when people insist on ordering their usual drinks in the wrong order, especially when it’s something like “can I have a vanilla decaf with whipped cream latte… in a tall cup… with soy milk” but that’s only because you have to wait until they’re finished ordering before you know what size to write the drink on and then you must ask again to get the first half of the order. But that’s another thing I’m too used to to become too vexed about.
Oh well. Three shifts left 🙂
That store does look nice. Is that an antler ‘lampshade’? How were the pastries?? 🙂
I would love to know how the baristas adjust the coffee flavor, sweetness, etc. in the frappuccino. I have tried to make a frappuccino at work with milk and shots of espresso but it never seems to have the right consistency.
What about the menu boards? They look like flat screens.
@ LatteRose-Yes! It is an antler lamp in that starbucks! @CoffeeIsLife-I think Winter has said he’s been to all but 4 in NorthAmerica. Link to his blog is in that post & in side links too.
@Doug I work in this pilot market, so I’ll try to explain how you make these frappuccinos…
But first, forget everything you know about frappuccinos.
OK— There are 6 steps for every frappuccino…
Step 1: Add pumps of frappuccino roast into the blender. 2 pumps for tall, 3 pumps for grande, and 4 for Venti. Frappuccino Roast is the only “prep” you have to do now. There’s this espresso VIA and we add it to 2 liters of cold water. Add extra frappuccino roast to a coffee and its delicious!
Step 2: Add milk. Default is whole milk… but you can also choose nonfat, 2%, heavy whipping cream, and soy (which has its own separate pink blender for lactose intolerant customers). In our sure shot we keep nonfat and whole milk because those are the most popular at my store.
*A side note: The blenders have different measurements.
Step 3: Add frappuccino base. 2,3,4 for the pumps. This is the sweetness of the frappuccino, but it also contains other stuff which helps it all blend together. If you forget to add the frappuccino base, it will come out icy and uneven. Customers can request for less frappuccino base if they’re craving a frappuccino, but watching what they’re consuming.
Step 4: Add flavor… Caramel, Vanilla bean, whatever the frappuccino is… 2,3,4 for pumps. The pumps for CR and R changed so that its squirts less. And the ones that squirt less are just for frappuccinos.
Step 5: Add ice
Step 6: Blend
Step 7: Pour it in the cup and make it all pretty.
Step 8: Don’t forget to clean up!
*Side note… Frappuccino Lites are referred to as “LoFat Frappuccinos”. You make LoFat Frappuccinos by using nonfat milk and subtracting one pump of the Frappuccino Base.
Ok, maybe there are 8 steps. LOL. I didn’t proofread that before I finished.
Seems like a lot of steps… which it is… but way less prep in the afternoon!
Thanks Cam i always wondered how they were made. I’m allergic to the Frappuccino’s so this might be an alternative.
Like always Melody you are awesome!
That store was so precious… if only they had uncluttered the counter
I’m glad you enjoyed our store Melody and sorry that I was not their when you came through. Most of the time I’m work nights so I miss most of what goes on during the day. We just started the warming in our store last week and it’s been a big hit with our frequent and new customers. As for the customizable Frapuccino’s we started them around mid June of this year and this has been a great way to make it your own way because we had kids come in and want the coffee flavor, but not the caffeine so we can make them decaf. I love the new fraps although the process is a bit longer to create in the end it’s worth it. Thanks for stopping by.
Hey, Jeca came into my store today. We told her you gave her mad props!!!!! She’s also happy you spelled her name correctly.
I read a bunch of the people on MSI complaining about a customizable frap…but I wonder if those people are strictly drinkers of the sugary non-coffee drinks? And perhaps those who want things more customized are, for lack of better words, ‘real’ coffee drinkers? Or maybe just more high maintenance!
Either way, I think it would be interesting to try it out…and I’m like you Melody, not a hardcore Frappuccino drinker, but it’s a good treat.
It’s always fun stumbling on places making tests on new products!
While I was in the US last month I tried a sort of caramelly apple drink in Inkster, MI’s starbucks which was like pure hot nectar! Alas think it might be too muc.h sugar for that drink to ever make the UK : (
Also notice some Starbucks in the US are offering Cheesecake Factory products which I miss from Disney Quest.
I now have to go to Texas and visit this Starbucks. Tha sounds awesome because i know most frappaccinos are pre-mixed(I think) and then blended with the ice.
Katherine your comment makes me laugh! One thing for sure, with this new crazily customizable frappuccino, you could really end up with some amazingly high maintenance frappuccinos. Decaf-Soy-Add-RistrettoShot-ExtraSimpleSyrup … It *could* be a nightmare! And I’ve read the same comments on MSI, and it seems like the proportion of people complaining about the new Frappuccino is still outweighed by the large number of people crying out for a soy frappuccino. At times, I’m half tempted to refer MSI participants to my blog …
Thanks CamSpi…sounds like a lot of steps but would be worth it!
In many ways, I don’t look forward to the holidays. What I do look forward to is buying Starbucks Christmas blend. My husband and I bought it every year for years. To me it’s a comfort beverage. It’s an integral part of Christmas.
I think it’s interesting that the custom Frappuccino base is sweetened. I’d be curious to see how an unsweetened coffee/espresso Frappuccino would taste. (Probably like an iced latte, but thicker and blended.) Of course, most people would want theirs sweetened, and a regular coffee Frappuccino tastes all right to me as-is.
Thanks for your post…. I’m curious about one aspect of the custom Frapp….. How is the texture? But then again you ordered one with soy, so I don’t know if that could compare to one made with milk.
I know that on occasion when I drink Frapps I order an Espresso Frapp(made w/shots) which seems to have a different texture than an ordinary coffee Frapp.
Melody! Thanks for stopping by the Southlake Town Center! We’d love to have you back anytime – jeca
This is short and sweet. I love how the whip looks like (or with) the sky on Melody’s frap. I think that drink is a poem.
Interesting. When we tested them waaay back when in our neck of the woods, the frappuccino bases weren’t sweetened, so we added classic. The perk to this was that we carried sugar free classic during that time, and could thus make a sugar free frappuccino.
Melody – I really enjoy your blog. It’s refreshing to hear honest opinions without regard for the corporate party line. Keep up the great work!
I havn’t heard of the Custom Blended Frappuccino before. I live in Cali, so I wonder if that hasn’t come here yet, or if it will. It looks really good! I like that you could adjust sweetness!
– Jessika
This is so neat to see! Funny how this is actually implemented nationwide with a few changes. This is what I love about being in a test market.
Diele, you dug up an oldie but a goodie. Awesome. It seems like so many tests are in warmer markets.
Oh my gosh! I was just flipping through all of your posts and just had to click on this one! I’ve been to this store many times and do not live too far away! I can’t believe I’ve actually been to a store I’ve seen featured in your blog! Yay me! (And yay you!!)