The first ever Starbucks opened in 1971, and since then the company has seen a lot of growth and change. While there seems to be a Starbucks coffee shop on every corner today, even the most loyal patron will be surprised by some of the company’s history.
Take a look at the 8 most surprising facts about one of the world’s largest coffee stores.
8. There are over 87,000 possible drink combinations.
You may only stick to only a few of the items on the menu, but the company offers 87,000 options. Not every drink order appears on their menu, but with all the modifiers and customization options that customers can choose from, Starbucks can make a huge variety of drink orders.
7. There are 22,000 stores in 66 countries.
Yet, there are still no Starbucks in Italy.
6. One Starbucks Venti coffee has 415 milligrams of caffeine.
You’d never imagine that a cup of coffee could have as much caffeine as an energy drink, but a Venti size cup of coffee has about the same amount of caffeine as five cans of Red Bull.
5. The largest cup size, called the Trenta, contains more fluids than the human stomach can hold.
In 2011, Starbucks released the Trenta size, which is the company’s extra large cup size. The cup is so large that it can hold 30.9 ounces of liquid, which is .5 ounces more than the average human adult’s stomach can hold.
4. Every store follows the 10-minute rule.
In an effort to give customers better customer service, Starbucks requires that their stores open and close 10 minutes before and after the official store hours. This keeps patrons from having to wait outside until the shop opens, and lets the end of the day stragglers get their last caffeine fix before the store closes.
3. Starbucks spends more on healthcare for their employees than on coffee.
Starbucks spends approximately $300 million on healthcare for employees. In 2008, Starbucks was looking to cut expenses, and instead of taking money from the health insurance expenses, CEO Howard Schultz chose to shut down 600 stores as he refused to dilute employees’ benefits.
2. Starbucks pays college tuition for all employees.
Starbucks started a program that provides college tuition for all employees, both full-time and part-time, for those without a degree. Employees can study whatever they choose within Arizona State University’s online program, and the employees are not required to stay with Starbucks after earning a degree.
1. Starbucks provides tuition for veteran’s spouses and kids.
Starbucks just announced that they would be extending the tuition benefits to spouses and kids of veterans who work for the company. The company will provide tuition for a spouse and one child to attend Arizona State University’s 4-year online program. Today, Starbucks has hired more than 5,500 veterans and military spouses, and made a commitment to hire at least 10,000 by 2018.
Were you surprised by these Starbucks facts? Share with us in the comments below.
[Featured image credit: Starbucks]