What Is a Venti? (All You Need to Know)

Starbucks coffee has its diehard fans, but when it comes to the names of the different drink sizes, confusion abounds. No one is sure why the medium-sized drink is called a Grande at Starbucks or which is the largest size.

So if you’re one of those people who has ever wondered what a Venti is and what size your drink will be, read on. We did the research, and you’ll find all you need to know here!

What Is a Venti In 2024?

Venti means 20 in Italian, and it is the second-largest drink size at Starbucks. A Venti for a hot beverage is 20 oz. but for a cold beverage, it is 24 oz., in order to leave room for the ice. The complete list of drink sizes at Starbucks is Short, Tall, Grande, Venti hot, Venti cold, and Trenta.

To learn about the Venti and other drinks sizes at Starbucks, carry on reading. We have all the details here!

What Does Venti Mean at Starbucks?

If you love Starbucks coffee, but find the drink sizes impossible to decipher, here’s some help.

Starbucks drinks sizes have unique names, but once you know the reasons why it’s easier to understand.

To begin with, Venti is Italian for 20. It is the Starbucks version of Extra Large. To give you an idea of where Venti falls in the lineup, here are all the drinks sizes you can find at Starbucks.

  • Short (8 fluid ounces)
  • Tall (12 fluid ounces)
  • Grande (16 fluid ounces)
  • Venti Hot (20 fluid ounces)
  • Venti Cold (24 fluid ounces)
  • Trenta Cold (31 fluid ounces)

However, even though Venti stands for 20, the Venti size for cold drinks is actually 24 oz. That’s to leave room for the ice in your cold drink.

As you can see, once you understand the reasoning behind the names, it all starts to make sense.

Why Are Starbucks Sizes Weird?

The weird names for drink sizes are part of Starbucks’ history.

When CEO Howard Schultz visited Italy in 1983, he was inspired by the neighborhood coffee houses and decided to bring the concept to the US.

In Schultz’s first coffee shop Il Giorno, there were three cup sizes; short, tall, and grande. Il Giorno soon became Starbucks, but the naming conventions carried over.

The Venti drink size was added because customers wanted a larger size than Grande. Recently, the largest drink size, Trenta, was added.

Trenta means 30 in Italian, but it actually holds 31 oz. Trenta is only used for cold drinks.

It may or may not make you feel better to know that many food and drink names at Starbucks are also taken from Italian and are therefore just as confusing as the drink sizes.

Is a Venti 20 Oz?

Is a Venti 20 Oz?

The Venti size for hot drinks at Starbucks holds 20 oz. For cold drinks, however, a Venti is 24 oz. to allow room for ice.

Is a Venti 26 Oz?

The Venti size at Starbucks is not 26 oz. It is 20 oz. for hot drinks and 24 oz. for cold drinks.

Is Venti Bigger Than Tall?

As you will see from the listing above, Venti is bigger than Short, Tall, and Grande. It is the second-largest drink size at Starbucks after Trenta.

Is Venti Medium?

Looking at the sizes of Starbucks drinks, Venti is larger than Short, Tall, and Grande.

Since these sizes correspond to Small, Medium, and Large, respectively, Venti would be an Extra Large.

Did Starbucks Get Rid of Trenta?

Starbucks still has the Trenta size for some cold drinks but has stopped selling Trenta-sized Frappucinos.

This is probably because such a large Frappuccino would have extremely high levels of sugar and calories.

How Many Cups Is a Venti at Starbucks?

At 20 oz., a hot Venti drink at Starbucks is the same size as three cups of beverage you would drink at home.

What Is the Biggest Size Drink at Starbucks?

The biggest drink size at Starbucks is Trenta, which means 30 in Italian. Trenta is used only for some kinds of cold drinks and actually holds 31 oz.

These are the drinks you can get in Trenta size at Starbucks:

  • TeavanaShaken Iced Tea
  • Teavana Shaken Iced Tea Lemonade
  • Iced Coffee
  • Cold Brew
  • Starbucks Refreshers

To learn more, you can also read our posts on what is Starbucks honey blend, does Starbucks sells decaf iced coffee, and what are Starbucks Refreshers.

Conclusion

Starbucks names are confusing for a number of reasons. Venti means 20 in Italian, and it is the second-largest drink size at Starbucks, corresponding to Extra Large.

However, there are actually two different Venti sizes for hot and cold drinks. The Venti hot size holds 20 oz. and the Venti cold size holds 24 oz.

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Florence Howard

Florence Howard has been freelance writing for over a decade, and has a vocational background in retail, tech, and marketing. Outside of work, she enjoys listening to rock and metal, and playing with her dog and cat.

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