There’s a rumor going around that Starbucks is changing their ice! Instead of cubes, they will be changing to pebbles!

 *gasp*

Let me just say, this feels like another corporate ploy to rob us of our money by providing less drink and more ice that will melt faster, watering down not only my drink but my opinion of Starbucks the company.

According to an article by Food Network published on May 24, Starbucks has been gradually transitioning from ice cubes to ice pebbles. This is not happening all at once but rather as a multi-year roll-out which is now underway. 

However, many have expressed their concerns about this new change. Will the ice melt faster? Will there be less room for the drink itself? 

While I personally have expressed similar concerns, Starbucks has tested and asserts that ice will not melt any faster than the ice they use now, and if the baristas use the same ice scoop as usual, there shouldn’t be a difference in the amount of beverage in our cups.

So why even change anything if nothing will change in our drinks? Well, Starbucks said in a statement to CNN-Business, “The new ice machines use less water and will be rolling out to all its stores over the next several years.”

On TikTok , Starbucks is already getting flamed. Several influencers have tried to question whether the different size cups actually have different volumes or not. 

With the drinks already being pretty expensive, there’s worry that the smaller ice will leave less room for the drink itself. People are questioning if they will be paying for even less actual drink than usual.

I just can’t wrap my head around why they need to change the ice if it’s causing more backlash from their customers. I understand that it’s easier to chew, which could be beneficial for those with anxiety and stress, but there’s a greater risk of choking on the nugget ice as it’s easier to inhale.

Although there are many concerns for this new ice, Starbucks says, “The new ice machines use less water to make ice, which will help the company meet its sustainability goal to cut its water footprint in half by 2030.”

 So I guess there’s some advantages to this.