Starbucks’ unicorn Frappuccino might be the stuff of customers’ dreams, but the glittery rainbow-colored concoctions are apparently a nightmare for baristas everywhere.
Customers have been flocking by the thousands to participating Starbucks, desperate to get their hands on the elusive beverage before it’s gone.
The flavor-changing, color-changing unicorn Frappuccino is made with a “sweet dusting of pink powder, blended into a crème Frappuccino with mango syrup and layered with a pleasantly sour blue drizzle,” finished with “vanilla whipped cream and a sprinkle of sweet pink and sour blue powder topping.”
Described by Starbucks as “magical,” baristas are begging to differ – taking to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to express their unicorn woes, baristas are sharing pictures of blisters and lamenting about all the “glitter” – aka sour blue powder topping – they’re finding up their noses.
The Washington Post said it tasted like “sour birthday cake and Instagram likes.”
Jaime Bennis, a barista as a Boston University Starbucks skipped work Friday to escape her personal unicorn hell. She estimated her store sold somewhere around 1,200 unicorn frappuccinos per day since the new drink hit the menu.
“According to Starbucks, the Unicorn Frap is, ‘as rare as a unicorn.’ I beg to differ, because nearly every other drink that has been ordered for the last two days has been a Unicorn Frap,” she wrote on her blog on Medium.
But Bennis was hardly alone. From Reddit to Instagram, baristas are ready to say goodbye to the blue and purple “frap from hell.”
A barista from Florida, Tina Dee, wrote: “As a barista, just know that every time you ask me to make this, a part of me dies #unicornfrappuccino.”
As a barista, just know that every time you ask me to make this, a part of me dies #unicornfrappuccino
— Tina Dee (@fairlyfamous) April 19, 2017
Just hours after the release of the drink, Colorado barista Braden Burson shared a two-minute vent on Twitter, His since-deleted post was shared more than 1,000 times.
“I have never made so many Frappuccinos in my entire life,” he said in the video. “My hands are completely sticky. I have unicorn crap all in my hair, on my nose. I have never been so stressed out in my entire life.”
In a statement to Boston.com, Starbucks said the company is listening to feedback from both customers and baristas about the drink.
“We’ve been thrilled with our customers’ enthusiastic reaction for the Unicorn Frappuccino; its fandom has exceeded everyone’s expectations,” the company wrote in an e-mail.
“While we’ve seen tremendous positive feedback from both customers and partners (employees/baristas), we always listen to their feedback to determine what we can improve upon. Our goal is to ensure that both our customers and partners (employees/baristas) always have a positive experience at Starbucks.”
Luckily for baristas, Starbucks has promised the beverage will be “as rare as a unicorn.” The international coffee chain has said the drink will only be available through Sunday.
As rare as… a unicorn. The color-changing, flavor-changing #UnicornFrappuccino—here for a limited time at participating stores.?✨ pic.twitter.com/TaIQrF8fac
— Starbucks Coffee (@Starbucks) April 19, 2017
