Starbucks has been hard at work this year churning out new bevvys—probably partly to distract us from the changing loyalty program and discontinued menu items, but hey! I’ll take what I can get. Especially when what I can get now is a viral new recipe that tastes just like straight up candy.
In case you’re not in the habit of a daily TikTok doom scroll, let me fill you in on the internet’s newest obsession: The Gummy Shark Drink. While not an official addition to menus, Starbucks customers have discovered a new customization, and it’s taking the internet by storm.
“So good, you have to try it,” one user captioned her video of the refresher, which has now amassed over 280k likes.
Another dubbed it a “must try” in her own viral clip.
So, as the dedicated journalist I am—who is, for all intents and purposes, on the “Starbucks” beat—I knew it was my duty to give the “Gummy Shark Drink” a try for myself. Selfless, I know! That’s me!
While it is a customization drink (meaning you can’t get it straight off the menu but instead have to order via the app), it was pretty simple and straightforward. I’m taking the Sharpie-ed smiley face on the side of my cup as evidence my barista agrees.
Before I get into my actual thoughts, let’s talk about how to order it for yourself. When I said it was simple, I meant it. It really only requires two modifications. Order the Venti Summer Skies Drink (part of Starbucks’ Refresher menu), opt for no raspberry-flavored pearls, and add vanilla sweet cream cold foam. Bam. You have a liquid gummy shark.
Now, I didn’t fully understand the candy comparison until I tried it for myself. Then, it all made sense. It has the same sweet flavor profile, with a hint of sour thanks to the OG Refresher flavor, and a creamy texture just like the candy—shoutout to the the coconut milk and vanilla sweet cream cold foam for that. It even looks like the real thing.
And while it’s not the type of drink I’d order first thing in the morning (you can pry the iced Americano from my cold, dead hands), when I say it’s the perfect summer afternoon sweet treat, I mean it. It is, in fact, the liquid version of a candy gummy shark—and I have zero complaints about it.
