Coffee lovers are celebrating as “Frappy Hour” returns to Starbucks this week. The 10-day event offers half-off any frappuccino between 3 and 5 p.m.
Cal Poly’s Starbucks has taken extra measures to prepare for the influx in customers. These include assigning three to four employees to the frappuccino station and doubling up on all supplies.
“We basically make sure we have extra of everything,” Starbucks employee and business administration freshman Eric Bodenbach said. “We have lots of extra whipped cream, and we make sure we have milk everywhere.”
The three to four people at the frappucino station each have individual jobs to make the process quicker. The first person pumps liquid into the cup, the next person adds ice, then someone blends and so on.
Last year, Cal Poly’s Starbucks made a record-high 284 frappucinos in two hours. So far this year, the 205 drinks made on Friday is the highest, with 194 drinks on Saturday close behind.
Not everyone thinks half-off frappuccinos are exciting, though.
Wine and viticulture freshman Nina Carruesco didn’t know it was Frappy Hour until she arrived at Starbucks.
“Health-wise, it’s better to get a coffee,” Carruesco said. “I’ll probably get here sooner if I want coffee the rest of the week. Or I’ll just make some in my room.”
But “Frappy Hour” has more than just the perk of half-priced frappuccinos. The Starbucks website links to a “Frappuccino Happy Hour” page dedicated to the 10-day event.
And according to the website, customers can tag photos of their discounted drinks on Twitter using #frappuccinohappyhour for the chance to win prizes.
“Daily challenges” are listed on the website to inspire the pictures. For example, the challenge for May 8 is: “Despite the thousands of ways to make it totally your own, every Frappuccino® blended beverage has one thing in common — the iconic green straw. Show us something truly iconic from your own neighborhood, town or city.”
The daily challenges continue through May 13 when “Frappy Hour” ends at 5 p.m.