I was on my way to Starbucks the other day and one of my friends wasn’t feeling 100% and asked me to order her a cup of hot water.
It wasn’t a big deal, but my brain instantly went into Q & A mode and I realized that I had no idea if hot water was free at Starbucks.
I know some of you might be thinking the same thing (that’s why you ended up on this page). Don’t worry, keep on reading and by the end of this article, you’ll know everything there is to know about ordering hot water at Starbucks.
Can You Get Free Hot Water From Starbucks?
The answer is yes, you can absolutely order hot water at Starbucks. Just like a cup of ice water is free at Starbucks, in most cases it is the same for hot water.
When I showed up to my local Starbucks and asked for a cup of hot water, the barista didn’t hesitate and went to fill up a cup for me. I didn’t have to pay for it and the hot water was given to me without any issue.
I asked the barista if this is a common request and his response was “people do this all the time”.
Even though I got the answer directly from the horse’s mouth, I wanted to be 100% sure. So I did some more research on the topic.
As it turns out, ordering hot water at Starbucks is pretty standard. Most of the time it won’t cost you anything. People will often order hot water at Starbucks for a variety of reasons (Especially since it is filtered). Some will use it to make tea or others use it for their oatmeal or cereal.
However, there are a few exceptions to this rule that I’ll outline below.
When Will You Be Charged For Hot Water at Starbucks?
In general, you shouldn’t have to worry about being charged for hot water. Nonetheless, people have been denied hot water, even if they were willing to purchase a cup.
There is a Reddit thread that detailed people’s experiences with not getting hot water. Even though it is a couple years old, it seems that it is still relevant today.
According to Barista the main reason you might be denied hot water or charged for it is “Because it’s a licensed store and not a corporate store, there’s not much you can do about it. It’s the discretion of whoever is in charge.”
While there may be instances where you are denied hot water or charged for it, the chances of this happening are pretty slim.
If you find yourself in a situation where you are not allowed to get free hot water, consider asking the manager if they can make an exception.
You Might Like: How to Order Water on the Starbucks App?
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it. You can order hot water at Starbucks and in most cases, it won’t cost you anything.
If you do find yourself being denied or charged for hot water, my best guess is that it’s one of those licensed stores where they are not required to provide free hot water to customers.
Hopefully you found this article helpful and the next time someone you know might be wondering if you can get hot water at Starbucks for free, now you know what to tell them.