3 Ordering Hacks You Need To Try At Dutch Bros

Move over, Starbucks and Dunkin' — Dutch Bros is a coffee and drink chain that's making quite a dent in United States coffee sales. The company, which was originally founded in 1992, now does a whopping $1.6 billion in revenue annually and has more than 1,100 locations. And as its popularity keeps growing, so do its little-known menu hacks.

Most fast food chains have at least one or two solid ordering hacks that allow you to get either an easy customization or a little more for less money. At Dutch Bros, if you know how to work the menu properly, you can get both — including plenty of secret drinks. The chain is known for having a variety of unique drink offerings, from a green apple smoothie to a gummy bear sparkling soda, but did you know you can customize any drink just about any way you can imagine? Plus, the chain is known for its top-notch customer service, so no matter what you ask for, they'll probably try to make it happen. There are three big Dutch Bros ordering hacks worth taking advantage of, so here are easy ways to get the most bang for your buck.

For all intents and purposes, there isn't any drink that can't be made to your liking at Dutch Bros. The brand itself even released its own set of menu hacks that focus on the ample customization options — and there are probably a few you weren't aware of. The biggest menu hack you need to know: You can add truly any flavor combination to any drink order. There is no limit to the ability to combine flavors, whether you're craving a lemonade, a smoothie, or a frozen coffee. This means if you want the energizing 9-1-1 drink's Irish syrup flavor without its espresso, you can add the syrup to a regular iced coffee, no questions asked. You can even add a flavor floater, known as a "float," where an added boost of flavor is placed on top of your drink.

Another thing to know: There is not one level of sweetness. Dutch Bros allows you to customize the sweetness level with three different options: quarter sweet, half sweet, and extra sweet, in addition to the standard sweetness level, which can make all the difference on your palate. Dutch Bros also offers non-dairy milk options, including oat, coconut, and almond.

If you're in the mood to save money, then there's an easy way to get two drinks for the price of one — sort of. Next time you want to order a drink, ask for a large, but ask the barista to split it into two small cups. The ounces differ depending on the drink; a hot drink comes in a 12-ounce size small, while a blended or iced drink comes in a 16-ounce size small. A large is either 24 ounces (hot drinks) or 32 ounces (cold drinks), meaning it's double the size of the small but not double the price. 

Take one of Dutch Bros' most popular drinks, for example. While prices may vary by location, a small iced Golden Eagle costs $6.15 at a Los Angeles Dutch Bros, while a large version of the drink costs $7.45. If you typically order a small, opt instead to order a large. Split it into two small cups, then save one for the next day, and you'll end up spending $3.73 per drink instead of $6.15. To help preserve the flavor of the second drink until the next day and make sure it doesn't get watered down, remove the ice, refrigerate the drink, then add ice when you're ready to consume it.

This hack for extra espresso is similar to the previous one about sizing up, but it doesn't require you to split the drink into two cups. Let's say you want to order a medium Golden Eagle but want two additional shots of espresso. To do this the regular way, you'd pay $6.85 for the base drink, plus an extra $2 for the additional two espresso shots, for a total of $8.85. 

Instead, order a large Golden Eagle, which already comes with four espresso shots but only costs $7.45. From there, ask the barista to put the large drink into a medium cup by omitting some of that filler ice, which gives you the size cup you want, and the espresso shots you want, but saves you $1.40. The same trick applies if you want a small but prefer two shots of espresso instead of one. A small costs $6.15, or $7.15 with that extra espresso shot, while a medium (which already has two shots) costs $6.85.