When I first took a sip of this drink, I was in awe. As a big lover of bananas, I found this drink divine. I am also very picky with my matcha. It can’t be too dirt-tasting, but I still want to have a little matcha flavor. This drink was the perfect balance of the two, and it was made with real bananas, not just flavoring.

Due to my newfound love of these protein beverages, I began researching the best flavors and drink combinations on TikTok. This is when I found a video of a woman showing her drink, which was a hot latte with the protein foam, but it had congealed, almost into a marshmallow consistency. Immediately after seeing this, I quickly checked the comment section, where I saw a Starbucks worker saying to report it to corporate, not only to fix the situation, but also in hopes of discontinuing the production of the drinks. I also saw many people saying they expected this to happen, as protein powder is made to be cold, or that the barista had made the drink improperly.

A week after the drinks came out and after seeing this information on TikTok, I tried it again just to make sure I really liked it as much as I had been telling myself and others. I ordered a Venti Hazelnut Shaken Espresso with Protein-boosted Milk and Pumpkin Protein Cold Foam. This has been my go-to order recently, but without the protein. This drink was definitely not as appetizing. The cold foam was very good, but the actual coffee had a strange aftertaste. Initially, it was good, but after I swallowed it, the protein taste was very prominent, making my drink much less enjoyable.

For the most part, these drinks are pretty tasty, although my last experience was not as delightful. I am curious as to how Starbucks corporate will respond to the issues that are happening at stores around the world. I will continue to purchase them as long as they stay on the menu, but will probably stand clear of the hot beverages with protein foam.