Cherry is the “it girl” of 2025, and Starbucks understood the assignment with its newest flavor. What started with the new Iced Cherry Chai on the coffee company’s spring menu has now morphed into secret menu beverages with the new Starbucks cherry cold foam, and new combos pop up daily – including matchas, mochas, and now, refreshers. Enter Starbucks Cherry Lemonade, aka a custom order that combines a spring addition with a menu mainstay.
How do I order the Starbucks Cherry Lemonade?
Starbucks spilled the tea (or should we say lemonade?) on how to order the secret menu beverage in an Instagram Reel that garnered over 4 million views. The name of the drink may be a little misleading, since the base is actually a Strawberry Acai Refresher. Start by asking your barista for a Venti Strawberry Acai Lemonade Refresher, and ask them to add two scoops of cherry powder.
Starbucks recommends ordering the refresher “without strawberries,” but some fans in the comments say that the freeze-dried fruit bits really complement the sweet and tart refresher. I got mine without strawberries (freeze-dried fruit is not my favorite) and I didn’t think much of it.
#SpoonTip: If you are ordering the Cherry Lemonade in a smaller size, consider asking for only one scoop of cherry powder, depending on how sweet you like your drink.
Is the Starbucks Cherry Lemonade Good?
When it comes to Starbucks secret menu items, I’m easily influenced — especially if cherry is involved. I’ve tried the Iced Cherry Matcha Latte and the more recent Iced Cherry Mocha, and while each drink is delicious in its own right, this new lemonade might take the cake when it comes to a coffee-free afternoon bev.
I ordered a Venti refresher with two scoops of cherry powder — just like Starbies recommended — but was given a Grande. As someone who is terrified of confrontation and not one to complain to service staff (especially baristas during a morning rush) I accepted my drink and moved on. My only concern was that the cherry flavor would be too potent given that the two scoops was intended for a larger drink.
Powder-to-liquid ratio aside, the Starbucks Cherry Lemonade is delicious. The cherry flavor was definitely overwhelming at points (but some settled at the bottom, which meant I could sip from the top), but I truly tasted all of the sweet, tart, and citrus flavors. The cherry added a really nice sweetness to the tartness of the lemonade, and the strawberry and acai flavors definitely weren’t lost. While four fruit flavors may seem a bit overwhelming for a single beverage, each flavor brought its own profile and complemented each other in a sweet, refreshing, and delicious manner. This drink tastes like summer in a cup, and would be especially ideal on a warm spring day.
How much does the Starbucks Cherry Lemonade cost?
I followed Starbucks’ recipe for the cherry lemonade to a tee, and the drink cost $7.75 for a Venti before tax. On its own, a 24-ounce Strawberry Acai Lemonade Refresher retails for $6.75; adding the cherry powder costs an additional dollar.
While this may seem a bit pricey, the large size definitely gets the most bang for your buck — a 16-ounce Grande is only fifty cents cheaper. And, given the cost of the cherry powder customization, it’s not too bad considering the costs of some other handcrafted customized beverages. That said, I don’t know if I’ll be dropping $8.44 after tax on the Starbucks Cherry Lemonade every day, but it is a delightfully sweet, tart, and refreshing drink for spring into the summer season.