Coffee Starbucks Secret Menu Drinks Contest: How to Win $25K Inside the App's Hidden Offers Tab

Starbucks has officially brought its viral secret menu drinks into the spotlight with a new in-app feature available across the UK and US from 14 July 2025. Located under the mobile app's hidden 'Offers' tab, the update allows customers to easily order four previously unofficial drinks.

In addition, Starbucks is inviting both customers and employees to enter a limited-time drink contest, with a grand prize of $25,000 (about £18,614) up for grabs. Entries can be submitted through the app, using only ingredients available in-store.

Starbucks Secret Menu Now Officially in the App

For the first time, Starbucks has embraced its cult-followed secret menu and made it available in its app for Starbucks Rewards members. According to official announcement posted on Starbucks' official website, located under the 'Offers' section, customers can now order four custom beverages that were once only known by those in the know.

The new drinks are all made using existing in-store ingredients, making them easy for baristas to prepare. They include:

• Cookies on Top – Cold brew with vanilla syrup, topped with vanilla sweet cream cold foam and cookie crumble
• Dragonfruit Glow-Up – Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade Refresher with peach juice blend and vanilla sweet cream cold foam
• Lemon, Tea & Pearls – Black tea lemonade with raspberry-flavoured popping pearls
• Just Add White Mocha – Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso combined with white chocolate mocha sauce and vanilla sweet cream cold foam

The inclusion of these Starbucks secret menu drinks marks a shift in the brand's approach to customisation and digital engagement.

How the Starbucks Drink Contest Works

Running from 14 to 20 July 2025, the Starbucks Secret Menu Drink Contest gives Rewards members the chance to submit their own drink creation via the secret menu contest page. Both customers and employees are eligible to enter.

Four finalists will be selected in early August. Each finalist will receive a $5,000 prize (£3,700) and have their drink featured in the app between 18 and 25 August. During this time, the public will vote via Starbucks' official Instagram page. The winning drink, chosen by popular vote, will earn its creator a $25,000 grand prize (around £18,500).

Submissions are judged on taste, creativity, and fan appeal. Full terms and conditions are available through the app and on the official Starbucks website.

Starbucks' Strategy: Digital Meets Personalisation

The contest and in-app secret menu are part of Starbucks' broader effort to drive digital sales and enhance customer engagement. By spotlighting viral drinks and inviting fans to participate in the creative process, Starbucks is tapping into the popularity of custom coffee culture driven by platforms like TikTok.

The move also aligns with the company's strategy to streamline operations by encouraging recipes that rely on existing ingredients, helping baristas manage complex orders more efficiently while giving customers a sense of involvement.

How to Turn Your Custom Drink into $25K

The Starbucks secret menu drinks contest is a unique blend of creativity, community, and coffee. With four new drinks already live and a $25,000 reward (around £18,500) on offer, the brand is encouraging users to engage with its app in a meaningful and fun way.

To participate, check the 'Offers' tab in the Starbucks app and get your custom coffee creation ready. Your next cup could be worth a small fortune.