Starbucks' Tall Too Much for You? Enter the Mini

If a tall Frappuccino seems like too much of an indulgence, Starbucks is now selling a more petite version of the sugary coffee drink. The Seattle-based coffee chain says it will start selling a "mini" Frappuccino starting today through July 6. The new size is just 10 ounces, compared with 12 ounces for the company's tall or small size. The mini Frappuccino helped lift overall store sales in the select regions where it was tested last year, per a Starbucks rep. Without providing specifics, she said it attracted new customers and got existing customers to come back more frequently. She declined to say whether Starbucks plans to make the mini a permanent offering.

The calories in a mini Frappuccino vary depending on the flavor, but the regular coffee with no whipped cream version has 120 calories and 24 grams of sugar. That's compared with 180 calories and 36 grams of sugar for a tall, and 240 calories and 50 grams of sugar for a grande. A venti Frappuccino has 350 calories and 69 grams of sugar. Starbucks says the mini should cost about 20 to 30 cents less than a tall. Starbucks isn't the only chain trying to tempt people with more modest serving sizes. Sonic offers ice cream shakes in a "mini" size and recently ran a limited-time offer for mini hot dogs and mini fried chicken sandwiches. Coke has also been playing up its mini cans, which are 7.5 ounces, compared with 12 ounces for a regular can. (More Starbucks stories.)