To order a dirty chai at Starbucks, you basically ask for a chai latte and add espresso shots, since “dirty chai” isn’t an official menu name at most stores. The key is saying the base drink, size, temperature, milk, and how many espresso shots you want.

What a dirty chai is

  • A dirty chai is a chai latte (hot or iced) with at least one shot of espresso added.
  • It combines chai concentrate, milk, and espresso; some people go “double dirty” or “triple dirty” by adding 2–3 shots.

Exact phrases to use in store

You usually should not just say “dirty chai” and stop; many baristas prefer a clear breakdown of the drink. For a classic hot version:

  • “Can I get a grande chai tea latte with one shot of espresso?”
  • For more caffeine: “Tall chai tea latte with two shots of espresso.”

For an iced version:

  • “I’d like a grande iced chai latte with one shot of espresso.”
  • If you want to sound extra clear: “Grande iced chai tea latte with a shot of espresso added.”

If you want to mention “dirty”:

  • “Grande chai tea latte, dirty, with one extra shot of espresso.”
  • “Venti iced chai latte, dirty, with two shots of espresso.”

Customizing like a pro

Starbucks is all about customization, so you can tweak your dirty chai a lot. Common tweaks:

  • Milk: “with oat milk / almond milk / soy milk / coconut milk instead of 2%.”
  • Sweetness:
    • Fewer chai pumps for less sugar: “only 1–2 pumps of chai.”
* Add flavored syrup like vanilla or caramel: “plus one pump of vanilla syrup.”
  • Strength:
    • 1 shot = milder coffee taste.
    • 2–3 shots = stronger coffee flavor and more caffeine.

Example “healthy-ish” order:

  • “Grande iced chai tea latte with almond milk, only 1 pump of chai, 3 pumps sugar-free vanilla, and a shot of espresso on top.”

How to order in the app

A dirty chai is a custom drink, so you build it step by step in the app. Hot dirty chai (one simple way):

  • Choose “Chai Tea Latte” (hot).
  • Pick your size (short, tall, grande, venti).
  • Go to “Espresso & Shot Options” and add 1–2 shots of espresso.

Iced dirty chai:

  • Choose “Iced Chai Tea Latte.”
  • Choose size (tall, grande, venti).
  • Add espresso shots under “Espresso & Shot Options.”

Frappuccino-style dirty chai:

  • “Chai Crème Frappuccino” → add an “affogato-style shot” in Espresso options.

Some Reddit baristas and customers note you can sometimes save money by:

  • Ordering an iced latte and adding chai pumps instead of ordering a chai and adding espresso, especially for double-dirty versions.

Price and “hack” angle

People on forums and food sites talk a lot about getting a cheaper dirty chai:

  • One trick: order a Caffè Latte and add chai syrup, instead of a chai latte plus espresso shots; this can be cheaper for multiple shots.
  • Another Reddit tip suggests: “[Size] iced latte with ‘x’ pumps of chai” for best price on an iced dirty chai.

Mini “scripts” you can copy

Here are some ready-made lines you can use at the counter:

  • Hot, simple:
    • “Tall chai tea latte with one shot of espresso.”
  • Hot, stronger:
    • “Grande chai tea latte with two shots of espresso, please.”
  • Iced, dairy-free:
    • “Grande iced chai latte with oat milk and one shot of espresso.”
  • Lighter sugar:
    • “Grande iced chai tea latte with almond milk, only 1 pump of chai, 3 pumps sugar-free vanilla, and one shot of espresso.”

Meta description (SEO):
Learn exactly how to order a dirty chai at Starbucks—what to say to the barista, how to customize it hot, iced, or blended, plus app tips and cheaper “hack” versions inspired by recent forum and food-site discussions.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.