How much caffeine is in Starbucks Dark Roast?
A Grande (16 fl oz) Starbucks Dark Roast has 315 to 390 mg of caffeine.
That's about 4 cups of brewed coffee, and 88% of the 400 mg a day the FDA cites for most healthy adults.
Source: starbucks.com · checked 10 Nov 2026
When did you have it?
Had at 3 pm, about 124 mg is still in you at an 11 pm bedtime. That will probably keep you up.
Ranges: the chart uses the middle of the published range (352 mg for this size).
Your whole day, every drink, in the free CaffeineIQ check. The iPhone app is coming soon.
Sizes
| Size | Volume | Caffeine | mg per fl oz |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short | 8 fl oz (237 ml) | 155 to 195 mg | 22 |
| Tall | 12 fl oz (355 ml) | 235 to 290 mg | 22 |
| Grande shown above | 16 fl oz (473 ml) | 315 to 390 mg | 22 |
| Venti | 20 fl oz (591 ml) | 390 to 490 mg | 22 |
Source: starbucks.com · checked 10 Nov 2026
Latest time to drink it
For an 11 pm bedtime, most people should finish a Grande (16 fl oz) Starbucks Dark Roast by about 8:25 am. The table works it out for other bedtimes and for how sensitive you are: it is the latest time to start one so that the caffeine left stays under the line all night.
| Bedtime | Very sensitive under 25 mg | Average under 50 mg | Not very sensitive under 100 mg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 pm | Too much for one evening | 6:25 am | 11:25 am |
| 10 pm | Too much for one evening | 7:25 am | 12:25 pm |
| 11 pm | Too much for one evening | 8:25 am | 1:25 pm |
| Midnight | Too much for one evening | 9:25 am | 2:25 pm |
| 1 am | 5:25 am | 10:25 am | 3:25 pm |
For a Grande (16 fl oz) Starbucks Dark Roast, average clearance (half-life 5 h), 8 hours of sleep. "Any time" means even one at bedtime stays under the line.
How long it lasts
The caffeine from a Grande (16 fl oz) Starbucks Dark Roast peaks in your blood about 75 minutes after you start it, at roughly 300 mg. Half of it is gone in about 5 hours for an average adult; that ranges from roughly 3 to 7 hours, and longer in pregnancy or with some medicines.
| Time after | 3 hours | 6 hours | 9 hours | 12 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Still in you | 247 mg | 163 mg | 108 mg | 71 mg |
So one had at 3 pm leaves about 124 mg at 11 pm. How long caffeine lasts explains the curve.
How it compares
Starbucks Dark Roast is stronger than 98% of the 90 coffee-shop drinks we track, by caffeine per serving.
Per fluid ounce (22 mg) it is stronger than 95% of them.
To reach 400 mg in a day you would need about 1 of these.
Less caffeine
- Dunkin' Frozen Coffee 295 mg, Medium
- Starbucks Nitro Cold Brew 280 mg, Grande
- Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Nitro Cold Brew 265 mg, Grande
Same caffeine: Starbucks Blonde Roast, Starbucks Pike Place Roast.
FAQ
Is Starbucks Dark Roast high in caffeine?
Yes, very. A Grande (16 fl oz) Starbucks Dark Roast has 315 to 390 mg, which is 3.7 times an 8 fl oz cup of brewed coffee (95 mg).
How much caffeine is in a Short Starbucks Dark Roast?
A Short (8 fl oz) Starbucks Dark Roast has 155 to 195 mg of caffeine, 177 mg less than a Grande (16 fl oz) Starbucks Dark Roast.
How much caffeine is in a Venti Starbucks Dark Roast?
A Venti (20 fl oz) Starbucks Dark Roast has 390 to 490 mg of caffeine, 88 mg more than a Grande (16 fl oz) Starbucks Dark Roast.
Can I drink Starbucks Dark Roast at night?
Not if you want to sleep well. Had at 7 pm, it leaves about 215 mg in an average adult at an 11 pm bedtime, above the 50 mg most people sleep fine with. The latest time for an 11 pm bedtime is about 8:25 am.
How long does the caffeine in Starbucks Dark Roast last?
It peaks about 75 minutes after you start it. Of the 315 to 390 mg, about 163 mg is still in you 6 hours later and 71 mg after 12 hours, for an average adult with a 5-hour half-life.
Does Starbucks Dark Roast have more caffeine than Red Bull?
Yes. A Grande (16 fl oz) Starbucks Dark Roast has 315 to 390 mg; an 8.4 fl oz can of Red Bull has 80 mg.
Method and limits
The caffeine figure comes from starbucks.com; recipes, brewing and batches vary, so a real serving can differ. The curves use a standard one-compartment model with an average 5-hour half-life and a sleep-friendly line of 50 mg; your own body may clear caffeine faster or slower. How it works has the details.
These are estimates for information, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, ask your doctor; common guidance is under 200 mg a day.
Related
More from Starbucks
- Starbucks Cold Brew
- Starbucks Cortado
- Starbucks Decaf Pike Place Roast
- Starbucks Dragon Drink
- Starbucks Dragon Energy Drink
- Starbucks Dubai Chocolate Matcha
More coffee-shop drinks
- Starbucks Vanilla Bean Crème Frappuccino
- Starbucks Vanilla Protein Cream Cold Brew
- Starbucks Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew
- Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha
- Dunkin' Refresher
- Dutch Bros Americano
- All coffee-shop drinks