We Reviewed Pedro Pascal's Starbucks Order And It's Not For The Faint Of Heart

Pedro Pascal may be Hollywood's hot item right now, but his drink of choice is cold — specifically, his Starbucks choice. However, while the rest of us mere mortals are content with our average cold brews or iced coffees sweetened up with all kinds of toppings and syrups, Pascal's order is uncomplicated, if still highly specific.

His order had recently taken the world by storm when a sharp-eyed fan noticed that Pascal's Starbucks order, printed neatly on the little sticker they use to mark drinks, was actually legible in a recent photo. So what is this thirst trap beverage of choice? An iced quad in a venti cup, with extra ice and six quads. That is the drink that powers the Mandalorian.

It is unsurprising that even a big-name Hollywood star such as Pascal would need his trip to Starbucks to power through his day. Since coffee is what makes the world go round, we tried Pascal's order to find out what it takes to be worthy of him.

First, we needed to decode the label. The nice thing about Starbucks is it allows for an incredible amount of customization. This means that we know exactly what goes into the order. It starts with ordering an iced quad espresso — a "quad" is four shots of espresso. However, later on the ticket we see that it says "six shots." A quad is the biggest you can order at one time, so it means that in addition to the four original shots, Pascal has upped the espresso by two. The whole thing is served over ice, much like an iced coffee, but instead of drip coffee, this features espresso. Pascal adds extra ice and has it served in a venti cup, which we are pretty is necessary in order to hold all those extra shots and ice.

You may be wondering how much this whole thing costs. As Starbucks orders go, it is not horrendously expensive. In our area, the base cost of an iced quad is $3.45. Starbucks charges an additional dollar per shot of espresso, which brings the total up to $5.45. Functionally, for this price, you are getting a venti drink. The extra ice and larger cup come at no upcharge. While no one would say this is cheap, let us remember that this is functionally six shots of espresso, each of which can be considered its own drink. If you look at it in those terms, it is not so bad, especially when a venti iced latte costs $5.65 and has a measly three shots of espresso.

Starbucks offers two ways to order. The first way is in person. To do this, you can ask your barista for an iced espresso with six shots, in a venti cup, with extra ice. The "quad" part is not actually essential to the order, as the drink can be made starting with a base of a solo (one shot), doppio (two shots), triple (three shots), or quad (four shots). No matter how you ask for it, it will have to be customized for six shots and will cost the same amount.

To order on your phone, go to the Starbucks app. Find "iced espresso" on the menu and click on it. From the "size" drop-down menu, choose "quad" for authenticity. Next, move down to the "what's included" section, and in "espresso & shot options," bring the number from four up to six. Next, go to "add-ins" and select "extra ice" from the menu. Finally, go to "cup size" and choose "venti cup." When that is done, add to your order and proceed to check out.

One thing to be aware of with this drink is that the amount of caffeine in it is both shocking and potentially hazardous. While at first, it can give you a huge boost of energy, after it wears off you could be left more tired. One shot of Starbucks espresso has 75 milligrams of caffeine in it. And remember, this has six shots. That brings the total caffeine up to 450 grams of caffeine in just one drink. To put it in another context, that is the equivalent of 4.5 cups of coffee or 5.5 Red Bulls. It should be noted that Mayo Clinic only recommends 400 milligrams of caffeine per day. We know Pascal is busy saving humanity's last hope, so we get the man needs an extra kick, but others may want to proceed with caution. We are pretty sure that had Pascal drank this before filming "Buffy," the sheer amount of caffeine in his bloodstream would have kept him safe from vampires.

Other than the potentially detrimental amount of caffeine in Pascal's order, the other nutritional components are not bad. He does not add any sugary syrups or milk, and there are no sweeteners whatsoever added. That means it contains a functionally nonexistent 30 calories, and there are 2 stray grams of protein and 4 carbs. That's it. There is no sugar or fat. There are also no real added benefits, but hey, not everything needs to be actively beneficial. Sometimes it is okay to just enjoy a drink. While no one is going to confuse this for a healthy drink, it sure could be a heck of a lot worse.

As you may have anticipated, this is not a sweet drink. Instead, the drink is acidic and rough, much like the actor himself. It is also quite bitter. Not just a little bitter; it is very bitter. It is, after all, six shots of Starbucks espresso. Since it is served cold, this helps to mellow some of the tangs from the bitterness, much in the same way iced coffee mellows regular coffee. The additional ice also serves to water down the flavor, which may be the only way to get large gulps down. Remember, espresso is typically meant to be savored, not drunk quickly. However, the final result is not different from that of any other Starbucks iced espresso, except for the fact it is much larger and more potent.

If you go to Starbucks for a sweet and/or milky drink, be prepared that this is not it. In fact, you may gag a little bit. It is a hard and bitter drink but will give you the power to fight throughout the galaxy or just get through a long day of shooting. Due to the caffeine content, we would not recommend this for regular consumption — or even drinking it in a single, short sitting. One cup will have you seeing sounds. Unfortunately, we could not finish the whole thing. It was just too big and bitter. However, on a hot day, we can see why one cool, tall drink would be drawn to another.