Starbucks Is Giving Out Free Frappuccinos & Espresso Drinks Today

We're just hours from the summer solstice. The days are longer. The weather is beautiful. Around every corner sits something tempting you to stay up late and enjoy some of the best nights of the year, regardless of the toll it will take on you during the long afternoon hours of work the following day. 

The afternoon slog will be a little easier to cope with on Thursday, June 20. Starbucks is running one of its Happy Hour promotions, and it will land you buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) espresso drinks or Frappuccinos, size grande or larger, from 3pm to close (local time). The Happy Hour excludes pre-bottled, ready-to-drink beverages, however. The deal is also only available at participating locations. If you've never seen your local shop do a Happy Hour before, it's worth calling ahead to confirm.

Here's how to get the deal: Download the Starbucks mobile app. You used to be able to get Happy Hour promos via email, but they are exclusively available in the mobile app now. When you open it up, you'll find the offer in your inbox. You do not have to be a rewards member to take advantage of promotions in the app. (Though, you definitely get points if you are a member.) Downloading the app and signing up for the rewards program are free.

In case you're tired of your usual Starbucks order, you can use the Happy Hour deal to give the chain's relatively new Frappuccino options a try. Starbucks introduced two popular summer flavors -- the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino and the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino -- to its permanent menu this spring. The Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino is a decadent chocolate concoction made with rich mocha sauce, chocolate chips, coffee, milk, and ice. The Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino is similarly over-the-top, with its mix of buttery caramel sauce, coffee, milk, ice, and even more caramel sauce on top of the whipped cream. 

Whatever you choose, get ready for a very jittery Thursday afternoon. 

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