The odd thing is that Starbucks is run by a Jew that has what to do with Jewishness. Supposedly (according to him) he was close to Rav Nosson Tzvi and met him multiple times and has helped different causes —yet his coffee store does not have kosher certified ingredients by and large [of course having every store kosher certified would be complex]. Ie the frappucino mix [even though the one’s in the bottle are reliable to those who drink Cholov Stam].
There is plenty to be chaf zchus…
The basic syrups (like vanilla, hazelnut, etc.) are kosher certified [they are not “Starbucks” syrups per se]. Caramel is not. Mocha is made with a certified mixture in my recollection. Anything specifically for Starbucks (at least in the past) is not certified. However nothing has gelatin or such (again in the past -it’s been a few years since I had what to do with Starbucks)
Therefore, one getting a vanilla or hazelnut latte has what to be so-mech on.
And according to Rav Abadi (at least a Kosher Starbucks website) most things are kosher based on ingredients.Though I do not believe many hold that way usally – It’s seems that the minhag of many was to drink at Starbucks. There was one on Central Avenue in Cedarhurst (now a kosher coffee place) that was quite often used by Orthodox Jews including frappucinos.
I think in some ways the kashrus orgs antithesis towards for example plain coffee is perhaps partially to show that the lenient attitude in general is not warranted. However the attitude is pervasive in Modern orthodox circles (and some regular middle of the road circles) and I imagine that either 1) there is what to be so-mech on 2) it’s likely a rabbanical issue (ie d’rabbanan – by kli sheni etc. – dishwashers are a discussion in general perhaps different to ashkenazim and sefardim) that there is just lack of knowledge about due to how other’s act – not something that deserves much chagrin nor protest from others.
DQB