Starbucks Is Selling $3 Iced Caramel Cloud Macchiatos During Happy Hour This Afternoon

The afternoon slump is real, y'all. Without fail, every day around 3 p.m. (or thereabouts) I start to feel tired. It's that middle of the day feeling when your eyes get a little heavy and all you want to do is lay down in bed, even just for a few minutes. That's where Starbucks' Happy Hour comes in. They've been few and far between lately, but the midday pick-me-up is finally making a return. Starbucks' April 4 Happy Hour is a good one, too.

On Thursday, April 4, Starbucks' Happy Hour returns with $3 grande, hand-crafted espresso drinks, according to a promotional email sent by the company. The offer is valid starting at 3 p.m. at participating Starbucks locations nationwide. Last summer, The Wall Street Journal reported that there are almost 14,300 Starbucks locations in the U.S., so you really shouldn't have a problem finding a store near you.

This is one of my favorite Happy Hour offers from Starbucks because it's good on all espresso drinks. However, the Happy Hour deal cannot be redeemed on hot and iced brewed coffee, ready-to-drink beverages, Starbucks Reserve drinks, and Frappuccinos. I know that some of Starbucks' Frappuccinos are made with espresso, like the Espresso Frappuccino, but, sadly, it's not included in today's Happy Hour.

That's OK, though, because Starbucks has a fairly large lineup of espresso-based drinks. That means that you'll have plenty of $3 beverages to choose from come 3 p.m. During Starbucks' April 4 Happy Hour, you can order up drinks like the new (well, fairly new) Iced Cloud Caramel Macchiato. I've had this drink, and I'm here to say it's totally delicious.

Now, I'm probably a little biased because my absolutely favorite Starbucks drink is the regular Iced Caramel Macchiato. But the Iced Caramel Cloud Macchiato is almost just as heavenly. According to Starbucks, it's made with "light and airy layers of fluffy foam," espresso, vanilla-flavored syrup, and, of course, that delicious drizzle of caramel sauce. Mmm. I'll definitely be ordering this one for today's Happy Hour. Just keep in mind that the $3 offer is only valid on grande-sized drinks.

However, the April 4 Happy Hour includes more than Caramel Macchiatos. You can order up other drinks like the Starbucks Blonde Vanilla Bean Coconutmilk Latte, Cinnamon Shortbread Latte, Iced Starbucks Blonde Caffe Latte, and more. Now that spring is finally here, I'm thinking that iced espresso is the way to go. It's shaping up to be a high of 82 degrees where I live, so iced coffee of any variety is a must.

To take advantage of today's Starbucks deal — and any future Happy Hour offers — you'll need to download the Starbucks app (available for iOS and Android devices). Earlier this year, Starbucks changed the Happy Hour redemption process a bit. Previously, you could sign up for the deal on the now defunct Happy Hour website. But, once you download the app and sign in, you should be good to go.

If you're already a Starbucks Rewards Member, there's not much you need to do. The deal is already preloaded to your account. When you're ready to redeem your offer, just let your barista know. You'll need to show your Starbucks barcode to the barista in order to get your grande $3 espresso drink.

Happy Hour can't be combined with any other deals or offers, and you can only redeem the promotion once, according to Starbucks. If you're me and need a boost, go ahead and block off some time in your calendar starting at 3 p.m. That's when Starbucks' April 4 Happy Hour starts (and it goes all day long). It should certainly help you get through that inevitable afternoon slump. I know it's going to be a lifesaver for me later today.