Christmas comes to Starbucks stores, along with higher prices

I understand that all stores are now in holiday mode, with the decorations up, etc. WHAT'S THE REACTION? Also I saw this comment posted in another thread:

Walked in this AM only to find that a TALL went up to $1.65 with no advance warning. What is up with that? regulars are annoyed.

Did prices go up in your store? How much? Please share!

Comments

[lattelady]

The regulars have been a bit snarky about it with comments like "Oh I see...Merry Christmas"! Some advance warning might have been nice. Now the barista is left hanging in the wind and we have to smooth things out, as usual, and make the customer as happy as possible!!

[Tall Blonde]

A few prices increased in my store about a month ago. No one really noticed...

[FormerNY Barista]

The beauty of having regulars is having an established relationship. Whenever a price increase occurred (in my days at the 'Bux), I'd let them know as they approached the register, explain the reasons why to the best of my ability, apologize and empathize with them usually adding a snarky comment of my own. I enjoyed the relationships with my regulars because I knew I could be real with them.

[Rob in L.A.]

Yeah,

I got hit with the 15 cent price hike on a tall (regular size) cup of coffee this morning.

Merry Christmas to you Startbucks...
So The Oil Companies are hitting the middle class during the holidays and so is Good Ole Startbucks at Christmas time...Nice!

Thanks Guys!

[Starbucks Gossip webmaster]

Same price hike for my tall coffee in Evanston, Ill. It seems like bad timing, considering that SBUX just announced HUGE profits last week.

GREED.

[Pike is here to stay]

The action items about price increases was out 10-14 days ago.. Plenty of time for an advance notice...

[Bayareabux]

The price of coffee in the commodities market is still very high. Starbucks is not going to just sit back and let that hit margins. Prices should go up, especially for a super premium brand. Premium brands don't use bargain pricing or absorb costs for the customer's benefit. If Starbucks is too high please go to Dunkins. They're a value brand. We aren't.

[Bayareabux]

Jim, didn't we just hike the dividend? Don't publicly traded companies exist to provide value to shareholders? I guess one man's free market capitalism is another man's "greed."

[Matthew]

My daily Venti (it's a long drive) went from 2.15 to 2.25 today. (90680 zip)

[John Deese]

the tall went up in my market (n cal bay area) at least a month and a half ago.

also i know they cut down on the time you get to redeem those free drink cards in the gold card program, but the way my birthday one came (after the policy change), i had under two weeks to redeem from the day i received it.

[ash_sk8s]

And this is why I hardly ever go to Starbucks anymore, and instead go to a smaller chain that I like much better. My 16oz. mocha there is $3.25, and only a quarter more to add another shot or flavor. Great deal!

[P.S.]

Starbucks couldn't care less about their customers' concerns with prices increases. Starbucks is dealing here with people who are addicted to their products so all they care about is to keep it coming.. and why not increase the prices, their clients will pay to satisfy their addiction.

[Confused as always]

P.S. I am bewildered every day why certain people keep coming -- even when the service half the time is slow and product is subpar.

[dada or mama]

Since when is Starbucks "super premium"?

[Capitalist Pig]

Our price is still $1.61 for a tall coffee.
Also, in reference to the price hike:
You don't have to buy anything at the Bux. You want to buy it, but you don't need it. Ambulance rides are 400 bucks, not including the treatment. A person in a serious accident needs an ambulance, but does everyone whine about the cost?
Maybe we're focusing on the wrong things. Let's look at rent costs, food costs, and electricity costs. You know, the things we need to have a liveable existence. These reactions to a price hike on a product you can make at home for a fraction of the cost seem ridiculous.
Were you going to put your kid through college with the extra 4-15 cents you spent this morning? No.
These truly are first world problems.

[Sheik]

Starbucks needs to get better tasting foode.

[bigyaz]

Give me a break. $1.65 for a tall drip is cheaper than just about anyplace else.

[emckoke]

I remember they did the same thing last year right before Christmas, so my drink has gone up 40 cents in the past year. Nice. I'm making my own at home now.

[Martha]

If people don't want to pay the extra few cents, then buy a bag and brew it at home. It's not that big of a deal.

It's just coffee, not LIFE.

[Rootinator]

Prices of drip in my area as follows:
Tall - $1.65
Grande - $2.14
Venti - $2.47

I haven't worked the floor since Christmas launched, so I have no idea if we've gone up in our district or not.

Interesting.

[PatrickMooney]

A tall drip in Starbucks Ireland is $3. US prices are still cheaper. I've been over in NYC all week and found Starbucks just so much more affordable then elsewhere.

[Ian]

A tall drip at my store used to be $1.60. A grande being $2.08. A venti being $2.41 or $2.47. I'm curious as to see the new prices. :)

[Ian]

@ash_sk8s.
It's been in my experience that little indie coffee shops are, in fact, generally more expensive than Starbucks and are less consistent. My two cents.

[Sid]

Price went up here in the lower Midwest at least a month ago if not more. I've been paying 1.65 since then. I've also been going to Starbucks less often; complaining is pointless. The best I can do is speak with my wallet.

[Maddy]

Not sure if this is the right place, but I found all 5 characters in for holiday app, but nothing happened. I heard you were supposed to be able to get a $25 gift card. Is that true?

[me]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45314701/ns/business-retail/#.TsNDQLKa-3c

[James Lamb]

I just started saving money. I just switched from Grandes to Tall. Earlier this year I had started experimenting with Ventis but, yeah, I think I'll just get more Talls.

[Iguana Group]

I'm pretty sure coffee is a lot more expensive in the UK than over in the US - I've paid over £2.80 in some coffee shops. Still, coffee shops are businesses and they need to fund things like bespoke shop fitting Midlands and costs.

[Dukker og Bamser]

ser vildt lækkert ud, ved nogle om den kommer til Dk.

[tareq]

The price of the filter (drip) coffee in the UK is:

Tall - £1.50 ($2.36)
Grande - £1.70 ($2.68)
Venti - £1.90 ($3.00)

there have been some price increases in the UK as well like a tall mocha going up by 10p, although we have a 20% VAT added onto our prices.

[Waltie]

No price increase in my district. We did have one a couple months or so ago, however. Maybe people are just noticing it now?

[baristamclane]

Last year, price increases rolled out in phases, so not all districts are impacted at the same time. I remember this, because I had my head ripped off multiple times because our district was one of the first in the area. It made for uncomfortable conversation, because the store up the street from us was in another district. I don't think I have been cursed at or accused of being a liar and a swindler more than I had been that week.

[tivoboy]

This happened in Nor Cal about a month ago, maybe longer. Tall went from 1.5 to 1.65$,
Med went from 1.85 to 1.95
and Venti went from uhh, 2.10 to 2.25$

[SwabnTheDeck]

Hey there, South East L.A here. Our drip prices increased as well. Tall is 1.65, grande is 1.95 and venti is now 2.25. Wooeee our customers love the price increases (sarcasm)

[ash_sk8s]

@Ian - I'm not referring to an Indie shop. I'm referring to Black Rock Coffee, which is a small chain that is absolutely amazing.

[TheRootinator]

SwabnTheDeck, what city are you in? New Orleans is more expensive than you, it seems.

[ghe]

Still $1.50 as of yesterday at my local shop in Florida

[Coffee Soldier]

Funny, after less then a year ago a tall was advertised as ALWAYS 1.50 everywhere...now even that is changing.

[tivoboy]

What is funny is that coffee futures have fallen about 20-25% in the past several months, meaning there isn't a cost INCREASE to pass through. this is all MARKET pricing not COGS + pricing.

[brian]

since i have a gold card i usually just get a venti iced cinnamon dolce latte, or caramel latte, since they cost the same as a regular latte, $3.95. it went up 5 cents like a month ago. i just find it really annoying that they charge $4.75 or is it $4.95 now for the more 'premium' drinks & holiday drinks, which are basically just a different syrup. so because they use a different syrup im supposed to pay $.80 more.

and i had thought until recently that the hot drinks were $.20 cheaper than the iced drinks, in venti anyway, but now theyre the same higher price. i dunno i like starbucks but theres many other coffee shops here that are somewhat better value and have many different flavors & stuff, and its something different than starbucks. i think im going to start getting different things at starbucks, i wish u still got the 10% gold card discount or something more than just free syrup. free syrup doesnt do much if u get a cappuccino or coffee or food or whatever.

[usorthem3]

@PatrickMooney Skooter says hey. Never knew you read this site but I know your Sbux habits, ha ha So much for 2+2.
@Bayareabux Whatever someone is willing to pay for something is what it's "worth". Someone just bought a photograph for $4.3 million dollars, kind of boring one at that to me, however I copied said photo for my laptop background, my cost $0.
@baristamclane I know right, customers act like I'm putting it straight into my pocket. My answer to all changes that the company makes that upset the customers is, " that would not be on my level of decision making". ALL Partners, Now until next Sunday!!!!!!

[$1.50 tall plz]

tall is still $1.50 in northern NJ

[L Cooper]

I think it's total crap that Starbucks charges for a peppermint mocha during Christmas as a single drink therefore screwing us customers that buy that drink all freakin year and have the peppermint subtracted with our gold cards.

[BaristaRae]

It's funny, I've worked for Starbucks for 5 years, & people forget that a tall drip used to be $1.65. They dropped the price to $1.50 a couple of years ago when they promoted the brewed coffee. Interesting how you don't hear complaints about the previous price decrease!

[Thebestbower]

A tall coffee at my store in the southeast United States has been (and still is) $1.66

[gorge]

in the miami area most or all stores went up to an OUTRAGEOUS $1.85 +tax for the tall a few weeks ago
but the last 2 stores I have visited in recent days it was seemingly back to $1.75 hhmh
and I believe that these 2 stores had raised the price in recent weeks...
coffee futures down? customer resistance?

[Di]

In the long and short of all your bit..c..h and complaints Starbucks employees people! Just like everyplace you shop etc..I have worked for the company for 4 years and I am blessed! If you work for the company and have a problem...leave...please leave!!!!You make my job hard when I have fun! I am paid I have benefits and Howard is a smart man. So if you do not like your job at Starbucks leave! And the price increase...3 things that drive the economy...gas, sugar,coffee. We strive at Starbucks to make sure you get the best for what you pay for, and by the way I bet you have a friend close to you that works at Starbucks!

[Di]

If you all think the price of coffee has dropped in the world market...wrong!!!!!!Coffee is grown..if you all have a bit of sense...weather etc... just like corn and wheat oh and..cows eat special grass for milk... oh you go figure it out!

[Di]

P.S.Think twice about your whooper or big Mac...the U.S. just signed a bill allowing imported meat from other countries that feed cows , pigs, chickens, meat from other animals, countries that have no regulations on food consumpution. But oh how coffee is treated different. P.S. Walmart helped that bill along and no one there works 40 hours a week ...they are all part=time...no benefits! I work 35-40 hours a week and I get benefits!