Exposing 'Australia's biggest scam': Why are baristas and cafes getting away with this?
- Replies 52
Coffee has become so ingrained in Australian culture it’s not too far-fetched to claim that there isn’t a place in the country where it isn’t welcomed.
But there’s something putting a sour taste in the mouths of coffee lovers everywhere: the outrageous price difference between hot and iced drinks.
Recently, the hefty price difference between iced and hot coffee has outraged one Aussie customer enough to make a video about it on social media.
Imagine this: you order a hot cappuccino at your local café, the barista passes it over the counter, and out comes the bill asking for $4.
But if you were to order the same coffee shot in the same cup but with the addition of ice, you'd be asked to pay much more than that.
In the video with thousands of views, Erica Mallett acted out a hypothetical conversation between herself and a barista.
She initially ordered a hot cappuccino, which cost $4, but asked the barista to change it and make it iced.
‘And I'll just put it in the same cup, same amount of shot, same amount of milk, and all I need to do is add frozen water?’ the barista asked in the fictional conversation.
The customer confirmed the changes to the order and received a $7.50 bill—a $3.5 difference from the hot version of the drink.
The caption of Erica’s video read: ‘I don’t get it (and before you come for me, I used to be a barista)’.
And she is not alone. Thousands of her viewers shared the same confusion, describing the price gap between hot and iced coffees as 'Australia's biggest scam' and 'the most frustrating thing'.
‘I don't get it either. [The] extra charge for an iced coffee as it has ice cream and whipped cream [makes sense], but an iced latte shouldn't be [pricier],’ a viewer commented.
‘Same! I don’t know why it costs so much,’ another said.
‘The real answer is that people are willing to pay $3 more for an iced coffee on a hot day even if it costs less to make,’ a third person pointed out.
However, defending the price increase, other social media users offered explanations for the price difference.
‘Milk expands a lot when heated, so you actually use less milk when making the same sized hot beverage,’ one person wrote.
‘You’re not taking into account costs of ice, cost of straws, amount of milk, cost of takeaway iced latte cups compared to hot coffee cups?’ Another asked.
A third social media user shared: ‘Cafe explained to me once it covered the cost of having an ice machine and straws, etc.’
However, someone stated that the price gap isn’t happening in other countries.
‘I moved to the UK from Australia, and I found it so weird that iced coffee is the same price as hot coffee,’ a commenter said.
You can watch Erica’s video here:
What’s your take on this, members? Should hot and iced coffees have the same price? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
But there’s something putting a sour taste in the mouths of coffee lovers everywhere: the outrageous price difference between hot and iced drinks.
Recently, the hefty price difference between iced and hot coffee has outraged one Aussie customer enough to make a video about it on social media.
Imagine this: you order a hot cappuccino at your local café, the barista passes it over the counter, and out comes the bill asking for $4.
But if you were to order the same coffee shot in the same cup but with the addition of ice, you'd be asked to pay much more than that.
A former barista highlighted the price difference between hot and iced coffees. Credit: Lala Azizli/Unsplash
In the video with thousands of views, Erica Mallett acted out a hypothetical conversation between herself and a barista.
She initially ordered a hot cappuccino, which cost $4, but asked the barista to change it and make it iced.
‘And I'll just put it in the same cup, same amount of shot, same amount of milk, and all I need to do is add frozen water?’ the barista asked in the fictional conversation.
The customer confirmed the changes to the order and received a $7.50 bill—a $3.5 difference from the hot version of the drink.
The caption of Erica’s video read: ‘I don’t get it (and before you come for me, I used to be a barista)’.
And she is not alone. Thousands of her viewers shared the same confusion, describing the price gap between hot and iced coffees as 'Australia's biggest scam' and 'the most frustrating thing'.
‘I don't get it either. [The] extra charge for an iced coffee as it has ice cream and whipped cream [makes sense], but an iced latte shouldn't be [pricier],’ a viewer commented.
‘Same! I don’t know why it costs so much,’ another said.
‘The real answer is that people are willing to pay $3 more for an iced coffee on a hot day even if it costs less to make,’ a third person pointed out.
However, defending the price increase, other social media users offered explanations for the price difference.
‘Milk expands a lot when heated, so you actually use less milk when making the same sized hot beverage,’ one person wrote.
‘You’re not taking into account costs of ice, cost of straws, amount of milk, cost of takeaway iced latte cups compared to hot coffee cups?’ Another asked.
A third social media user shared: ‘Cafe explained to me once it covered the cost of having an ice machine and straws, etc.’
However, someone stated that the price gap isn’t happening in other countries.
‘I moved to the UK from Australia, and I found it so weird that iced coffee is the same price as hot coffee,’ a commenter said.
You can watch Erica’s video here:
What’s your take on this, members? Should hot and iced coffees have the same price? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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