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Starbucks loses its froth

I'm not spending two quid on a coffee, that's mugs prices(lol)

A straightforward standard-sized Starbucks drip coffee costs £1.55. There are plenty of places out there that will charge you a lot more than that.
There are always lots of complaints about Starbucks prices, but they always seem to be about their fanicer coffees that you can't get anywhere else unless you also pay through the nose.
 
Also for comparison:

Starbucks espresso shot: £1.40

And at McDonalds, coffee prices are:
large - £1.69, medium £1.19

Not sure which is the comparable size. But in Starbucks I can sit on a sofa in a generally pleasant environment and read the paper in peace, whilst in McDonald's I... can't.

In short, the whole thing about Starbucks being overpriced really is blown out of all proportion.
 
Also for comparison:

Starbucks espresso shot: £1.40

And at McDonalds, coffee prices are:
large - £1.69, medium £1.19

Not sure which is the comparable size. But in Starbucks I can sit on a sofa in a generally pleasant environment and read the paper in peace, whilst in McDonald's I... can't.

In short, the whole thing about Starbucks being overpriced really is blown out of all proportion.

your still comparing chain outlet coffee prices. From burger vans it's anything from 60p to a quid ime
 
your still comparing chain outlet coffee prices. From burger vans it's anything from 60p to a quid ime
Yes, but then I get something that bears no relation to coffee that I end up tipping on the floor. Bad deal.

There is a burger van at our local station that does sell proper brewed coffee. And they charge £1.50 for it. But sure, they also charge 80p if you just want an instant.
 
I was just thinking this morning after I'd been swimming how much I fucking love leisure centres and how much I hate gyms.

It's not just the money (I pay £35 every three months for use of 35m swimming pool 7-11am weekdays and all day weekends - i could use all the jazzy weights and machines too if I wanted - A grand a year? Seriously?) - it's marked difference in feel between the places. I even like the surly teenage staff - at least at your local municipal leisure centre you're not paying through the nose to be grunted at and talked to like shit.

Leisure Centres ftw! Gyms - please leave the pool, your time is up.
 
Starbucks isn't competing with sandwich vans tho, mind you I've always said there is a massive gap for cheap decent coffee places

There are plenty of independent coffee shops, but so many of them treat espresso like it's a posh thing and charge you 1.50 or something, if you have a machine it can't cost more than 10p a cup to make, so why not sell espressos and americanos for about 80p from a van:confused:
 
Also for comparison:

Starbucks espresso shot: £1.40

And at McDonalds, coffee prices are:
large - £1.69, medium £1.19

Not sure which is the comparable size. But in Starbucks I can sit on a sofa in a generally pleasant environment and read the paper in peace, whilst in McDonald's I... can't.

In short, the whole thing about Starbucks being overpriced really is blown out of all proportion.


McDonald's (at least in Leeds) have been putting in comfy chairs and sofas, to try and do the whole 'coffee shop' thing.
 
I was just thinking this morning after I'd been swimming how much I fucking love leisure centres and how much I hate gyms.

It's not just the money (I pay £35 every three months for use of 35m swimming pool 7-11am weekdays and all day weekends - i could use all the jazzy weights and machines too if I wanted - A grand a year? Seriously?) - it's marked difference in feel between the places. I even like the surly teenage staff - at least at your local municipal leisure centre you're not paying through the nose to be grunted at and talked to like shit.

Leisure Centres ftw! Gyms - please leave the pool, your time is up.

I can't swim :D:D

I will however, take up the free swimming lessons at the gym :)
 
McDonald's (at least in Leeds) have been putting in comfy chairs and sofas, to try and do the whole 'coffee shop' thing.
Yes, but it is still McDonald's and always will be. Aside from anything else, that means that it will always be overrun by teenagers.
 
Most of the McDs I've seen around London have had the refit with the green and black paintwork, new uniforms and mixture of benches and omfy chairs and sofas...BK and KFC not too far behind.

Ok, well clearly the recession is creating a gap in the market for faff coffees that are cheaper than Starbucks, but still more pricey than a cup of instant...and there will be LOTS of cheap storespace to rent in the next 12 months or so...someone will come in and fill the gap...
 
Starbucks isn't competing with sandwich vans tho, mind you I've always said there is a massive gap for cheap decent coffee places

There are plenty of independent coffee shops, but so many of them treat espresso like it's a posh thing and charge you 1.50 or something, if you have a machine it can't cost more than 10p a cup to make, so why not sell espressos and americanos for about 80p from a van:confused:
But a proper commercial espresso machine costs a fortune to buy in the first place. I think a pub near me spent £4000 on one a few years ago.
 
But a proper commercial espresso machine costs a fortune to buy in the first place. I think a pub near me spent £4000 on one a few years ago.

well I was just thinking of Italy where you get decent coffee everywhere for half what it costs in England. it can't be that unaffordable
 
Ok, well clearly the recession is creating a gap in the market for faff coffees that are cheaper than Starbucks, but still more pricey than a cup of instant...and there will be LOTS of cheap storespace to rent in the next 12 months or so...someone will come in and fill the gap...

Depends whether you mean brewed or espresso-based. No immediate reason why a brewed coffee shouldn't get closer to the quid mark, I think. But espresso will always be expensive. The machine is expensive, the beans are expensive, the staff time is expensive, the rental costs are expensive, the business rates are expensive, it's just an expensive business. Even if you calculate the pure staff time + cost of the actual coffee, you're probably already up to 30p-40p per espresso. And that's before you hit the real costs associated with buying a commercial espresso machine, rent, rates and the need to make a profit.

I'd be surprised if you could seriously offer a shot of espresso cheaper than about £1.20 and still have a viable business. But then again, I have to remember that I know basically nothing about running a coffee shop. So who knows?
 
IME of buying coffee around Europe, basic espresso usually costs about €1, maybe a bit more, so you're still paying (at current exchange rates) roughly the cost in the UK for a single espresso. It's also cos every fucker in the place sells it. You can buy coffee almost anywhere in Europe, not just specialist stores.
 
Economies of scale. Every fucker in Italy drinks espresso every day.

In Milan.

(prices in euros)
Espresso aprox. 80c
Cappucino aprox. 1.20

and for comparison

Pint of beer aprox 4.00

Milan is (very) expensive, yet a cappucino that is light years better Starbucks is only 1.20.


There are NO Starbucks in Milan.
 
IME of buying coffee around Europe, basic espresso usually costs about €1, maybe a bit more, so you're still paying (at current exchange rates) roughly the cost in the UK for a single espresso. It's also cos every fucker in the place sells it. You can buy coffee almost anywhere in Europe, not just specialist stores.

Yeah, but it cost the same in 2002 when a € was 62p....
 
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