Secret Starbucks Coffee

ultrak3wl

Do starbucks have wireless? Might start going in if they do.

chatmonkey

jap200 wrote:

I assume (like a lot of others I am sure) that a larger size cup of coffee will be exactly that a larger size cup of the same strength coffee - not a watered/milked down one.

You're right, it wasn't a stupid question at all.

The strengths of the espresso-based drinks (i.e. espresso + milk eg cappuccino, latte) vary across the sizes. For example a 12oz (tall) would have one shot of espresso, the rest milk (1:11). A 16 oz (grande) would have two shots of espresso, the rest milk (1:7). A 12 oz with an extra shot would be 1:5.

But this variation in strengths would also be true in other places. Caffe Nero for example will give you two shots whether it is a 12oz or a 16oz drink.

The thing in Starbucks' favour is that if you like strong coffee an extra shot is only 15p as against 35-40p in Nero's and Costa, and some smaller places would not be equipped to add an extra shot without charging you for a whole espresso - happened to me today and cost me £1.35 for the extra shot!

(Btw I'm not just a geek, I'm in the process of setting up an independent coffee bar!)

1jim

jrc wrote:

Whenever I go to Starbucks with my 16-month old daughter I ask for a free babyccino (pronounced Baby Chino). This is an espresso-size cup of milk froth which she loves as she is having a Starbucks, too and I love cos it's free! Cafe Nero does them too.

Costa Coffee charged 50p for this in Nottingham

Candystore

ultrak3wl wrote:

Do starbucks have wireless? Might start going in if they do.

Most Starbucks do have wireless but its operated by T-mobile and is quite expensive IMO

cynic

The Short exists. Tall has 1shot like a Short, but Tall has more milk.
Tall costs more than Short, cos it looks bigger to customer but the only difference in cost is a small amount of extra (ok sure heated) milk
Sell more Talls than Shorts and your margins are better.

Starbux now says it pays above market for its coffee but milk is cheaper than a few years ago. Hence move to more milky drinks from them! Quite shrewd.

Pure Economics i imagine, if I had ever studied it!

PS and the Tall does taste better!

cynic

chatmonkey - check out the economics below. Did i get it right?

cynic

in fact when starbux arrived in London, there were 3 sizes: Short, Tall & Grande. they intro'ed the Vente. For brief period there were 4 sizes

chatmonkey

There still are four sizes, short isn't supposed to be a big secret, they just don't push it.

You're right in that they will make more money by selling bigger drinks, but the milk is actually the more expensive of the two ingredients. The espresso costs just a few pence per shot (will cost me about 7p, for them maybe 3 or 4p). So I don't think the margin will be bigger percentage-wise, but in actual number of pence profit it will be. If that makes sense.

RowaN

Is this "Short" size available as a take-away disposible cup, or only as a normal mug?

THRIFTY_CHICK_2

When I read that Starbucks have "wireless" I immediately thought it meant radio - not wireless internet!! :rotfl: