Starbucks faced intense backlash from its customers last week, as many noted in a recent Reddit thread that they are upset about price increases from the company this year.
After the coffee giant confirmed back in February that price hikes were on the way, customers have been airing their grievances on social media. Things got especially heated on June 27th in the thread when one customer reported being charged $6.17 for a “simple iced chai tea latte.”
Customers on Reddit Express Disappointment over Starbucks Price Hikes
User @ohellomadeline started the discussion, and wrote to fellow Starbucks fans: "it's getting a little ridiculous, venti iced chai tea is all i get. nothing fancy. just tea." They added: it used to cost me a little over $5 where i am. then it went up to $5.50. then it reached $6. today it went up ANOTHER 17 cents. $6.17 FOR TEA. when is it going to stop?"
The customer continued regarding menu changes: "are we going to have to pay $10 for an iced latte soon? these big corporations are getting a little too greedy. i just want to treat myself a few times a week. but this is getting a little out of hand. EDIT: yes i meant a iced chai tea latte. still a simple drink imo. also note, i am not blaming baristas. i know you guys don't set prices."
Naturally, many commenters began sharing their own experiences with recent price hikes at Starbucks, and comparing current prices with ones they "used to pay" for their favorite menu items. "It’s now $6.83 for my iced chai with oatmilk," another wrote as someone else chimed in: "i went to buy a cakepop yesterday, normally $3.01 where i live. Now $3.73."
As for iced chai tea lattes, many commenters told the discussion creator to either order a grande or just try to make the drink "at home" since the price they paid just "wasn't worth it." One shared: "My daughter told me to order a iced latte with chai- it’s the pretty much the same drink but will save you almost $2 on the grande."
Another advised: "Just buy chai and milk and make it at home. The brewed chai is better anyway." One other concurred: "Yours is one of the easiest drinks to make at home. You don’t even need an espresso machine."
Back in February, the company's president and CEO Kevin Johnson said on an earnings call that the COVID-19 pandemic created inflationary pressures and staffing issues. He explained that both of these "were amplified, well in excess of our expectations," by the surge in the Omicron variant.
