this post was submitted on 31 Oct 2026
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No, you're choosing to pay more. Make your own coffee at home. Or hell, don't drink coffee. Nobody's making you do that, either.
A slightly better example might be convenience stores in low-income areas where many people don't have access to transportation to the more affordable grocery stores. The fact that you immediately jumped to Starbucks (something many people consider a treat of sorts) as something you're forced to buy out of convenience shows how privileged you are to have this "problem".
So what when grocery stores do it? You grow your own potatoes too?
I'm not seeing the comparison here. There are grocery stores where you can get potatoes at a reasonable price, based on the costs involved in growing, shipping, and stocking said potatoes. No, I don't grow my own potatoes, I shop at those stores. The grocery stores that charge more for potatoes are generally the "high end" grocery stores (in my area, Whole Foods, Raleys, Sprouts, etc) and are not doing convenience pricing which is what is being discussed.
You're completely right, I thought this post was about personalised pricing like different prices depending on location and data about customers. My bad.
No worries. Yeah, stores with that kind of pricing are the ones that I typically avoid.
privileged people don't see themselves that way. they don't see buying starbucks as a choice, they see it as a necessity for living. the choice to make coffee at home does not exist for them. they also would not want to associate with someone who makes coffee at home, because that's what poor people do and the last thing they would ever want to be like is a poor person.
the price increase of SB to make addicts stop buying it would have to be massive, like double or triple, not a 30% increase.
It's adorable how people taking a left turn out of coffee shops at rush hour think I'm going to let them in.
My brain can't parse this, what is this supposed to mean?
I thought people are leaving the store, why would they think you're letting them in? Also what does the direction they're going have to do with anything?
You have to think as an American and see that it's about cars, drive-throughs and lane merges.
The part that makes me angry is that a few minutes research will often find you a trove of small businesses serving fine coffee in the area. I really don’t see what’s special about that brand.
because those small businesses aren't a brand the customer associates themselves with.
people who brand shop often brand-identify, and their self-worth/image derives from purchasing the brand's products. they won't go to another place because that would mean they are a different person, they are a SB person, not a third party person, not dunkin donuts person, etc.
just because you don't think that way, doesn't mean there aren't millions and millions of folks who do. just like the fact you might not use face book, but there are 3 billion people using facebook.
Usually those small local places are selling better coffee, and at a lower price. If you're buying from SB then first, you don't know shit about coffee, and second, you obviously don't care about price.
Starbucks only sells over roasted burnt swill, that's why they have so many flavors there. Try getting a regular black or with cream and sugar instead of their flavors, no better than Dunkin or mcdanks (all piss water) your better off with the huge tin of folgers or maxwell house at home, or going to a real coffee shop (not corpo chain)
Nah, in minds of people I actually respect, buying at Starbucks ia not associated with being rich, its the other way around 😃 (a poor person either with poor self-control/willpower or intentionally trying to come off as rich)
Cool, where I live SB is for the office workers and DD is for the blue-collar workers. And neither group wants anything to do with each other.
It's a symptom of overwork. People are too tired to exist outside of work, so they actually are forced to buy the coffee / chai latte / whatever. Without the drink they can't get through the day. Then they're too tired to make lunch so they have to buy the $10 bagel. Then they need to order dinner because no fucking way are you going to the grocery store or preparing anything after a 996 shift. Then you lose consciousness on the couch and repeat tomorrow
It's essentially another form of income tax; the higher paying your job the more you have to pay in human fuel
It's also one of those weird networking obligations too, where if you skip too often, people notice
Their workplace probably has free coffee if they have a job like that.
The biggest problem I feel is how the customers are they own propaganda, usually people with disposable income will have better health and look younger. Capitalism can be so cruel. Maybe OP sees how "everyone is doing it" but doesn't consider who 'everyone' really is!
Can you expand on this? Why can't you make your own coffee and put it in a thermos?
Maybe homeless people? But even then.. there are ways.
Or hell, drink McDonald’s coffee if price is an issue. It just doesn’t come with a status symbol on the cup.
Me saying that Starbucks is not forcing anyone to do anything and saying you're allowed to make your own decisions is... Victim blaming. Lmao.
You know that there are people starving in the streets right? And you're freaking out because "I need my coffee 😩😩😩 I'll die without it 😩😩😩" get a grip, please
The comment I replied to was apparently made by a coward.
No, Starbucks is a bad example.
No one needs to go to Starbucks. In fact, their coffee is shit, no better than 7-11. In fact you probably get better coffee at a convenience store, since they offer actual varieties and don't charge $8 for a cup.
McDonald's sells coffee for $1 that I would argue is far superior to Starbucks over-roasted crap.
Starbucks is a treat, not a necessity. Hell, coffee isn't a necessity, and I drink it every day.