Is a 6x margin egregious? I would have imagined they have similar margins on the rest of their menu as well.
Edit: Quick googling suggests that this is indeed the case.
this post was submitted on 18 Jun 2026
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Just wait till folks find out how much it costs to brew their own shitty coffee at home.
Or how much soda syrup costs to turn into soda.
My espresso machine paid for itself in the first month.
Also literally every cafe does this sort of thing that it is called margin spreading and accounting for labor and food waste costs. Loss leaders being recouped by high margins of other products is literally how almost all stores work.
I hate Starbucks for many reasons, but go after them for their union busting, genocide support, or numerous illegal or unethical things, not a nothing sandwich.
Milk and milk alternatives are free at many coffee shops. Milk /creamer can be used freely at Starbucks. They charge for plant based only.
Ok?
As stated it's about margin distribution and marketing.
This, as stated, is a nothing burger.
If they aren't going after every other business that does this then it's selective enforcement.
And I haven't been to a Starbucks in 15 years, even then I only went because it was the only coffee available in my building.
Is that the cost or the extra cost?