We have some bad news for your caffeine routine: Starbucks just got more expensive. But before you totally freak out and swear off the coffee chain completely, don’t worry, because it’s not quite as bad as it sounds. They’re only raising the price of their brewed coffee, meaning espresso-based drinks and fancy Frappuccinos are still the same price. For now, at least.
So, what’s the damage? Just how much more expensive will Starbucks coffee be now? It’s not too bad. Depending on where you live, all Short, Tall, Grande, Venti, and Trenta brewed cups of coffee now cost between 10-20 cents more. And while 20 extra cents for a cup of joe here and there isn’t much, it does possibly have implications for the future.
This isn’t the first time Starbucks has raised its prices in the last year. Eater reports that Starbucks also increased coffee prices just last fall. They raised the price of about 10% of their drink menu, causing some drinks to cost up to 30 cents more. Further, they’ve increased menu prices by 1-2% in the last year. So even though the increases are small, they do add up over time — and seem to be happening with an increased frequency.
If brewed coffee is your Starbucks go-to, how will the price increase affect your wallet?
Let’s say you swing by Starbucks for a brewed coffee every morning before work. With the latest price increase, you could be adding up to another $1 per week to your coffee habit. That’s another $4-5 every month, and $52 per year. And that doesn’t include those Sunday morning and mid-afternoon coffee runs, either.
Realistically, increasing the price of brewed coffee by just a dime or two probably won’t deter too many customers; we highly doubt that a few extra coins will cause a lot of people to break up with Starbucks completely. But if drink prices keep increasing like they have been, it might be time to consider a cheaper alternative like McDonald’s or Dunkin’ Donuts.
