Paid $5 for a Piccolo Latte Which Is The Same Price for Standard Latte

Wilson Wallace on 12/09/2023 - 17:11

Hello Fellow OzBargainers,

I went to a cafe in Geelong Vic - Ordered a Piccolo Latte and didn't realize it was actually $5. They didn't display it on the board but had Latte Small $5 Latte Medium etc etc

I asked the lady, "How much sorry"? She said "$5". I replied, "so a Piccolo Latte which almost has a quarter of the amount of milk of a small latte cost the same as a small latte?" She didn't know what to say and shrugged it off. I paid anyway.

Other cafe's I go to which are highly rated, price their coffee accordingly and most of them sell Piccolo for $4.50 or cheaper.

Are these businesses cooked or am I just a tinass? Clearly if there is a larger volume of milk going into the cup I'd pay extra for it.

Poll Options

  • 259
    Nah mate, you're definitely a tinass
  • 100
    Businesses are cooked and they are taking the piss out of people.
Food & Grocery Coffee

Comments

  • spackbace on 12/09/2023 - 17:14
    +58

    Thank god I stopped being a barista years ago

    • Hasbulla on 14/09/2023 - 11:01
      +1

      what's your job now?

    • BargainCowboy on 14/09/2023 - 12:54
      +3

      Can we do an AMA?

  • AustriaBargain on 12/09/2023 - 17:22
    +59

    Should have refunded you the 7 cent difference in milk on the spot.

  • brendanm on 12/09/2023 - 17:23
    +27

    Damn that extra 50c, how do they sleep at night.

    I paid $18 for a chicken wrap accidentally, they listed "chicken wrap" as $9, and kept asking if I wanted half or the whole wrap, turns out it was $9 for half a wrap. Madness.

    • SmiTTy on 13/09/2023 - 00:25
      +27

      Damn that extra 50c, how do they sleep at night.

      You buy one piccolo here, you buy another piccolo there… All of a sudden you have one dollar!

      You take that dollar, go to the dollar store and you can buy something else!

      • Seni0r El Cheapo on 13/09/2023 - 17:28
        +7

        beeee a man.. do the right thing!

      • sAmiZZle on 14/09/2023 - 15:43
        +1

        I literally had to login and come back to this page just to say how great this reply was! :D :D :D

    • Huzi on 13/09/2023 - 01:33

      That is actual madness. I feel like that is shady business practice

    • lewislardboy on 13/09/2023 - 09:42
      +1

      50c is probably too generous. Assuming Coles milk prices (yes, they probably get better milk but also commercial pricing) @ $4.50/3L — it's closer to15c. Factor in that they're fairly entitled to 30% profit off materials — it would be 10c benefit to the customer max.

      @OP — it is annoying tho, but probably not in your top 100 of issues today.

    • newbo on 13/09/2023 - 17:25

      This deserves a thread

      • brendanm on 14/09/2023 - 21:50

        It's more interesting than ops story (very low bar), but not sure if it's that interesting.

    • RocketSwitch on 14/09/2023 - 11:09

      You're on OzB mate, 50c is everything!

  • garetz on 12/09/2023 - 17:29
    +2

    Why would you ever buy a piccolo sized coffee anyway, you are paying more for less every time.

    • ausdday on 12/09/2023 - 18:13
      -5

      don't want too much caffeine and don't want too much milk.

      • jjjaar on 12/09/2023 - 19:02
        +1

        Get a deconstructed latte, with each shot and the milk in three separate coups.

        • TheRealCher on 12/09/2023 - 22:43
          +57

          One in Cuba, one in niger and the other in the eastern European republic of your choice

      • Subere on 12/09/2023 - 20:22
        +20

        Ita the same shot of coffee as all the others. Just less milk.

    • capslock janitor on 12/09/2023 - 22:25

      whats a piccolo latte anyway ?

      • kiitos on 13/09/2023 - 07:16
        +5

        Normal shot of espresso topped up with milk to around 100ml or so, so like a mini Caffe latte, but higher coffee:milk ratio

        • drewbles on 14/09/2023 - 18:16
          -1

          That's a Cortardo.

          Piccolo translates into ‘small’ from Italian, and the OP is complaining about paying for a 'small latte' when they ordered a picolo…?

          • R-Man on 14/09/2023 - 21:33

            @drewbles: You said that's a cortado but then didn't explain what a Piccolo is - what's the difference?

          • kiitos on 15/09/2023 - 11:16

            @drewbles: Not in Australia.

      • Homr on 13/09/2023 - 12:58
        +26

        I think it's some green dude that comes from the planet Namek and he drinks Lattes

    • skidexa on 14/09/2023 - 05:48
      +2

      Some people like the stronger taste. Same with having an espresso or macchiato

    • corvusman on 14/09/2023 - 09:23
      +1

      I don't know why, but most small/reg size lattes tastes like warm sweet milk with some hint of coffee. Even when you ask for an extra shot. I don't like that. Piccolo has a perfect taste for me, you could tell that you drink a coffee and it's more or less the same amount of caffeine.

    • chriise on 15/09/2023 - 21:38

      I get a strong latte with 3/4 milk. It's like getting two piccolos for only $0.50 extra.

  • payless69 on 12/09/2023 - 17:35
    +1

    Thanks for stirring my coffee!
    Storm season is already over?

  • DashCam AKA Rolts on 12/09/2023 - 17:38
    +51

    Most of the cost of your Piccolo Latte was in labour and business costs. Stuff all milk, a bit of steam though a small amount of coffee grounds; but it takes just as long to make as a small.

    • Wilson Wallace on 12/09/2023 - 17:39
      +11

      So the price of the medium should be the same as the small in that case.

      • DashCam AKA Rolts on 12/09/2023 - 17:41
        +17

        50c inconvenience tax for stuffing round with an eye bath sized coffee.

        • Wilson Wallace on 12/09/2023 - 17:50
          -2

          Regardless - if you state stuff the milk costs then a medium should be priced the same as a small.

          • brendanm on 12/09/2023 - 17:59
            +6

            @Wilson Wallace: You may want to reread what was written.

          • ConsumerAffairs on 16/09/2023 - 03:59

            @Wilson Wallace: A medium size costings (usually the middle/average) is where the pricing for small and large are set from to balance out the actual costs.

            There is a very negligible difference in the actual stock costs between the sizes as opposed to the labour (time) it takes to make the different size beverages, which is almost identical.

            It all comes down to the marketing of the different sizes to give the consumer the sense that they're getting their value for money for buying whatever size they were getting, in which you were sucked straight into.

            Your small beverage will be offset cost wise by the person who bought the large one, do you get the drift now? If you truly want to get your value of money next time, you'll want to be buying the medium size.

      • jv on 12/09/2023 - 19:49
        +14

        So the price of the medium should be the same as the small in that case.

        It goes by the shots of coffee…

        • MakkhiChoos on 15/09/2023 - 15:26

          No it doesn’t. Small and medium get the same number of shots. Large gets one extra shot.

  • djsweet on 12/09/2023 - 17:40
    +7

    As others have said, the cost of production is labour and overheads, and the ingredients make up only a small percentage. The difference in milk volume from a cost of production perspective is negligible and would not play into final pricing of the drink.

  • djones145 on 12/09/2023 - 17:51
    +5

    i order a 3 quarter long black
    means i have no milk and less water.
    i should be charged less too!

    • spackbace on 12/09/2023 - 17:53
      +1

      Yep, takes less time/effort to make too

    • brendanm on 12/09/2023 - 18:00
      +2

      We could have a class action on our hands here.

    • Drpepper666 on 12/09/2023 - 21:23
      +3

      Yes cafes should discount long blacks, some I visit do this.

      • CheapskateQueen on 12/09/2023 - 21:41

        yeh, long black is easy, no milk, no milk frothing etc pisses me off that its often the same price as all the milk coffees

    • Unbranded on 13/09/2023 - 07:53
      +3

      A long black has a double shot of espresso versus a single shot in a standard milky coffee. The extra shot probably costs the business more than the milk you aren’t getting.

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 12/09/2023 - 18:04
    +10

    That’s an outrage it is

    • Daabido on 12/09/2023 - 18:07
      +6

      That's a bloody outrage, it is!

      • Phlume on 12/09/2023 - 18:31
        +5

        Time to take this all the way to the prime minister!

        • DashCam AKA Rolts on 12/09/2023 - 19:01
          +2

          “It’s the vibe of it. It’s the Constitution. It’s Mabo. It’s justice. It’s law. It’s the vibe and ah, no that’s it. It’s the vibe. I rest my case.”

        • Gunnar on 12/09/2023 - 20:12
          +6

          Hey, Mr. Prime Minister. Andy!

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 12/09/2023 - 18:21
    +2

    1.5 for a 7/11 long black does me otherwise the home coffee is good too

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 12/09/2023 - 18:22
      +12

      Don’t forget you can put as many shots of short black in as you like for the $2 - and top with hot water as required. Nothing gets my day started like a triple shot topped with a tiny bit of hot water, two darts and a meat pie.

      • timthetoolman on 12/09/2023 - 19:55

        I noticed your dare triple espresso wasn't mentioned… Smoko?

        • Jimothy Wongingtons on 12/09/2023 - 20:02

          Sometimes I like to mix it up a bit, keep my bowels and the site portaloo guessin’

      • capslock janitor on 12/09/2023 - 22:25

        how u do dat

        • ThithLord on 13/09/2023 - 10:08

          Open mouth >> insert durry >> ??? >> profit

  • Empharand on 12/09/2023 - 18:21
    -8

    So you're complaining about supporting a small business (I'm assuming) that's probably currently doing it tough (eg. Rent increases, price increase for their ingredients, staff wage increases etc) over 50 cents (or less)? How do you know they aren't using better quality ingredients compared to the other cafe's you have mentioned?

    Either continuing supporting them, go elsewhere or buy your own Latte maker and make them at home - Simple!

  • Ocker on 12/09/2023 - 18:36
    +2

    Yet another first world problem

    • deme on 12/09/2023 - 18:40
      +3

      They have coffee in the 3rd world too.

      • jv on 12/09/2023 - 19:52
        +5

        They grow it there…

        • Sleeqb7 on 13/09/2023 - 10:56
          +2

          It's cheaper too.

  • deme on 12/09/2023 - 18:40
    +1

    Most of the cost is just profit.

    • Switchblade88 on 13/09/2023 - 10:44
      -1

      Don't use the value of your comments to calculate your labour costs, you'll go broke

      • MakkhiChoos on 15/09/2023 - 15:30

        https://reddit.com/r/melbourne/s/94wie0pxM2

        It’s easily $3 profit per cup. Likely more.

        • spackbace on 15/09/2023 - 15:36
          +1

          One person said coffee was $12/kg (for a home coffee maker), and you're quoting that for your argument?

          No one backed up that costing for a retail perspective

          • MakkhiChoos on 15/09/2023 - 15:38

            @spackbace: It’s probably even cheaper at cafe volumes.

            • spackbace on 15/09/2023 - 15:40
              +1

              @MakkhiChoos: Unlikely, and given cafe owners have commented in that post to say it's more expensive, that proves the point even further

        • Switchblade88 on 15/09/2023 - 15:41
          +1

          Sending me a link to a Reddit comment with 4 upvotes? Damn, you really got me.

          Once you get a proper costing of the raw input materials, including the cup and lid, then I'll poltiely remind you of all the overheads involved in any business including labour, superannuation, electricity, rent, before you even consider capital expenditure and interest.

          Oh, and GST? Don't forget GST. You are already down 10% of that $5 you thought you have.

    • cjhero on 13/09/2023 - 17:38

      I would love for you clarify what you think "most" means.

      • deme on 14/09/2023 - 11:26

        50%

        • KiKH on 14/09/2023 - 14:19
          +1

          no coffee shop is making 50% profit

    • berry580 on 14/09/2023 - 20:21

      Gross profit, maybe. Net profit, no.

  • FocusRider on 12/09/2023 - 18:41
    +3

    I’ll give you 50c so you can’t stop whinging.

    • Nugs on 12/09/2023 - 19:36

      go fund me wilson wallace
      .

  • rumblytangara on 12/09/2023 - 18:42

    WTF did I just read.

  • rambutann on 12/09/2023 - 19:02
    +4

    Try being an espresso drinker haha

  • jv on 12/09/2023 - 19:48
    -5

    You sound like a tinass.

  • JimmyF on 12/09/2023 - 19:55
    +1

    So a post over 50c!? Hmmm interesting.

    • boomramada on 13/09/2023 - 15:44
      +2

      Well $2 deals get 200+ votes here :)

      • JimmyF on 13/09/2023 - 16:48

        Sure and they are generally 'deals'.

        OP made a ranty post over paying 50c more than their usual place, basically being charged the same as all the other 'coffees' on the menu. Shall the flat white people complain about paying the same price as the cappuccino people when they don't get a dusting of chocolate on top?

        • boomramada on 13/09/2023 - 20:14

          Op just try to say every cent counts, yet pay $5 for a coffee, while I'm enjoying a free Nescafe;)

  • Subere on 12/09/2023 - 20:26

    This is why I don't buy takeaway coffee. Much more cost effective to have your own machine and make your own. You also then start to judge the milky non coffee tasting offerings at cafes on the odd chance you buy a coffee every blue moon.
    That grinding sound every morning in your own home is very satisfying.

    • Coops1 on 13/09/2023 - 07:36

      It is, and i do the same, but you need to add the socialisation benefit in as well, particularly now its spring and the birds are singing near the outdoor cafes :)

    • ThithLord on 13/09/2023 - 10:09
      +2

      This is why I don't buy takeaway coffee. Much more cost effective to have your own machine and make your own.

      My man, literally no one buys takeaway coffee to be cost effective.

    • beyonddd on 14/09/2023 - 08:18
      +1

      I've had my machine dialled in for a few years now but it always astounds me that these 'specialty' coffee places produce such awful black coffee, they rely on milk to cut through the bitterness and other unsavoury flavours of their shots.

  • AngoraFish on 12/09/2023 - 20:34

    You're not paying for the coffee, you're paying for the labour, and rent, and equipment. None of these things are related to the amount of fluid in your cup.

    • bobbified on 12/09/2023 - 20:56

      If you piss them off enough, it'll definitely be related to the [special] fluid in your cup!

      • OzBarAnon on 13/09/2023 - 11:45

        I don't know where you get your coffee from, but everywhere I've been, the coffee-making is in full view of the customers. You couldn't get away with doing something like that.

        • illusion99 on 13/09/2023 - 16:51

          It's just a myth that it happens on a regular basis.

          • OzBarAnon on 13/09/2023 - 19:13

            @illusion99: I don't doubt that it happens in restaurants staffed by disreputable characters who can act outside the view of customers. There's no way to tell that someone in the closed off kitchen of a restaurant isn't doing that sort of stuff at times as that's out of the line of sight of all customers.

        • kiitos on 15/09/2023 - 11:19

          They also get containers of milk from the fridge below the counter, so that's one vector of infiltration.

  • pegaxs on 12/09/2023 - 20:37
    -1

    Pretentiousness tax…

  • WreckTangle on 12/09/2023 - 21:13
    +2

    To save money I just buy myself babychinos.

    • jolee3 on 12/09/2023 - 21:22

      They often aren't cheap either! Yesterday the two kids were well behaved at the doctor's so we stopped by the cafe outside…1 babychino, 1 juice, 1 regular hot choc was almost $15.

      • JimmyF on 12/09/2023 - 22:17

        1 babychino, 1 juice, 1 regular hot choc was almost $15.

        Seems ok even if you claim otherwise… Juices are never cheap, so guessing that was at $8-10 by itself, Hot Choco at least $5.

        So that makes the babychino $1-2 max.

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