As opposed tooooo.. where? A average grande(16oz) from starbucks is 6 bucks. Give or take some with toppings. You gonna by a 3 to $500 espresso machine and make it at home?
Das Festhaus
- Thread starter Zachary
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No way that’s right, I pay less than $3 for a grande plain coffee at Starbucks and I live in an area (NOVA) where prices are already jacked up to the extremes.
I’m a big believer that places are justified in charging whatever they want, as long as they’re transparent about it. BGW wouldn’t be charging $6 for coffee if people weren’t willing to pay for it. So I don’t think we can blame them for taking this approach.
That said, I always wonder how sound their pricing strategy is. I assume their calculus is that if someone’s willing to pay $4 for a coffee, they’re willing to pay $6 for it too, but I’m not sure about that — surely they’re pricing out people who’d be willing to pay something for a coffee, but not $6 which is obviously overpriced. I for one would love to sip a coffee as I walk around BGW, and I’d gladly pay something like $4 for it. It’s just that $6 is so egregiously marked up that I’d feel like a chump. People like to feel smart about things they’re buying.
I kinda just asked a random drink. A pistachio latte is a little over $6. Frapachinos are 5 to 6. I guess I shoulda looked up a plain iced coffee
Yeah it’s not really a fair comparison then because BGW’s $6 price is for a regular coffee. They’re charging $7 for a latte and almost $8 for a mocha — but I’ll agree that does close the gap with Starbucks and feels a little less egregious than $6 for plain black coffee.
I feel there always needs to be the captive audience caveat with this type of conversation.
A Starbucks outside the park has competition all over the place. Fast food, gas’s stations, other coffee houses.
But inside a gated entry (parks, stadiums, airports) there’s always a premium on everything.
For example: Starbucks just outside of O’Hare is $3 for a 16oz coffee. Starbucks inside O’Hare is $4.50 for the same cup of coffee.
Now is BGWs $6 cup a little much? Sure. But comparing it to prices outside the park is a little misleading.
A Starbucks outside the park has competition all over the place. Fast food, gas’s stations, other coffee houses.
But inside a gated entry (parks, stadiums, airports) there’s always a premium on everything.
For example: Starbucks just outside of O’Hare is $3 for a 16oz coffee. Starbucks inside O’Hare is $4.50 for the same cup of coffee.
Now is BGWs $6 cup a little much? Sure. But comparing it to prices outside the park is a little misleading.
But comparing the price to the one in O'Hare is fair. BGW 33% more expensive, and they still try to get you to tip. Now I want to compare the price to Starbucks in other parks, even though I don't drink coffee.
Just because I was curious:
BWI: $4.20
Philadelphia Airport: $3.85
JFK: $4.40
LAX: $5.05
ATL: $3.70
Of the couple of airports I searched O’Hare is the second most expensive. And it would help to have more data points as well. Dunkin’, McD’s, other dining options. Would also help to have things like stadiums, events, festivals, other ticketed entrance places. IIRC the last US open for example was $5.95 a cup for 12oz.
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Seems like the best way to make your comparison is per oz of the exact same product - either cold brew or hot black coffee without additions.
However, it's a coffee option at a theme park. Either you buy it or you don't. I'm guessing membership discounts also bring it down a bit for much of the target audience too.
Agreed on both counts, which was my point on ‘captive audience’. If you want coffee, what else are you going to do? Leave the park, got to your car, drive to Starbucks, come back, hope they don’t charge you again, to go on with your day? Heck between time and gas you likely cost yourself more money than paying $6.
Forget Starbucks. Why does everyone always mention Starbucks. When I leave the park, I hit the 7-11 a 1/4 mile away just on the other side of the 199 overpass and refill my 16oz coffee mug for $1.25. It’s coffee…just brewed coffee. Not a latte, half caff, 3 pumps of this, oatmilk replacement, etc etc. Just coffee.
If you want something more unique go a little further down the same road to Merchant Square to Aroma’s for good local coffee or Illy on DOG St. which is a great Italian import that awesomely has a café here in Williamsburg.
Someone mentioned above about “why don’t I make my own…”. I do. I have an espresso machine, French press, coffee pot, cold brew brewer, Keurig when I’m lazy and I usually grind my own beans when I make espresso, cold brew, French press or buy something special like the single origin Bali and Ethiopian coffee I got recently…AMAZING FLAVOR! Taste like cherry and strawberry from the bean itself…no flavoring added. When you step away from Starbucks and have a good origin and roast, you’ll realize how dark and bitter Starbucks really is.
While I’m on my soapbox
it grinds my gears that coffee shops charge more for an Americano than an espresso when it LITERALLY is just more water added. That’s it…nothing special, just a watered down espresso for us Americans. Yes they charge like .50 more. Also, it’s Espresso…not EXpresso. Phew…ok…I’m good now. I’ll go make myself a good coffee now…hmm decisions…
cold brew, my Ethiopian roast, or a Lavazza espresso….
If you want something more unique go a little further down the same road to Merchant Square to Aroma’s for good local coffee or Illy on DOG St. which is a great Italian import that awesomely has a café here in Williamsburg.
Someone mentioned above about “why don’t I make my own…”. I do. I have an espresso machine, French press, coffee pot, cold brew brewer, Keurig when I’m lazy and I usually grind my own beans when I make espresso, cold brew, French press or buy something special like the single origin Bali and Ethiopian coffee I got recently…AMAZING FLAVOR! Taste like cherry and strawberry from the bean itself…no flavoring added. When you step away from Starbucks and have a good origin and roast, you’ll realize how dark and bitter Starbucks really is.
While I’m on my soapbox
it grinds my gears that coffee shops charge more for an Americano than an espresso when it LITERALLY is just more water added. That’s it…nothing special, just a watered down espresso for us Americans. Yes they charge like .50 more. Also, it’s Espresso…not EXpresso. Phew…ok…I’m good now. I’ll go make myself a good coffee now…hmm decisions…cold brew, my Ethiopian roast, or a Lavazza espresso….
I went to the coffee shop earlier and while the menu says the warm coffee is 16 ounces, people receive more like 10 ounces of coffee. It is measured out by a machine as far as I’m aware. Also, I tried the tiramisu frappe, and it was way too bitter and hardly had any sweetness to it.
They should never leave room unless you ask for it.
There is a Wawa not far from the park
I live in NJ near Philly, could not resist bringing that up.