Jasonscheltus wrote:This kind of scenario has passed in Melbourne. In 2004,5,6, when I worked in a cafe in the CBD, lots of youngish accounts (newly affluent) would come in for their lattes etc. And actually a lot of them had grinders and espresso machines at home. They knew that it was more expensive to come into the cafe and get a coffee from us, we certainly didn't pretend it wasn't, we'd help them with the grind size etc...
So why did they come in?
They're not stupid, nor stupidly wealthy, they actually LIKED the experience of coming into a cafe with their work mates to gossip and wait 10 minutes for their take away latte.
I understand what you're getting at, but it's not quite what I was getting at. I'm specifically talking about the brewed-coffee trend that may (or may not) be starting. Espresso isn't easy. Those people may have come to the shop for help--and been willing to pay for it with their coffee purchase--as much as anything else.
What I'm talking about is something as simple as French press. That's why I'm surprised coffee shops are even entertaining the idea of brewed coffee.
Plus, I've always been under the impression that Australia has reasonably-priced coffee and that Australians, in general, wouldn't stand for overpriced coffee. Am I wrong in assuming that?
A good point has been made about the coffee-shop-as-local-pub. That's exactly what I'd like to see, too. I like coffee shops, too. I just don't want to be overcharged for that experience. Consumers shouldn't have to go to a place with an expensive address and expensive furniture & fixtures and expensive leasehold improvements just for a cup of good coffee with their friends. There is value in the convenience of having a place to go, there is value in the beverage in the cup, charge them for that. Don't overcharge them for things that don't add value.
Did anyone look at that link? Coffee has been lumped in with some other annoying things where we are all being overcharged on. Some people here don't see it--or don't want to acknowledge it--because it's their livelihood. Is a banker objective enough to say that people are not being overcharged on bank fees? Is a beverage manufacturer objective enough to say that customers are not being overcharged on bottled water? Is an accountant on the Golden Mile objective enough to say that clients are not being overcharged on accounting fees? There is an inherent conflict of interest there, wouldn't you say?
I think coffee pricing is just about at the breaking point, if it isn't already. That link seems to suggest the same. I shudder to think of shops trying to go any higher, yet there always seems to be someone trying to push the envelop. We have $25-million actors and skyrocketing movie tickets. How much longer is that sustainable? I feel the same way about coffee.