Since my mug broke on thursday, I was unable to make coffee yesterday morning. When Dan sent the coffee email at 9:30, I got all excited and replied with a hearty “ready!!” and proceeded to head downstairs to our lobby meeting point. As the coffee crew congregated we chatted about or lives and the weekend, walking to the Starbucks in the lobby at the same time.
As we shuffled in line for the next few minutes I had to decide what to get. It’s been a while since I’ve bought coffee (since I make it at home), so I thought I’d opt out of my regular Americano and get something different: Grande soy latte (don’t judge). $3.55 + 0.40. What the heck?? Soy’s 40 cents extra?? Ok, soymilk costs slightly more than 2% milk, lasts roughly 12-20 times longer in the fridge or out in an unopened container than milk (so stocking costs are lower), and come in smaller containers so it’s not like they will open a carton and not be able to use it all in one day. McDonalds doesn’t charge extra for ketchup, so why charge extra for soy? It’s not an addition, it’s a substitute.
For some people, getting soy in coffee is not a choice (i.e. me). I, for one, don’t like soy in my coffee, but because of certain circumstances against my will, I must use soy. This is a form of price discrimination, where people who want to be healthier, or simply can’t drink milk, are forced to cough up an extra 0.40 per cup so that they can enjoy what other people can get for no additional cost. I know this is a big stink to raise for 0.40, but this adds up to be quite a bit over the span of a year. They don’t charge extra for handicap bathrooms (I know…if it wasn’t the law…they probably would…) so why target us soy drinkers.
C’mon Starbucks…stop the soy tax.
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