Warm weather calls for ghetto lattes
The Toronto Star is celebrating the arrival of spring with a short instructional video on how to make a ghetto latte. The process is simple: people who don’t want to pony up $3 for an iced latte can simply order a shot of espresso at the counter in a large cup with ice, then pour in milk at the condiment table. Mix it and voila—hobo coffee. The price difference can add up to serious change by the end of the summer. An iced latte at Starbucks: $3.26. A shot of espresso: $1.84. Death stares from the barista: priceless.
In fall 2006, Maclean’s ran a piece about ghetto lattes—a sort of follow-up after the Chicago Tribune found out about them a week earlier. The folks over at Starbucks Gossip also had a heated debate on the issue around the same time, with some baristas applauding customers for their ingenuity, some annoyed by the freeloaders (one went a little overboard, saying they “should be shot”) and most feeling indifferent since, well, they work at Starbucks.
Maclean’s asked Starbucks’ head office about the trend, and the company simply stated, “We provide condiments to our customers so they can make their drinks to their liking… We trust our customers to make the choices that are right for them.”
Translation: for every ghetto latte drinker, there are two suckers willing to pay $6 for a diluted coffee smoothie.
• How to ghetto latte for cheap [Toronto Star]
• Is it fair for a customer to order a ‘ghetto-latte’? [Starbucks Gossip]
• A latte people stick it to Starbucks [Maclean’s]
When I worked at a 2cup, I used to make ghetto hot chocolate/chocolate “milk” for people (only if specifically requested, of course)..
A flavour shot = 40 cents. Hot/cold choc was 2 pumps for a medium (now that size is called “small”), so I’d do the 2 shots and water (cold or hot, depending).. 80 cents versus $2.50. Yep.
This may work for a Starbucks, but for an independent coffee shop, milk is one of their biggest expenses.
Customers, please don’t start doing this. I used to work at an indie coffee shop and it makes the owners/staff feel so uncomfortable to pour you a shot of espresso into a big cup of milk.
At the end of the day, you won’t make any friends! And you are not really supporting your local coffee shop…
I don’t disagree with this. Especially since many major chains markup their ‘drinks’. Why should the consumer pay through the roof for something that they can get for less?
This is sooo wrong. (I love it!)
It’s at least better than them hippies who pay 10 cents for hot water in the cafeteria and then use the soy milk at everyone else’s expense.
Just cause your cup is re-usable doesn’t make the soy free kids.
I used to drink ‘iced doubleshots’ (espresso, milk, ice) at starbucks a couple years ago, then they took them off the menu. I have been doing this for the past year and I don’t see anything wrong with it as they used to sell this exact same drink!
Ha I think that’s funny… especially since I’m someone who drank BLACK coffee for years… paid the same price as those who used the cream ($$$) & sugar. I do think this practice should be limited to Starbucks, and other crazy-priced corporate coffee pigs, and not to the little guy though.
Starbucks rips people off? Spare me. $5 gets you a well made coffee, WiFi access and a comfy seat, if you want it. Additionally, you go tell the barista making $10/hr and putting themself through college or uni they should be making less money — that’s the effect of lower prices and/or freeloaders.
Sure, people can make a ghetto latte. People can and do bring popcorn and sweets into the movies. One person’s deal ends up being another’s lost wages.
This is totally fine.
Don’t go mistaking lost corporate profits for lost employee wages. The two are completely unrelated. That $10/hr barista will always make $10/hr, no matter how much filthy green lucre lines the Sbux Exec’s pockets.
Ken: Starbucks still sells those, they’re just not on the menu boards. There are a LOT (as in hundreds) of things still available that aren’t advertised, mostly because it’s impossible to put everything up on four boards. Ask for them; I work there and I made at least four of those today.