Costa should make it clear that cream or marshmallows cost extra

Of course it’s an extra and of course everyone knows it is sugary.
I am saying that adding cream and marshmallows should not be described as an upgrade. Adding more stuff isn’t necessarily better.

Hmm. If I'm miles from home I'm not going to drive home to make a hot drink, then drive back out again. And I don't think cafes really like you taking in your own drinks

I was back in Costa this morning (working and I get reimbursed so I go Costa for breakfast bap and a coffee) and I’d agree it is quite unclear. Not sure if it’s the same everywhere but the extras board is at the end and tells price of milk changes, cost of cream, syrup and marshmallows. The price list for drinks is in the middle and the whole thing disappears with adds for maple hazel autumnal specials and then food offers then back to drinks. I know at the independent I go to they have a hot chocolate, then a deluxe hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows the next line down for an extra £1. At least it’s made really obvious although still expensive.

In other news I stopped off at a roadside cafe the other day. It was £1.20 for a cup of tea / £1.50 for a latte. It’s like I’d gone back in time. When did it become normal to pay £4 for a coffee?

@Macaroninecklace

Yeah I could make a flask, but when I want to meet a friend somewhere or take my kid out to have a little treat (and learn how to behave in cafes, how to order, how to not be upsold marshmallows at the counter…)

This tickled me 🤭

Chocolate with the least milk & sugary stuff the better.
I generally prefer hot chocolate I make myself
Costa do make it clear on the menu board.

Often there's no local cafes around. And at least with Costa you know what you're getting. I always have a latte which isn't full of sugar. I personally like it there

I’m not saying it shouldn’t be extra, just hat it isn’t always so not necessarily obvious

Cream isn't always extra on things like frappucinos. They ask if I want it and I always ask if it's extra

Definitely agree the rolling screen makes it difficult as it literally isn’t there for those smart arses that keep saying it is! And it is often included at other places so no I don’t think it is obvious, especially if you do not regularly go to Costa. I do always check but only because I have been caught out before!

But that like ordering a meal in a restaurant and expecting the side vegetables to be included - when, again, they are clearly listed along side their prices on the menu!

They don’t charge for the chocolate sprinkles as there is not profit/cost impact. There is toe cream/marshmallows. Cream etc is an optional extra. My kids don’t like cream or marshmallows, so why should they have to pay an inflated price that incorporates the cost for something they will always ask to be left off?

However - they now have an unhappy customer whose started a thread about it.

Its an extra and the customer will be well aware it is sugary.

If I'm paying the best part of £4 for a small drink, then I expect them to be included at no extra cost to be honest. Taking it up to nearly a fiver is crazy, I can get a meal for that at Hungry Horse. 2 adult fried breakfasts when they have a deal on.

I could understand if they ask for dietary requirement reasons or just personal preference, which are reasonable reasons to assume, if no price is stated when they ask, that it's no extra cost.

I don't expect them to charge me extra to shake cocoa powder on the top or to provide a spoon.

But it’s not an upgrade, is it? It’s added sugary crap.

It’s like being asked if I want to upgrade to sweet potato fries which are definitely inferior to standard potato

Their tariff is on the board above the counter. It clearly states the costs of ‘extras’ along with the price of the main item you are buying. If you don’t bother to read it, or state - ‘no cream but yes I’ll take marshmallows’ or ask ‘does that cost extra’, then the problem is you.

It's the same in ours, it tells you the prices of a small and a regular hot chocolate, and the prices of a small and a regular white hot chocolate, and nothing else. There is no "extras" section that people mention. The rest of the board is the other Christmas hot drinks and the other boards are their usual coffees.

I am sure people recognise these upselling techniques

What Is Upselling? 9 Upselling Techniques That Work Like a Charm

Interesting quote at the bottom

Are upselling techniques ethical?

Yes, they are. It should never be your intent to deceive your customer or sell a product that doesn’t do what it claims to do.

If you are satisfied being transparent with your customers and that your products and services are as good as they claim to be, there is no issue with offering upsells.
An upsell should always be better than or outperform the original goods or services. Otherwise, there will be no incentive for your customer to choose the upgraded option. If your customer can afford the cost and wants the best solution, they will choose the upsold items. Otherwise, they won’t.

So....how do you upsell marshmallows and cream on a hot chocolate without upsetting customers who may not have seen the extra price or realised that it would cost extra - because you now have an unhappy customer - and unhappy customers are more likely to spread the word of their unhappiness than happy ones.

Are you aware large costs more than regular OP?

What annoys me with Costa is when they ask if you want cream and you say yes, then they give you that vegan crap. Last time I complained and they swapped it for real cream and told me it was because of the calories on the menu.

@Fairyliz I'm not the one complaining.

This

i only did it the once…i am not big into coffee, i like a latte which is basically coffee flavoured milk so i didn’t notice any difference

(i think costa is a coffee shop for people who don’t like coffee 😀)

Well ours is very clean, popular, bright and cheerful. Lovely staff, and love the hot chocolate with cream.

That one is odd

My costa app shows a maple latte. £4.65 for medium. Under extras is extra charge for marshmallows but if I select cream it stays £4.65. Which suggests that this drink includes cream as standard (but you can have it without cream if you wanted)

Well or course he'd be charged for both, he said he's to both according to the staff member. It's not their fault your son misheard.