50p extra for milk with coffee is ridiculous isn't it?

MinnieMountain · 2026-05-19T07:08:01+00:00

A new cafe has opened in our town centre. The menu on the wall behind the till says "Americano £3.40". I was charged £3.90 for one with milk. Not special milk, just the usual tiny jug. The woman who served me agreed to put in a splash of milk for no extra. I know the cost of everything is going up but 50p for 20ml of semi-skimmed is taking the piss. Plus the fact that their massive wall menu doesn't mention it.

Hillarious · 26/05/2026 08:54

angelikacpickles · 25/05/2026 18:14

You let your friend tell you how to drink your coffee?

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Sigh . . .

Lovelynames123 · 25/05/2026 21:37

mondaytosunday · 25/05/2026 19:14

@Lovelynames123whoa I’ll not be going to your place then. If you can’t see how letting customers linger a bit then that’s pretty bad customer service. Fortunately the cafés near me are happy to top up, don’t charge extra for milk (or even extra milk), and don’t want to rush me off the table. It’s one thing sitting there during busy times with a laptop and eking out one cup of coffee for two hours then fair enough asking them to move on, different for those who don’t abuse it.

We have people waiting for tables at busy times so no, people can't take up the tables without paying for more drinks, I'm in business to make a living, do you work for nothing?

ChimpanzeeThatMonkeyNews · 25/05/2026 21:29

They’re running a business. They’re not serving tea and coffee for a laugh.

mondaytosunday · 25/05/2026 19:14

@Lovelynames123whoa I’ll not be going to your place then. If you can’t see how letting customers linger a bit then that’s pretty bad customer service. Fortunately the cafés near me are happy to top up, don’t charge extra for milk (or even extra milk), and don’t want to rush me off the table. It’s one thing sitting there during busy times with a laptop and eking out one cup of coffee for two hours then fair enough asking them to move on, different for those who don’t abuse it.

Lovelynames123 · 25/05/2026 18:24

MagpiePi · 25/05/2026 18:15

As a non tea drinker I always think tea drinkers get a good deal. They get a pot of tea that is generally bigger than their cup, they can get extra hot water for free to eke it out even more and get at least two cups from one serving, and my tiddly single cup of coffee is always more expensive to start with.

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Nope, we charge to top up a teapot with hot water, we can't have people taking up a table for extra time paying no money for their extra drinks. Apparently Marksies don't charge but as an independent business with slightly less (!) turnover than M&S, we do 😅

Lovelynames123 · 25/05/2026 18:21

You're not paying for just the coffee, or just the milk, or just the teabag though, are you? You're paying towards rent, wages, accounting costs, insurance, equipment, utilities, music license, etc, etc, all of which needs to be covered before any profit is made, which is the reason people are in business...

We don't charge extra for milk in an americano, but we do charge extra for cream instead of milk, or for extra jam portions, or 'just a splash of gravy' on a pie...it all comes off the bottom line🤷🏻‍♀️

SusanChurchouse · 25/05/2026 18:20

I’m an alternative milk drinker who is regularly charged up to 80p for a splash of oat milk in an americano so to me it makes sense the cost of milk isn’t absorbed into the coffee price or else I’m basically paying twice.

MagpiePi · 25/05/2026 18:15

Blundl · 19/05/2026 08:51

Tea is the real rip off, at least with coffee they use a machine and put a slight bit of effort in, tea is just a teabag in hot water

As a non tea drinker I always think tea drinkers get a good deal. They get a pot of tea that is generally bigger than their cup, they can get extra hot water for free to eke it out even more and get at least two cups from one serving, and my tiddly single cup of coffee is always more expensive to start with.

angelikacpickles · 25/05/2026 18:14

Hillarious · 19/05/2026 08:52

Just go out instead with my Italian friend for an afternoon coffee. She won’t allow milk in coffee after 12 noon. Milky coffee is just for breakfast. You’ll save a fortune over time.

You let your friend tell you how to drink your coffee?

angelikacpickles · 25/05/2026 18:12

FeedTheFoxes · 19/05/2026 08:16

An americano doesn’t have milk in as standard though so charging for milk seems fine.

Don't be silly. It is absolutely standard in the UK and Ireland for basic dairy milk to be available to add to tea and coffee at no extra charge. If a cafe is going to charge for it, then they need to make that absolutely clear.

OP, does the cafe charge for milk in tea as well?

Bjorkdidit · 25/05/2026 18:10

NamelessNancy · 25/05/2026 18:00

I have the opposite gripe with coffee from the Costa machine in our co-op. It charges the same for an americano as a cappuccino. Surely it costs more to make the cappuccino?

If they had different prices, people would be getting the expensive drink and telling the person on the till they had the cheapest one, so it probably has to be that way. Saves them needing to check and holding up the queue and potentially spilling coffee all over the till.

Bjorkdidit · 25/05/2026 18:08

There's also the time to put milk in the jug and wash the jug afterwards. Plus breakages/thefts.

Cafes seem expensive for what they serve, but when you add up all their costs - a professional machine costs thousands and will need regular maintenance. Plus everything else, all significantly increased in cost recently.

I don't think cafes are good value for money and don't particularly want what they offer, so rarely go there, but as it costs them more to put milk in a drink, then they're reasonable to charge for it.

Meadowfinch · 25/05/2026 18:05

Milk costs less than 50p a pint. They're mad.

XenoBitch · 25/05/2026 18:04

Minesril · 24/05/2026 10:24

What’s madness is starbucks/costa etc having small, medium and large tea, each costing more. It’s the same teabag! Just extra water!!!!

I don't know about the rest, but Costa have the one price for tea.
I always get it in the largest takeaway cup. Costs the same as a smaller tea that comes in pot.

NamelessNancy · 25/05/2026 18:00

I have the opposite gripe with coffee from the Costa machine in our co-op. It charges the same for an americano as a cappuccino. Surely it costs more to make the cappuccino?

TheJuryIsOut · 25/05/2026 17:54

OFiddleDeeDee · 19/05/2026 08:55

Do you stay open past 10 a.m. and on the weekends? Because, not you personally, others complain of rents and costs but go out of their way to make sure they are only open when everyone is at work.

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I'm a play cafe so my customers are not generally at work anyway.

Original poster

MinnieMountain · 25/05/2026 15:39

RaraRachael · 24/05/2026 10:48

I couldn't believe our local coffee shop is now charging £4.20 for a coffee. I'll just bake some scones and have coffee at home next time 😪

I subsequently went to a very good cafe in Ely which charges £2.50 and no extra for milk. The cakes are still pricey but feel worth it for the odd treat (I can make decent coffee, I can't make a blueberry and frangipane tart with a lovely crispy crust).

OP posts:

Londonorbust · 24/05/2026 10:56

viques · 19/05/2026 08:52

Fortnums now charge for their distinctive blue bags which turn their customers into walking advertisements for the company.

They don’t miss a trick do they?

there has always been a charge. It is currently 30 p and the standard carrier bag is 10p . They double bag so 10p more?

the doorman minds your dog- do well worth 10p
to me. Ham is cheaper than Waitrose

RaraRachael · 24/05/2026 10:48

I couldn't believe our local coffee shop is now charging £4.20 for a coffee. I'll just bake some scones and have coffee at home next time 😪

Minesril · 24/05/2026 10:24

What’s madness is starbucks/costa etc having small, medium and large tea, each costing more. It’s the same teabag! Just extra water!!!!

Original poster

MinnieMountain · 19/05/2026 10:44

I know that an Americano is an espresso with hot water added but typically, hence my post, it comes with milk at no extra cost anyway.

£3.40 is possibly a bit steep. It's normal-ish in my not posh town though. It's a new independent cafe that I wanted to try.

OP posts:

lazyarse123 · 19/05/2026 09:03

MidnightPatrol · 19/05/2026 08:10

Last time I went to the hairdresser, they’d added £20 for a blow dry.

I’m not sure what exactly the alternative was after a cut and colour, just sending me home with wet hair and hoping I was happy with the result once it had dried?

I usually get a wet cut because it is a lot cheaper but last time I went the lady had some spare time so she did it for nothing. It does look so much nicer but I can't justify the cost. Extra 50p for milk is taking the piss though.

OFiddleDeeDee · 19/05/2026 08:55

TheJuryIsOut · 19/05/2026 08:18

An americano is a black coffee so if you want milk with it then it's fair enough for them to charge for it. I own a cafe and it's a struggle to make any money with sky high rents so I can totally see why people have to charge for extras.

Do you stay open past 10 a.m. and on the weekends? Because, not you personally, others complain of rents and costs but go out of their way to make sure they are only open when everyone is at work.

viques · 19/05/2026 08:53

FeedTheFoxes · 19/05/2026 08:16

An americano doesn’t have milk in as standard though so charging for milk seems fine.

Exactly, just like they charge you for shots of syrup, it’s something extra in your basic coffee.

Hillarious · 19/05/2026 08:52

Just go out instead with my Italian friend for an afternoon coffee. She won’t allow milk in coffee after 12 noon. Milky coffee is just for breakfast. You’ll save a fortune over time.