Costa should make it clear that cream or marshmallows cost extra

[Learc]

when buying hot chocolate.

There’s not always a choice e.g. if you are doing a long motorway journey. Coming off the motorway and looking for somewhere, finding somewhere to park etc could add considerably to your journey time - and you might not even find an independent coffee shop and end up in a Costbucks anyway.

Or people could read the menu properly or ask

I know the intelligence level is dropping each year but seriously

Ironic given the word salad you’ve just written.

it's a bloody nightmare. moving screens. by the time you decided on the hot choc, the screen has long moved on to something else. easy to miss. and the pic of the hot choc is with cream too iirc.

The prices are literally on the menu. Also, when offered cream/marshmallows etc, if you aren’t sure - does no one complaining on this thread think to check with the barista if there’s an extra charge for them?! The lack of accountability and blaming of others is nuts sometimes. They’re marshmallows. If you don’t want to pay for them then you probably didn’t really want them in the first place!

But they deliberately make it hard to read the menu properly with positioning, layout and the fact the information on the screen changes.

There's also a queue and they get uncooperative if you don't follow their script, they ask you a question and you have to give one of the approved answers otherwise they just repeat the question.

Cheese yes or no?

Is it included in the price or is it extra? (I want to decide if I think its worth the extra amount)

is met with Cheese yes or no and everyone behind you in the queue starts tutting.

They rely on most people not asking questions and just agreeing to whatever is offered.

Really? think it's common sense to assume that cream and marshmallows cost extra. They charge extra for the syrups etc so why would they give cream and marshmallows for free? Whenever I've ordered hot chocolate from anywhere it always has cost more for those things.

If the staff aren't allowed to say the price (some chains are weird about the exact phrase) They should at least say "would you like to upgrade with cream or marshmallows?" Instead of "add".

It does say the price on the menu, but if people don't look at the menu at least they'll know it costs extra by the word 'upgrade'.

I was in London last week and went to a Gail’s. There’s none where I live. Anyway I asked for a cheese scone and it never occurred to me that the butter would be extra and the server didn’t mention it. So I paid and started looking around for butter but couldn’t see any. When I asked she said oh that’s extra. So I paid. To be fair it wasn’t a little branded pack like you get in most places, it was a biggish pat in grease proof paper.

My DD usually gets a hot choc at Costa with all the added extras. I've been aware since the start of doing this that they're extra. Because it's on the menu board. Quite clearly.

Aye - sure

Ye are talking bollocks. Nowhere else is where you get cream and marshmallows for free.

I think Costa and hot chocolate with extra bits have been around long enough for most people to know how this might work and to ask if they are unsure. Why would you think something extra wouldn't cost more, especially when it's a whole pile of stuff making the drink into a different thing? It should cost more.

But they deliberately make it hard to read the menu properly with positioning, layout and the fact the information on the screen changes...

...They rely on most people not asking questions and just agreeing to whatever is offered.

That's why you have to be an adult, think for yourself, assert yourself and repeat the question. Or accept that if you're unable or unwilling to buck that pressure it's quite likely you're going to be charged more than you'd like on a regular basis.

(Not you, necessarily - the collective you)

I avoid the whole problem by not ever going to Costa et al as I refuse to pay for their crappy coffee/food/whatever!

I hate the scrolling menu. I am austistic and, although a fast reader, struggle in busy places with background noise. So I can’t focus on the menu quick enough while all the background noise is going on.
This summer I wanted to try something new than my usual order of either a latte or hot chocolate. I noticed there was a screen on the scrolling menu for frappes, but I couldn’t get my brain in gear with everything going on and the queue moving. I could just about skim read it but it wasn’t enough to see what each option was.
I wish they had little booklet menus or something that you could pick up and read in the queue.

Needless to say I got to the front of the queue and just ordered my usual.

Alright fun sponge. I buy chocolate flavour squirty cream and marshmallows and put them in my hot chocolate at home. I occasionally buy flavoured syrups but also have a stash of spices/flavourings to put in hot chocolate. Love Starbucks pumpkin spice syrup, and ask for it in hot chocolate whenever I go there.

I say “are you having it with the cream?” to try to imply that the cream is included.

“would you like marshmallows as an extra?” to me that’s saying they incur a charge.

Also when I’m a customer elsewhere, if I’m not sure, I just ask. Will that cost more? They say either yes or no. I can then choose whether I want it or not.

Gregg's don't charge for extra cream on their hot chocolate, at least not the ones I've been in to. Like Gregg's hot chocolate, it's decent and not too expensive.

The menu board tells you very clearly that these things cost extra.

Alternatively you could do what people did for years; make a drink at home/work or take a flask.
I can never understand this obsession with drinking overpriced, ghastly drinks. Wherever you go there is a proliferation of coffee places; how on earth do people afford it?

We were in costa yesterday. I got a link sausage roll with ketchup. Absolutely delicious but then I'm easily pleased.

I hate stuff like this too, I think the price shown should be for the extras and it mention its a bit cheaper if you don't want them- a bit backwards but most people opt for them and it isn't abundantly clear imo when all of the images and advertising clearly shows them with the toppings.

I had no idea!!!!

Except for most other places, I've never paid extra in a cafe for them or in a lot of chains.

Surely the word add is also fairly clear?

They're included in the cost in some places as standard, meaning those who don't want them are still paying for them.
They're not included in the cost as standard in some places, meaning only those who want them are paying for them.
I know which makes most sense to me.