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'Just Say You Are Going Broke': Starbucks Slammed For Price Increase On Popular Item The chain will start charging $1 extra for customization on its popular Refresher beverages.

By Emily Rella

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

It's no secret that Starbucks baristas don't exactly love making swaps and customizations to drinks, especially during busy times and long drive-thru lines.

Now, in order to curb one of the most popular iced drink swaps, the coffee chain will charge customers an extra buck — and the masses are livid.

Starbucks announced it will charge an extra $1 to customers asking for "no water" when ordering any of its refreshers, which includes the viral Pink Drink and the newly added Pineapple Passionfruit.

"This change allows us to provide a more consistent approach to customization, similar to other beverage customizations such as adding an espresso shot or syrup, which incur an additional charge," a Starbucks spokesperson said via CNN.

Removing the water "requires extra ingredients" to make the drinks more concentrated and still fill the cup, the company said.

Fans expressed their displeasure on social media, lamenting the price hike and airing their grievances with the company.

Starbucks sent customers into a frenzy late last year when the chain implemented a new digital tipping system that awkwardly prompts customers to tip after ordering in front of the barista.

The coffee chain reported strong Q2 2023 earnings earlier this month, with total revenue coming in at $908.3 million, up from $674.5 million at the same time last year.

Starbucks was up over 47% in a one-year period as of Wednesday afternoon.

Emily Rella

Senior News Writer

Emily Rella is a Senior News Writer at Entrepreneur.com. Previously, she was an editor at Verizon Media. Her coverage spans features, business, lifestyle, tech, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is a 2015 graduate of Boston College and a Ridgefield, CT native. Find her on Twitter at @EmilyKRella.

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