'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

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.

Wavy Line
Emily Rella

Entrepreneur Staff

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.

Editor's Pick

A Father Decided to Change When He Was in Prison on His Son's Birthday. Now His Nonprofit Helps Formerly Incarcerated Applicants Land 6-Figure Jobs.
Lock
A Teen Turned His Roblox Side Hustle Into a Multimillion-Dollar Company — Now He's Working With Karlie Kloss and Elton John
Lock
3 Mundane Tasks You Should Automate to Save Your Brain for the Big Stuff
Lock
The Next Time Someone Intimidates You, Here's What You Should Do
5 Ways to Manage Your Mental Health and Regulate Your Nervous System for Sustainable Success

Related Topics

Business News

'Do You Hate Me?': High School Teacher Shares Wild Emails He Receives From Students

Jordan Baechler teaches high school students in Ontario, Canada.

Business News

Hedge Fund Pays NYC Interns $20,000 a Month on Average, Sent to Lavish Palm Beach Kickoff

Citadel is known for its over-the-top parties and company retreats.

Data & Recovery

This Father's Day, Give the Gift of No More Low Storage Warnings

Save 85% on 1TB of cloud storage for Father's Day.

Starting a Business

Starting a New Business? Here's How to Leverage Transferable Skills From Your Prior Careers and Drive Success

Launching your own business can be daunting, but when you harness the skills from past jobs, there are a variety of things you must ask yourself. Here are three recipes for success using your prior experiences.