The Pricey Downside Of Ordering From A Target Starbucks

The Target at Starbucks is a magical thing, especially when you're knee-deep in errands and need a little caffeine to keep you going. With over 30,000 stores in 80 countries worldwide, it's impressive that Starbucks is able to keep consistent branding across locations. Of course, with a global footprint that large, there is going to be some variability. For example, the Starbucks bakery items offered vary from country to country. We noticed another thing that changes based on where you order your favorite Starbucks drinks: the price. Yes, unfortunately, if you're grabbing your Starbucks drink at a Target store, you're likely paying more than a few extra cents for the convenience of that on-tap caffeine. In fact, this is one of the 14 things you should know before ordering at a Target Starbucks.

The reason Target Starbucks locations are more expensive than regular Starbucks stores is that Target is the entity in charge of running the cafe, meaning it gets to decide the prices and doesn't have access to, nor information on, the same types of promotional deals that might be set by the bigwigs over at Starbucks corporate. Additionally, Target does not have the same relationship with vendors that Starbucks has, so there is most likely a markup on supplies. This is not to say that every local Starbucks you walk into will have uniform prices and offerings, as each location sets its prices based on demand, however, Target has more of a captive caffeine-starved audience which gives them an additional incentive to raise prices.

A good place to keep your finger on the pulse of Starbucks' goings-on is the Starbucks Reddit thread, where current and former employees anonymously share their experiences with the grab-and-go coffee chain. One Reddit user admits that even with employee discounts, the prices are higher at Target Starbucks. Another commenter with the "store manager" badge confirmed the fact that licensed Starbucks locations like Target pay more for wholesale goods, which means that these added expenses are often passed down to the customer.

If you're not a frequent Starbucks visitor (or maybe, if you're an especially frequent Starbucks visitor) you may have noticed that, in general, Starbucks prices have been creeping up over the years — a trend that's unlikely to change any time soon. Aside from the run-of-the-mill inflation you're probably seeing across the board, Starbucks' price increases are also due to the fact that demand for its offerings doesn't seem to waver, even when longstanding favorites see a price increase. It almost feels as if Starbucks is impervious to inflation.