Skimming off the top: Customers sue Starbucks for insufficient pours
The coffee outfit is being accused of ‘negligent misrepresentation and fraud’ in a lawsuit filed by consumers. Brand managers are calling their bluff.
Frequent Starbucks latte-drinkers will have their day in court and could receive class-action lawsuit cash.
A suit filed in Northern California against the coffee behemoth alleges that its baristas are systematically underfilling lattes. Siera Strumlauf and Benjamin Robles (who brought the suit) claim that the standard Starbucks latte recipe was established in 2009 with the aim of saving on milk costs by making the “fill to” line on the milk pitchers too low.
The result is lattes that leave a quarter inch of free space at the top.
“By underfilling its lattes, thereby shortchanging its customers, Starbucks has saved countless millions of dollars in the cost of goods sold and was unjustly enriched by taking payment for more product than it delivers,” the suit states.
As fictitious Seinfeld attorney, Jackie Chiles would say, “This a clear violation of your rights as a consumer. It’s an infringement on your constitutional rights. It’s outrageous, egregious, preposterous!”
The suit doesn’t stop at lattes:
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today
Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.
