Trevor Paddenburg
April 05, 2013
PerthNow
THE cost of a coffee has now topped $7, prompting a storm of complaints about pricey Perth.
Cafe Del Pescatore in Manning St, Scarborough is charging $7.25 for a flat white or cappuccino in a mug.
Workers claim it is a fair price for a top-quality, large, double-shot coffee, served in a relaxed setting by friendly staff.
But many diners begged to differ, labelling the hefty price tag “extortion” and a “rip off”.
Hundreds of people commented on the costly coffees after a picture of a receipt was posted by the Facebook group Fed Up Perth.
“What a rip off!!” Paul Skerrett said.
Miguel Martin wrote: “See you in hell.”
“Perth is a joke on all levels for price , service and food quality…. Melbourne every time!!” said Tracey Galati.
Kelly Brown wrote: “Way too expensive. They are situated in a tourist area and perhaps think they can take advantage. As a local though we won’t eat there after leaving after one visit and thinking the same thing about the prices, especially the kids’ meals.”
Other responses included:
* Are you kidding me?! That is outrageous!
* Holy duckbills. That’s an entire meal in Texas.
* Ah the boom state!! Disgraceful price gouging.
* After coming back to Perth to live after eight years away, I can’t believe the cost of everything here. So ridiculous!!!
But not everyone was outraged.
One diner wrote: “I love the exquisite food and service and the gorgeousness of cafes in Perth! I feel lucky to be able to have cafes that serve us coffee in the mornings. I appreciate cafe owners waking up at five am to open their cafés at seven am to make coffee for me!”
Owner and manager Nick Fiore said the $7.25 included a 10 per cent public holiday surcharge and on normal days regular coffees cost $3.90 and mugs cost $6.60.
“A mug is two shots of coffee and nearly double the size of the normal cup, so it’s only fair to charge more,” he said.
“On public holidays, you’re paying staff double time and triple time, so you have to add on a surcharge.
“We do 450 to 480 people on a Sunday and we go through about 15kg of coffee beans a week. It’s got to be pretty good and the beans we use aren’t cheap.
“I’ve never had a complaint on coffee. Isn’t it sad, some people want it for nothing. They don’t want to pay.
“I’ve been here 20 years. I don’t advertise. I have a very good business with quality food. There’s always the one to two per cent you won’t please no matter what you do.”
Mr Fiore said the mining boom had made running a restaurant in Perth more expensive and it was unfair to compare coffee prices to Melbourne.
“Wages are higher. The dishwasher wants more money or he goes to the mines. The head chef, you have to pay $100,000 or he goes to the mines.
“I’m only doing my best, and so far so good.”
COFFEE BUYER HITS BACK
However, the man who posted his receipt on Facebook, Ben Jones, told PerthNow the public holiday surcharge was a “furphy”.
“The day I went there was a Saturday, so unless Mr Fiore’s staff are surcharging people on days that aren’t public holidays, he hasn’t got a leg to stand on,” Mr Jones said.
“That said, I’m used to paying a fair bit for coffee and wouldn’t have batted an eyelid at something over $5 a pop for two large coffees, but when you’re looking at almost $15 for two drinks I felt like a line had been crossed somewhere.
“The coffee itself was fine but nothing to rave about. I worked in cafes for three or four years as a bartender and a barista while I was at uni so, while I don’t have Mr Fiore’s experience, I have an idea of the challenges faced by businesses like his.
“I don’t have it in for Mr Fiore’s business but by sharing the photo I wanted other people to know what I experienced and hopefully he can turn it into a positive for the business somehow.
“However, when your first defence of a criticism of your business is to say how sad it is that people ‘want something for nothing’ I don’t have high hopes and it’s a bit of an indictment of customer service.
“You can’t please everyone but I think the reaction from people on social media shows a lot of people wouldn’t have been pleased if they’d been me.”
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