Raising prices...

I announced to my customers today that most drinks will be increased by $.25 as of Monday, February 7th.  When I bought Island Espresso (now The Oly Bean), the prices were so low to begin with. I didn't raise them when I first bought the business because I was afraid of doing too many changes at once. Some people don't like change, so I am trying to go in this with as much ease as possible. Money is such a sensative issue with people...even an amount as small as $.25.

I will also be offering a pre-paid card that includes a discount on coffee. Pre-pay for 9 drinks with a .$25 per drink discount, and receive the 10th drink free. This pre-paid card will allow customers who get the same drink everytime to still take advantage of the old pricing.

As always, we will continue to offer no charge for flavor or whip, and an extra shot of espresso is still only $.25.

Even with raising the drink prices by $.25, our prices will still be much cheaper than others. My husband and I went to a coffee shop in Hawks Prairie and our two drinks together came to almost $10! I couldn't believe it. With the new prices at The Oly Bean, an iced 16oz quad white chocolate and an iced double 12oz iced americano with extra ice and 1 inch of soy it would cost $5.75...Now if she charged my drink as a white chocolate mocha instead of an americano AND charged me extra for soy, it would still only be $8 at The Oly Bean.  I went to a coffee shop in Gig Harbor and I ordered an iced 12oz double white chocolate with soy...a $3.75 drink at The Oly Bean...and was charged a whopping $4.95!

One more example: A customer told me the other day he stopped by The Oly Bean after we had already closed so he went to another coffee shop around the corner. He ordered the same thing he always orders; a 16oz vanilla chai. His total at The Oly Bean is $3.50...but at this other place, it came to $5.85! Five dollars and eighty-five cents! Now, I know this stand DOES charge $.50 just to use debit/credit cards. So let's say they didn't have that charge...that still makes his drink $5.35. Over $5.00 for a very basic drink? What if he needs soy? $5.35+$.50 debit/credit charge+$.50 soy charge= $6.35...over $6.00 for a drink? That is an official O-M-G moment right there.