As Starbucks remains to be one of the most popular franchises in North America, there is no question of the amount of money the chain must make. Ranging across all 50 states, there is a plethora of locations to choose from for all customers. With all of this chance for profit, however, it leads individuals to wonder why the prices of the items remain so high.

Starbucks drinks typically range from $5-$6, of course some more expensive and some less. Their food is also on the pricey side with a sandwich costing $7.65. Although these prices are high compared to some of their competitors, it does not prevent individuals from frequenting Starbucks.

“I sometimes go to Starbucks 4 times in one week,” Senior Addison Munson said.

From May 7th to 11th Starbucks released a promotion declaring all flavors of cold foam to be free, removing the typical $1.25 upcharge. Despite many people being grateful for the discount, it also left the question of whether or not the upcharge is really necessary.

“I wish that instead of taking away the cost of cold foam for a few days, they just reduced the price of the drinks all together. This is a sign of the recession,” Senior McKenna Culkin said.

This isn’t the first promotion Starbucks has employed, either. The summer of 2023 they declared all cold drinks 50% off every Wednesday after 12pm. Decreasing the price by so much increased the pondering of whether they need the high prices year round. 

“I remember when drinks were half priced. That was super nice,” Culkin added.

It is undeniable that Starbucks is a booming business with no signs of slowing down in success. Considering the amount of customers they have, paired with the cost of the drinks, it becomes understandable why the franchise is able to put these promotions in motion. The question, however, remains of how many more promotions Starbucks will put in place before simply lowering their prices.