Starbucks in hot water for coffee-to-ice-ratio in its iced coffee
Iced coffee generally follows a simple recipe: Coffee + ice.
But every great chef (or barista) knows that the ratios of your ingredients matter.
With that in mind, Starbucks has been hit by a lawsuit that claims the company has been loading up its drinks with too much ice.
You May Also Like
"A Starbucks customer who orders a Venti cold drink receives only 14 fluid ounces of that drink — just over half the advertised amount, and just over half the amount for which they are paying," the lawsuit argues.
Starbucks fired back in a statement sent to CNN on Monday.
"Our customers understand and expect that ice is an essential component of any 'iced' beverage. If a customer is not satisfied with their beverage preparation, we will gladly remake it," said Starbucks spokesperson Jamie Riley.
Reps for Starbucks did not immediately respond to our request for comment.
The lawsuit, first reported by Courthouse News Service, was filed by Stacey Pincus in Northern Illinois Federal Court last week.
It is a class-action lawsuit, meaning just about anybody who has purchased an iced beverage from Starbucks in the last decade can join.
"Starbucks is advertising the size of its cold drink cups on its menu, rather than the amount of fluid a customer will receive when they purchase a cold drink — and deceiving its customers in the process," the lawsuit claims.
Pincus is seeking damages that could surpass $5 million.
This is far from the first time that Starbucks has been sued for its drinks. In March, two people filed a similar suit claiming the company had been underfilling its lattes.
Others have alleged more serious claims such as serving coffee tainted with cleaning solution and that the company had discriminated against deaf customers.
Some of the more legitimate lawsuits have resulted in settlements with Starbucks. In 2009, the company paid $120,000 to an employee that had claimed to have been subject to racial discrimination.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
Jason Abbruzzese is a Business Reporter at Mashable. He covers the media and telecom industries with a particular focus on how the Internet is changing these markets and impacting consumers. Prior to working at Mashable, Jason served as Markets Reporter and Web Producer at the Financial Times. Jason holds a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University and an M.A. in International Affairs from Australian National University.
