Yep, I'll not be going back to that place, ever. The thing is, the list of places I'll not return is getting bigger than the list of places I'll use. Sign of the times. I wouldn't have minded if I paid $22 for what I got. It would have seemed about right; still high, but acceptable. $34? Well, I'll not be back, not even for a cup of their good coffee.
You make a good point about the way the smaller serves or decline in quantity or packaged items are disguised. It happens here. Great new look, in advertising is code for smaller portion, new packaging to disguise smaller portion. Assholes.
We don't tip here. A part time/casual cafe worker (wait staff/counter) earns $30/he and will generally get 20-25 hours a week. If they had to rely on tips most would go unrewarded as most don't meet my standard. Surly, lack of eye contact, zero care-factor, forgetfulness, lack of politeness, ignorance...I'll not reward that. I've little patience for bad service and usually address it.
I was surprised that you did not say you let them know what you thought of their pricing as you left, appropriately of course.
There are some items that you wouldn't think would be that big of deal for there to be less, but there is an item here called sweetened condensed milk that had been used in some baked goods for generations. It always came in the same size can and then, without notice, there was an ounce or so less and the company just slightly tapered the can on one end. It truly looked the same at a glance, however, those same generations had passed down recipes that called for "1 can of" sweetened condensed milk. I am wondering how many recipes were ruined by not coming out right, because bakers didn't notice the first time. After that you think, just buy two, but then you have the majority of the rest of the second can leftover. Now what are you going to do with that ??? So really, sometimes it matters, maybe not in the grand scheme of life, but it certainly can affect more than you would think for such a little change.
I know you wanted to know about sweetened condensed milk while on your trip.
You're welcome.
It's a fair point, but I guess my thought was to let them know in a different way, by not going back. It's interesting, businesses wonder why they go bust after the fact, when really that had all the information they needed all along. They're like, less customers, we better charge more and give less. Ok, a good business model until it's not.
Nope, they don't deserve the heads up, they'll just close eventually.
We have sweetened condensed milk here too, probably the exact brand you have. We get it in tubes and cans...I used to eat it from the tube as a kid.
It's this sort of thing, can tapering, the subtle change in packaging, that heralds the real change, the smaller quantity. It happens all over and that's just what we know about. Imagine if we knew what corners they were cutting in the ingredient and manufacturing aspects. A little alarming I'd say.