Interesting responses from some of the 'consumer' posters to this thread... I think its right that if as a cafe owner we pay say $15 an hr for a barista we have to expect that person to not necessarily stay long or see the employment as a Career when often they can get paid better money for less skilled jobs elsewhere... That said, if wages were at a level in ALL cafes (and I include the franchises in this who pay their staff peanuts under AWAs and Enterprise Agreements) that made the job financially attractive, then the end product would certainly end up costing significantly more than the $3 most consumers are prepared to part with for a small coffee.... During the past 5 months, raw cost of goods has gone up significantly (milk being the main increasing commodity when it comes to coffee), and yet there is still a 'glass ceiling' when it comes to take away and eat in coffee prices. However, its not just coffee.... look at the near 10% increase in the wholesale price of a can of Coca Cola and yet as consumers we still expect that to cost around $2.80. I believe its about time we started paying baristas more as it is a highly skilled and unfortunately undervalued occupation.... at the same time however, I think consumers have to start paying a realistic price for what is in many cafes an artisan gourmet drink, created with flair, dedication and passion, which reflects the amount of time, effort, training, and cost of raw goods cafe owners have to commit to in producing the product and servicing the public at large.
