Was dead set against paying $4.50 for a latte at my own shop until I saw what the cheap beans were doing to my morning rush

For 2 years I bought the budget espresso beans from Restaurant Depot, $28 for a 5lb bag. Told myself nobody could taste the difference. Then last March a regular straight up said my coffee tasted like burnt tires. Switched to a local roaster charging $14 a pound and my Saturday morning line goes out the door now. The profit margin is thinner but I'm moving triple the volume. Has anyone else eaten crow on a snobby upgrade they swore they'd never make?

3 comments

3 Comments

grantschmidt24d ago

$14 a pound is steep but my line is out the door too now.

the_jana20d ago

Wait, wait... did you say $20? Like actually $20 a pound somewhere? I mean I knew things were getting bad but that's just... wow. My supplier just bumped me up to $14 and I about lost it, thought that was the ceiling.

lucaslee24d ago

Read they're paying $20+ in some markets now.