Aussies call out 'predatory' cafe trend costing you money
It's no surprise that cafes are getting more and more expensive.
They've always been a pricier way to go out for food, but should it really cost $40 for an eggs benny and a tea?
One Aussie has called out a sneaky trend taking over cafes, making prices even more shocking.
Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this.
Image: iStock.
RELATED: Melbourne local bamboozled by odd restaurant menu
'It's scammy and annoying'
An Aussie Reddit user has taken to the platform to vent about an annoying trend taking over cafes everywhere.
'Prices not getting displayed on food in cafes and bakeries?' they said in the post.
'I mean, it's been happening for a few years and I'm sure it's probably an Australia wide thing. I've noticed it with cafes all over the city that they deliberately don't display the prices.'
The poster noted how frustrating it is to have to ask for prices beforehand, or cop a surprise on the EFTPOS machine once you've already got the goods in your hands.
'You have to ask what that tiny falafel wrap in the window or small piece of lasagne or meat pie is going for,' they said.
'They know people hate asking and would rather just suck it up when the cost is displayed on the EFTPOS machine.
'F*ck it, I hate it. It's scammy and annoying. Even at airports all around the world the price is almost always displayed on their double priced shite.'
RELATED: People sick of 'unAustralian' trend entering Aussie dining
'It's very predatory'
Commenters on the post agreed that the act was frustrating, saying that it was both annoying and even predatory.
'So annoying!! I like to know pricing so I can decide accordingly!' one person said.
'Yeah, kinda annoying. Sometimes I see if they have a website, but like some cafes they don't display prices online either,' another agreed.
'It's very predatory, when the price is higher than you expected but you're already at the till, it's harder to speak up,' said another.
Others suggested these high prices may have even been the reason for it in many cases.
'Just presume it's code for 'we are so overpriced it's embarrassing',' said one commenter.
'I was charged $23 for coffee and a small cake. Floored. I paid it but never went back,' another shared.
'They know it's getting out of hand with pricing,' a third suggested.
What would you do?
As for how to deal with it, people had two suggestions.
You either ask to the point of being annoying.
'Just slowly roll through each item, asking for the price one at a time,' said one person.
'I blatantly ask for the price if it's not labeled. Idgaf,' another agreed.
Or, you simply choose another cafe.
'No price, no purchase,' one commenter said simply.
'Yep, it's a shady tactic. If they can't show the price up front, I just walk out,' another agreed.
'Walk out, leave a 1 star review on google mentioning the missing price. If enough customers would be doing that on a regular basis we would begin to see very readable price labels in every cafe and bakery pretty quickly,' a third asserted.
Originally published as Aussies call out 'predatory' cafe trend costing you money
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Courier-Mail
13 hours ago
- Courier-Mail
Jimmy Recard comes out on top after tough battle in Group 3 Vain Stakes at Caulfield
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. 'J.R., Jimmy Recard. Raise your glass for the king of the bar.' Art again proved prophetic after Jimmy Recard's latest win in Saturday's Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield. Jimmy Recard, named after a 2008 song by Perth hip hop artist Drapht, gave his large band of owners a third opportunity to celebrate a win when he denied Tycoon Star in a physical finish to the Vain Stakes. Pro Tips View All Aaron Mills - Last 28 Days Profit Profit 0 * ROI 0 Strike Rate 0 Units Tipped 0 Avg. Winner Odds 0 • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Tycoon Star looked set to post a first-up win when he got into the clear early in the straight but laid in over the last 200m while Jamie Melham drove Jimmy Recard along the inside section of the track. Tycoon Star bumped Jimmy Recard but the Ciaron Maher-trained colt had a half-head to spare on the line, posting his third win in four starts. 'I just think he's improving every time he runs,' Maher said of the Bennett Racing-syndicated three-year-old. 'We had notions of taking him for a stakes race in Adelaide but we thought we'd reset for the spring. 'He's certainly started the spring the right way.' Maher combined with Bennett Racing to race Southport Tycoon, who won two Group 1 races before heading to stand at Widden Stud. Maher hoped Jimmy Recard could improve sufficiently to follow Southport Tycoon to stud. 'I was at the stallion parades for Southport Tycoon yesterday when Widden were introducing him. Hopefully this can be the next one,' Maher said. 'He's certainly a very well-bred colt and he's a great type. 'He's got a bright future.' Tycoon Star's jockey Mark Zahra said the Lindsay Park-trained colt had his opportunity to win at his first start since the Group 1 Golden Slipper. 'He was going to win but he was first-up and the winner's come along the fence where nothing has come all day,' Zahra said. 'He was strong enough to the line but I think he had his chance, he's still green though.' R5 Caulfield (VIC) 1100m Prize: $200,000 Soft 6 View Form 1st 5. Jimmy Recard (1) T: Ciaron Maher J: Jamie Melham Margin - W SP $3.6 STAB $3.5 NSWTAB $3.5 QLDTAB $3.5 SB $3.4 2nd 1. Tycoon Star (2) T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes J: Mark Zahra Margin 0.25L W SP $5 STAB $5 NSWTAB $5 QLDTAB $5 SB $5.5 3rd 7. Express Class (4) T: Gerard Moloney J: Patrick Moloney Margin 1.75L W SP $13 STAB $12 NSWTAB $12 QLDTAB $12 SB $13 4th 6. Sonofkirk (7) T: A & S Freedman J: Jye McNeil Margin 1.77L W SP $5.5 STAB $6 NSWTAB $6 QLDTAB $6 SB $6 View All Runners Originally published as Jimmy Recard comes out on top after tough battle in Group 3 Vain Stakes at Caulfield
Sky News AU
a day ago
- Sky News AU
'Un-Australian' Labubu-themed vape shop opens across the road from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's office in Sydney
Illegal vape stores are becoming increasingly 'un-Australian', according to some Sydney locals who are furious over one shop just metres from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's electorate office. The newly opened store, named 'Labubu Stop & Shop', is located merely steps down the road from Mr Albanese's office in the suburb of Marrickville. Concerning to locals is the depiction of the popular children's toy smoking a cigarette on the shop front, amid the federal government's vape reforms aimed at reducing the health risks of vaping among young people. Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne on Instagram said he sent council compliance staff to the shop on Thursday to 'act on' its opening. "This is beyond belief," Mr Byrne wrote alongside a photo of the shop. "This is exactly why we are fighting to have the Government introduce a requirement for a development application (DA) to be submitted and approved before these shops can open. "At the moment all they have to submit is a change of use application (a basic form)." It comes as the NSW government this month tabled illegal vaping reforms in parliament, which could see a penalty of more than $1.5 million and seven years imprisonment for the commercial possession of illicit tobacco. Mr Byrne said he welcomes the state's proposed legislation to crack down on black market vapes and stores, but he is still fighting for more council DA powers to "stop the spread of these shops" in Sydney. In NSW, councils have limited power to stop vape stores from opening, which is why Mr Byrne has, for more than a year, proposed the DA plan which would see assessment and potential refusal of further stores. The Labubu Stop & Shop debate turned to Reddit, where one person quipped it could have at least displayed some relevance to Australia. "How un-Australian," they wrote of the Labubu reference, adding: "They should have Bluey and Bingo smashing down a durrie." The plush doll originated from Hong Kong, China, before soaring in popularity worldwide, while Bluey is a popular Aussie kids' show. "Imagine not only vaping but choosing a shop with a cartoon Labubu puffing away on the sign," another person said. Others argued while the toy is predominantly for children, it is possessed mainly by adults; therefore, the store would not appeal to young people. "Labubu isn't really a 'children's toy'; most people with them are grown-ups," one person said. "Plus, there are smoke shops with Mario and Luigi smoking blunts, and no one complains." The Marrickville shop is one of many which has made little effort to disguise the sale of vapes even after vaping reforms passed in 2024. The reforms limited vape sales to pharmacies and mandated consultations with pharmacists, effectively leading to black market boom. However, recent statistics show young people are smoking and vaping more than they were before the reforms came into effect. The data revealed more than one in 10 adults aged 18-24 are smoking cigarettes, marking a 36 per cent increase in less than a year. Sky has contacted Darcy Byrne and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's offices for comment.
Courier-Mail
a day ago
- Courier-Mail
Revealed: How Australia's new EV tax rollout will work
Don't miss out on the headlines from National. Followed categories will be added to My News. EXCLUSIVE Australia's new tax on electric vehicle drivers is set to kick off with a trial period for trucks before it stings cars. can reveal that the Albanese Government is looking at a staged rollout to test the proposed new EV tax and trucks will be the first cab off the rank. It is also interested in a new road user charge that sends price signals on the best time to be on the road, or the freeway. Over time, it could replace petrol taxes and apply to all cars based on distance travelled and when cars and trucks are on the road to tackle congestion. Don't miss a ding! Get all the latest Australian news as it happens — download the app direct to your phone. Free ride for EVs nearly over The free ride enjoyed by drivers of electric vehicles is coming to a close with Treasurer Jim Chalmers and state governments finalising plans for a new road-user charge. All Australian motorists who buy petrol and diesel at the bowser pay 51.6 cents a litre in fuel excise. But drivers of EV vehicles pay nothing. 'The status quo won't be sustainable over the next decade or two,'' Treasurer Jim Chalmers told 'As more and more people get off petrol cars and into EVs we've got to make sure that the tax arrangements support investment in roads. 'But we're in no rush, changes of this nature will be made, because the status quo won't work in 10 or 20 years.' Treasurer Jim Chalmers has shared some details of the government's plan. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman The Treasurer says roads won't keep up without a new system for charging users, with potholes like these in Sydney this week becoming more common. Picture: Richard Dobson The Treasurer made no secret of his support for a road user charge before the election, but favours a staged rollout of the changes. Based on a planned NSW road user scheme, a national rollout will depend on your mileage but might cost between $300 and $400 a year. Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said that electric vehicles are 'heavier and do more damage to the road network as a consequence than do internal combustion engine vehicles'. 'By giving drivers a clear signal about the cost of infrastructure, they would have an incentive to use it more efficiently,' the Productivity Commission report said. How does fuel excise work? The current rate of fuel excise is 51.6 cents in excise for every litre of fuel purchased. For a typical household with a car running on petrol, the tax costs more than $1200 a year. But the flat sales tax isn't paid by drivers of pure electric vehicles, who simply need to plug in their cars to recharge. While registration and driver's licence fees go to state and territory governments, fuel excise is collected by the federal government. Australian motorists paid an estimated $15.71 billion in net fuel excise in 2023-24, and are expected to pay $67.6 billion over the four years to 2026-27. However, governments have long-warned that a road-user charge will be required to fill the gap in the budget left by declining revenue from the fuel excise, as the petrol and diesel engines in new cars consume less fuel and Australians adopt hybrid and electric cars. Chinese tech to change EVs Rapid charging tech promised by China's CATL could put electric cars in top gear, as David McCowen reports. Video Player is loading. Play Video This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. X Learn More Loaded : 37.82% 0:00 00:00 / 00:00 Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. 00:26 SUBSCRIBER ONLY Chinese tech to change EVs China's... more CATL could put electric cars in top gear, as David McCowen reports. Rapid charging tech promised by... more ... more A road user charge is needed to fill the gap left by the decreasingly profitable fuel excise. Picture: NewsWire / Nicholas Eagar What does the AAA say? The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) is calling for a national approach to road-user charging but wants a guarantee the revenue will be earmarked for road upgrades. The AAA backs a distance-based road-user charging as a fairer and more equitable way to fund land transport infrastructure. The 2024 federal budget forecasted a reduction in fuel excise receipts by $470 million over four years from 2024-25. Roadblocks to reform Currently, New South Wales is the only state with firm plans to introduce a road-user charge from 2027 or when EVs reach 30 per cent of new car sales. Plug-in hybrid EVs will be charged a fixed 80 per cent proportion of the full road-user charge to reflect their vehicle type. Western Australia has also stated an intention to implement a road-user charge. Meanwhile, Victoria's electric vehicle levy had to be scrapped following a ruling from the High Court. Our road infrastructure must be maintained as heavier EVs do increasing damage. Picture: Alan Barber Two Victorian electric car owners launched a legal challenge on the basis the tax was not legal as it was an excise that only a federal government could impose. They won, with the High Court upholding the legal challenge. There have been several false starts to enshrine a road-user charge including in South Australia, where the former Liberal Government planned to introduce a charge for plug-in electric and other zero emission vehicles, which included a fixed component and a variable charge based on distance travelled. It was later pushed back to 2027 due to a backlash before the legislation was ultimately repealed. 'Gold standard' for reform Some experts argue the gold standard for reform is a variable rate that factors in the vehicle's mass, distance travelled, location, and time of day. But there's a big barrier to the Commonwealth imposing those charges because the Constitution prohibits it from imposing taxes that discriminate between states or parts of states. State governments could impose those levies, but as the experience of the Victorian Government underlines, it is legally complex. Originally published as How the Albanese Government plans to revolutionise the taxes you pay for driving a car
