A Frothing Robbery? Starbucks Served With Lawsuit

Is this the first time Starbucks has been in trouble for not providing enough hot water?

Benjamin Robles and Siera Strumlauf are taking Starbucks to court.

But, this is not your regular ‘hot coffee’ case. The Golden State pair are claiming that they have been routinely cheated by the world-famous coffee company because they do not receive as-advertised lattes.

The issue stems from their belief that Starbucks consistently underfills its drinks, short-changing customers who expect either a twelve-, sixteen- or twenty-ounce coffee.

“Starbucks lattes are made from a standardized recipe, which Starbucks instituted in 2009 to save on the cost of milk – one of its most expensive ingredients,” the suit alleges.

“To create a latte, the standardized recipe requires Starbucks baristas to fill a pitcher with steamed milk up to an etched ‘fill to’ line.

“Stated otherwise, the etched ‘fill to’ lines in the pitchers are too low, by several ounces.”

Interestingly, the lawsuit is trying to argue that milk foam should not be considered when determining a drink’s volume.

“In the food science community, as well as in the weights and measures community, foam is not measured on a volumetric basis.

“Rather, it is measured by mass. When food scientists – and weights and measures inspectors – measure a liquid with foam, the industry-standard procedure is to let the foam dissipate…then measure the resulting liquid.

“Under this analysis, milk foam cannot compensate for an otherwise underfilled latte.”

Robles and Strumlauf  have gone big with the lawsuit, claiming that Starbucks should be held liable for fraud. If approved, it is likely to pave the way for everybody who purchased a latte from Starbucks to join the cause.

A Starbucks spokesperson had the following to say on the matter: “We are aware of the plaintiffs’ claims, which we fully believe to be without merit.”

Only in the United States?

What we would like to know is this: If milk foam does not count as volume, then heaven help companies that serve cappuccinos!