Billions of Bungling Bufoons @ Barista!

This is probably the 5th time I've had a similar experience at a Barista/Lavazza outlet in Bombay - driving me to finally write about it somewhere.

These idiots have two types of coffees under every name. I have a Caffe Laate normally. Now they have a normal Caffe Laate and a Lavazza Caffe Laate. And both of them have a large difference in pricing. So a normal one will be 70 post tax and a lavazza one will be 110 post tax.

No issues here - im sure loads of people would want the lavazza tag and dont mind the cost. But I just want a simple cup of coffee. So I go there and ask for a caffe laate.

I get a mug of coffee - good coffee - no probs there.

When I get the bill I'm charged 110. Why? Did I ever ask for a Lavazza Laate? NO! But cause I asked for a Laate and a lavazza laate is also a laate, the whiz kid thinks its good to give me the most expensive laate thats there on the menu.

Good Coffee chains across the world make customers think about which coffee they want to have - but through variety. de-caff, sweet, sugar free, cream or milk, and so on. These idiots make me think about saving myself from being swindled. Its not about the money, but why would the counter boy decide that I want a Lavazza coffee when I see no difference between the two and therefore would not want to pay the extra charge!

The uniformity with which this happens convinces me that this is a corporate policy - its Barista's way of doubling revenues in a sence. Make all customers pay 1.5 times the price of a normal Laate and there you go. Revenues doubling in a wink!

I prefer the Barista atmo to a CCD anyday - but this problem will ensure that I will visit a CCD if its nearby. I'll visit a Barista only if there isn't any other Coffee shop nearby.