Economy

Charted: Starbucks Price Inflation (2014-2024)

Published

4 weeks ago

December 27, 2024

Kayla Zhu

Article/Editing:

Niccolo Conte

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

Use This Visualization

How Have Starbucks Prices Changed Since 2014?

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Once known for their affordability, fast food prices have climbed steadily over the years, making quick meals and sweet treats considerably less budget-friendly.

A prime example is Starbucks, where the cost of 10 popular menu items has seen a notable rise from 2014 to 2024, as highlighted in this visualization.

The data comes from Finance Buzz and was accessed in May 2024.

FinanceBuzz analyzed menu prices from 2014, 2019, and 2024 for 10 items available consistently across those years, sourcing data from menu price websites, restaurant official sites, and archived records via the Wayback Machine.

Starbucks’ Rising Prices

Below, we show the price increases of 10 different Starbucks menu items according to Finance Buzz.

Menu Item	Price Increase	2014 Price	2024 Price
Cake Pop	97%	1.50	2.95
Bagel	80%	1.25	2.25
Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich	44%	2.95	4.25
Spinach & Feta Breakfast Wrap	37%	3.25	4.45
Tall Mocha Frappuccino	32%	3.75	4.95
Venti Chai Tea	30%	3.95	5.15
Grande Caffe Latte	22%	3.65	4.45
Grande Caffe Mocha	19%	4.15	4.95
Venti Caramel Macchiato	17%	4.65	5.45
Tomato and Mozzarella Sandwich	15%	5.45	6.25

Starbucks customers are now shelling out considerably more for food items than in the past.

Food items like bagels, sandwiches, and wraps took up the top four spots among the franchise’s menu items that saw the greatest cost increases in the past 10 years.

Starbucks cake pops saw the greatest surge in price, jumping 97% in price in the last 10 years from $1.50 to almost $3. Meanwhile, tall mocha frappuccinos increased by 32% since 2014, the steepest price increase among all Starbucks drinks.

Customers have been expressing their frustration at Starbucks’ steep price increases in recent years, as prices for iced coffees and lemonades reached about $6.

The company has been experiencing challenges in sales, with a 3% drop in global sales at stores open for at least a year, and a 2% drop in North American sales during its 2024 fiscal year.

Starbucks announced a leadership change in August 2024, with Brian Niccol, the former CEO of Chipotle, officially taking over as CEO and chairman on September 9, succeeding Laxman Narasimhan, who stepped down after just over a year amid declining sales and stock performance.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about fast food inflation over the years, check out this graphic that shows the average price increase of 10 menu items of 10 American fast food chains.