Probe after Abu Dhabi coffee drinkers complain of extra charges

Starbucks customers are angry after finding out about hidden charges for extras they did not order, sparking an investigation by Abu Dhabi authorities.

Starbucks customers are up in arms over being charged for 'extras' added to their orders without their knowledge. Christopher Pike / The National

ABU DHABI // Consumer protection chiefs are investigating complaints that a leading coffee-shop chain is charging customers for “extras” that they never ordered.

Options such as whipped cream, caramel and a medium-strength brew can add as much as Dh20 to the price of a simple cup of coffee.

Najat Al Tamimi, 26, ordered a white caramel mocha at Starbucks on Hamdan Street in Abu Dhabi. The coffee cost Dh17, but she was charged Dh34.

“I don’t usually check my bill but this time I did and found that I was charged Dh15 for three caramel shots, which I never ordered,” she said.

“This is complete neglect on my part. I trusted them. I didn’t know I was actually paying for any of this.”

Ms Al Tamimi was also charged an extra Dh2 for medium-strength coffee, which she did not request. She complained and was refunded the Dh17 she was overcharged.

At another Starbucks branch in the capital, Mohammed Ahmed, 24, was asked to pay Dh17 for a double-shot classic coffee — a drink that should cost only Dh10.

“Generally, I like my coffee medium. That is why I said yes to her when she asked if I wanted medium coffee. I didn’t know I was charged for that,” Mr Ahmed said.

Abdulrahman Anwars, 58, from Sudan, ordered a caramel macchiato and a skimmed mocha cookie crumble. He should have been charged Dh39, but he was asked to pay Dh48. On his bill it said the extra charges were for whipped cream and two shots of Kenya-strength coffee.

“If they charge for all the extras, then I will keep my orders simple in the future,” he said. “I will specifically say that I do not want whipped cream or medium strength coffee.” Customers said that while the extra charges might not seem high, it was a matter of principle.

“Why should I pay extra for something I didn’t order? It’s not a lot of money, I know, but I order coffee every day. If you add all the money together, it is a large sum at the end of the month about Dh500,” Maryam Al Neyadi said.

A Starbucks spokesman said staff were trained to ask customers if they wanted extras, but there was no pressure to agree.

“Our aim at Starbucks is to offer our customers the best possible experience — and often, this includes telling them about a new product we may have, or offering them additional options they may not know about. There’s absolutely no pressure to take these options.”

The spokesman could not say if staff were obliged to advise customers of the extra charges. “I don’t have an answer to that. I don’t know of any retail place where they actually say that the additions will be charged.”

He said Starbucks would take customers’ complaints into consideration.

Consumer protection chiefs say retailers have no right to charge for something without telling the customer first. “They must mention every price to the customer verbally,” the Department of Economic Development in Abu Dhabi said.

“As a consumer, it is your simplest right to be fully aware of the price of the service or product before consuming it.”

In general, the department said customers could lodge a complaint if they were not satisfied with any service.

“The first step has to be taken by the consumers themselves. They should ask for a clear justification behind the charges that were added to the bill.

“If the customer is satisfied, then that is it. If they wish to complain, they can reach our consumer protection department.”

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