Cup of Gloom

 

 

 

Illustration: Minal Shetty

Your coffee can now give you a jolt well after you’ve drained the cup, when you’re paying your bill. The ordinary non-AC restaurants raised prices up to 50 percent (Rs. 10-12 to Rs. 15-17), but with their far lower base prices, that’s not too bad. (Roadside coffee has also suffered: In the metros, a little glassful of oversweet, brew now costs around Rs. 6 instead of Rs. 4.) The upmarket multi-city franchises have lower rises in percentage terms, but considering they’re overpriced anyway, you’re still talking about a basic coffee at well over Rs. 40. Fancy boutiquey coffee bars, however, have had no qualms about socking it to the buyer. Some prices are close to double last year’s tab. Talk about draining the bitter cup.