CHICAGO — A Chicago woman is suing Starbucks for more than $5 million for allegedly underfilling its iced coffee, tea and blended drinks.
Plaintiff Stacy Pincus argues in the lawsuit, filed last week in federal court in Chicago, that the amount of ice Starbucks uses in its drinks means customers get less of the actual beverage.
Starbucks’ cold drink cups have three black lines on the outside that are intended to be fill lines for the beverage, and baristas typically fill the rest of the cup with ice. The lawsuit states that liquid filled to the top black line on a Venti cup typically only gives a customer 14 ounces of beverage, even though the stated ounce total on the menu is 24.
The lawsuit also takes issue with the fact that iced drinks cost more, even though they have less total liquid.
In a statement, Starbucks said it believes the plaintiff’s claims are “without merit.”
“Our customers understand and expect that ice is an essential component of any ‘iced’ beverage. If a customer is not satisfied with their beverage preparation, we will gladly remake it,” spokesman Reggie Borges said.
The lawsuit seeks class-action status.