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What happened at Cafe Fifty Two?
In its 8 November 2024 report, PerthNow said a customer complained in a negative review about being charged A$12 for two large mochas. Jones, identified as the cafe’s co-owner, responded in a social-media video. PerthNow reported that the video had received more than 125,000 views in two days; that figure describes reported reach, not how viewers felt about the dispute.
The original customer review and the complete video are not available in the cited reporting. Details about the customer or the precise exchange beyond PerthNow’s account therefore cannot be confirmed.
What did the owner say about the price?
Jones said the drinks were large takeaway coffees, the customer chose alternative milk, and the cafe had not raised its prices in more than a year. PerthNow quoted her saying, “We haven’t changed our prices in over a year, and it’s industry-standard prices, so I don’t know what he’s not happy about.” The claim that the prices were industry-standard was Jones’s assertion; the report did not provide a price survey to verify it.
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Jones also defended the alternative-milk charge, saying the cafe paid more for specialty options. Her explanation, as reported by PerthNow, was: “How is it a joke that alternative milks cost more? As a café, we pay a premium for these specialty options, which is why they come at a slightly higher price. We want to ensure we’re providing quality choices, but unfortunately, the cost difference for alternatives is real.” That is the owner’s stated rationale, not independently documented supplier-cost information.
PerthNow said Jones told the customer to buy coffee elsewhere next time. The article also described a lively comment debate: some people objected to alternative-milk surcharges, while others pointed to cafes’ operating costs. Those reactions were opinions in an online discussion, not a representative survey or evidence of the cafe’s actual costs.
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Was A$12 for two coffees expensive?
The reported transaction works out to A$6 per drink, but that average alone does not settle whether the bill was fair: the account specifies large mochas and an alternative-milk choice, and individual customers may judge value differently. The available sources do not establish the precise order details independently or provide a contemporaneous comparison with similar cafes in Sydney. There is therefore no basis here to call the price either an industry norm or an outlier.
What Cafe Fifty Two’s later menu shows
The cafe’s official December 2025 menu lists mochas at A$5.30 small, A$6.10 medium and A$7.40 large, with alternative milk priced at an extra A$1. Under that later menu, two large mochas with alternative milk would total A$16.80. This is a calculation from prices listed in December 2025, not evidence of what the customer ordered or paid in 2024.
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The menu also states that a 10% public-holiday surcharge applies. The later prices offer a dated point of comparison only; they cannot be used to revise the A$12 transaction reported by PerthNow. An October 2024 menu surfaced separately with lower coffee prices, but it does not establish the exact drinks, sizes or modifications involved in the reported order.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why a cafe owner might answer a bad review publicly
An online review can prompt a business owner to explain a charge to prospective customers as well as to the reviewer. In a later ABC Radio National segment, “The power of an online review,” Jones appeared as Cafe Fifty Two’s co-owner in Narwee alongside Professor Gary Mortimer, a retail consumer behaviour expert at QUT Business School. The segment provides context for the broader subject, but its page does not establish a specific statistic about how reviews change purchasing decisions.
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For this particular dispute, the documented point is that Jones chose to respond publicly and that PerthNow reported substantial early video reach. Neither fact shows whether the response changed customers’ views or affected the cafe’s sales.
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Sources and dated context
- PerthNow’s 8 November 2024 report is the source for the reported transaction, Jones’s comments and the video-view figure.
- ABC Radio National’s “The power of an online review” page lists Jones and Professor Gary Mortimer as participants.
- Cafe Fifty Two’s official website describes the business as being in Narwee and promotes Toby’s Estate coffee. Its hours and other current details may change.
- The official December 2025 menu provides the later mocha and alternative-milk prices.
- The surfaced October 2024 menu gives a separate dated price snapshot, but does not resolve the order details in the report.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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