Years ago, I shared why the Forum Shops Starbucks was better than any of the others on the Las Vegas Strip. Sadly, that location has since closed, taking its savings with it. However, there is some good news for the long list of Starbucks lovers visiting Sin City as many of the casino locations now accept mobile orders. Interestingly, though, this feature allowed me to spy the huge pricing discrepancy that exists between resorts and locations.
It goes without saying that Starbucks on the Strip are bound to charge more than your local shop. But I was honestly shocked to see how pricing varied. On the whole, it looked as though Starbucks found at MGM-owned properties were significantly cheaper than those owned by Caesars. Meanwhile, other locations (such as at Venetian, Mirage, etc.) were somewhere in the middle.
So just how big of a difference are we talking? I pulled up a dummy for a tall pistachio latte, which would have cost me $6.25 at MGM Grand (where I was staying). Amazingly, the exact same drink at Flamingo was going for $10.45!
Now, the Flamingo isn’t exactly a high-end property, so I was curious what a more prestigious location would cost. To my surprise, looking at the Bellagio (which is owned by MGM), our test latte would indeed be $6.25. The fact that coffee would be 40% cheaper at the Bellagio than the Flamingo blows my mind.
If the MGM pricing still sounds a bit steep to you, I may have more good news. As I confirmed during my stay, your mobile order may still be eligible for special Starbucks offers. For example, on Thursday, the coffee chain had a deal where members could get a grande latte for $3. Sure enough, when I punched up my order for an MGM Grand location, this coupon was available to me and activated without issue. Similarly, it looks as though you can redeem your Stars toward purchases made with mobile orders — although I didn’t actually try this one for myself.
I realize that most people in need of their morning coffee probably aren’t too willing to compare mobile order locations to find the cheapest option. For those people, I’d recommend something like my in-room coffee setup that consists of a collapsible kettle and an Aeropress Go. That way, you can get your fix for a fair price before starting your Vegas adventure. But, if you’re walking the Strip and looking for a pick-me-up treat, I’d definitely recommend sampling different Starbucks locations via the app so you that you can get a more reasonable price.