“For some espresso drinks, Starbucks will charge you less when they give you more”

Phrased another way: You can order the exact same drink two different ways, and pay two different prices, according to food/drink writer Carlos Alcala. He writes:

You could ask for a tall Americano with an extra shot. Three shots, the rest water. Starbucks likes to charge $2.30 for this.

But wait! You can get it cheaper. If you order a grande Americano, which comes in a cup holding about 16 ounces, you will also get three shots, the rest water.

What if you ask for a grande, but ask them to reduce the water, so you can get it stronger?

Well, then you will be charged $2, the grande price.

If you drink just one of these per day, that’s more than $100 (usd) over the course of a year.

This column has my head spinning, but maybe you can make sense of it. And even care.