Key takeaways
What Affects Pricing?
Like regular coffee, various factors can affect the price of cold brew coffee, including sourcing, demand, labor, equipment, and overhead.
One of the most influential factors affecting coffee prices in recent years has been weather. Coffee requires very specific conditions to grow and is primarily sourced from an area known as the “bean belt,” which lies between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Extreme weather, including both droughts and flooding, has put a strain on coffee production over the past few years, but demand has continued to grow.
How Cold Brew Pricing Differs from Regular Coffee
Unlike regular coffee, cold brew coffee takes significantly longer to prepare. Instead of steeping ground coffee in hot water, cold brew coffee is brewed with either cold or room-temperature water, and therefore requires a much longer steeping period, typically between 12 and 24 hours.
This slow extraction is what creates a less acidic, more desirable, and smoother-tasting coffee. However, it also requires more time and storage, making it difficult for restaurants to prepare for unexpected demand. On the other hand, it also has a longer shelf life compared to drip coffee.
All of these factors mean that cold brew is sold at a premium.
Cold Brew, with a median price of $5.53 in October 2025, is 55% higher than regular coffee at $3.57, and its price is growing faster annually (4.7% vs. 3.2%).
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About the Toast Menu Price Monitor
The Menu Price Monitor, powered by Toast, uncovers key menu pricing trends across the restaurant industry through aggregated sales data from restaurants on the Toast platform, which has approximately 156,000 locations as of Sept. 30, 2025. This information is provided for general informational purposes only, and publication does not constitute an endorsement. Toast does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of any information, text, graphics, links, or other items contained within this content. Individual results may vary. Toast does not guarantee you will achieve any specific results if you follow any advice herein. It may be advisable for you to consult with a professional such as a lawyer, accountant, or business advisor for advice specific to your situation. The Toast Menu Item Price Tracker does not indicate Toast's operational performance or its reported financial metrics.
