Maybe I am becoming a grumpy old man

I visited a coffee outlet, no prices were displayed.
I asked where are your prices? Response was, "What would you like"?
"I would like to see a price list"
"I can tell you what the price is if you tell me what you want"
"Why do you not have a price list displayed? Then we would not be having this conversation. Do you actually have a price list?"
She started to show signs of distress and started hurrying around the place looking for a price list.
"I do not understand why businesses have taken to not having prices displayed"
She eventually finds one under the counter and places it in front of me.
"This store used to have prices displayed on a board on the wall. That has been removed. I do not understand this business model."
Anyway, I ordered and paid, she went over to the "Barista"? they exchanged a few words whilst eyeballing this grumpy old man. 😄

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ArishMell · 70-79, M

I have not encountered a cafe that does not display prices, but I am at a loss to think why they should not.

It is hardly difficult and looking at the responses so far it's clear this is by some policy invented and ordained by remote pseuds-in-suits working in cabals with "Pseuds'-Corner"* titles like "Display Committee".

Which suggests to me, these outlets are in major chains run by mere spreadsheet-jockeys with "ologies" in "Business Studies" but not how to run a business, let alone how to treat customers.

I do not use the chains. I much prefer independent tea-rooms and coffee-shops, for individuality and better value. (I do not know which are the cheaper, but that's a different matter.) They also display their menus and prices.

I do though think it very pretentious having to speak in England what American "Display Committee" types think is Italian just by adding the letter 'o', just to ask for an ordinary cup of a beverage that was never North American, Italian or English until its imports started in the 18C.

'

*"Pseuds' Corner" is one of two similar pretension-puncturing columns in the British satirical magazine, Private Eye, and mainly drawing on business and the arts. Both work simply by quoting their victims' actual spoken or written words, no comment necessary. The other column, called 'Colemanballs' after a famous football commentator, is dedicated to the rhubarb spouted by over-excited sports-people, especially footballers, showing themselves no cleverer than they should be.