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great shakes corporation manila shake scam 2026
250 is the "tourist tax" version of the regular price, so just pay the posted rate next time & keep walking if he argues
Sampaloc stalls fold fast when u point at the board
Ask for the resibo first next time, but honestly 250 for a shake is robbery even in Makati.
resibo or walk, ermita stalls pull this daily
Robbery's right, but the real tell is he quoted you instead of pointing at the board, since legit stalls just charge what's posted.
Menu price vs what he quoted you is the tell. The "tourist special" line is a classic overcharge move, not a real promo, and 250 for a large shake is steep even by Manila standards. If you're still nearby, ask for a receipt with the itemized price, or just walk. Chalk it up as a cheap lesson.
yeah the receipt is the move, stalls along Pedro Gil & in Quiapo are worse for this than the mall spots. if he won't itemize just walk, there's a legit shake stand two blocks over charging 90
Good call on walking. One thing worth noting: the overcharge usually happens before you order, so agreeing to a quoted price is what locks it in. Point at the board and pay that amount, and the "special" disappears.
the itemized receipt thing only works at the bigger stalls, the sidewalk carts don't issue one at all
Cheap lesson is right, pero the receipt trick only works if you're near a proper stall; a roving guy with a blender has no resibo to give.
Manila cafe prices 2026: is 280 pesos for a shake normal?
Great Shakes is a bit pricey for Manila, but 280 for a large one is steep; a normal cafe shake runs 120 to 180.
yep, 280 is tourist-zone pricing; hit a carinderia or a stall in a mall food court and you'll pay closer to 90.
carinderias near universities like UST or UP Diliman are where you'd see 90, but a food court stall in a mall is closer to 120 to 150 these days. 90 at a mall is pretty optimistic now.
Agree on the range, though mall branches in Makati like Greenbelt tack on another 50 or so versus a standalone spot.
fair, though the Ayala malls food courts are cheaper than the standalone Greenbelt spots, so location inside the mall matters too.
120 to 180 sounds right for a basic fruit shake, but add pearls or avocado and you're pushing 220 even outside the business districts. Great Shakes just prices like a chain, so the 280 is less markup and more their menu.
honestly the chain thing tracks, but 280 still feels like BGC rent baked into teh cup rather than just pearls
tbh 120 to 180 sounds low for 2026