Café Table Seating Surcharge

• Pricimo Score
  Overpriced

The hidden cost of sitting down in Switzerland

Café table seating across Zürich comes with a price penalty that catches tourists off guard. While the extreme Italian-style dual pricing (€1 standing vs €5 seated) isn’t standard in Switzerland, the overall pricing makes every coffee decision expensive.

Swiss coffee prices are brutal regardless: a standard espresso runs CHF 3.40–4, while a cappuccino costs CHF 4.80–5.50—roughly 3–5 times what you’d pay in Italy. Zurich ranks among Switzerland’s priciest cities for coffee, averaging CHF 5.50 compared to CHF 3 in eastern regions. That casual “let’s grab a coffee” can easily hit CHF 15-20 for two people.

WHY AVOID: You’re not paying for better coffee—you’re paying Swiss wages and prime real estate rent. The quality is good, but the value ratio is terrible. PRICE RANGE: CHF 4-8 per coffee, CHF 8-15 for coffee + pastry.

Better alternative: Order at the counter and take your coffee standing (Italian-style) when possible, or grab takeaway. Migros/Coop restaurants have decent coffee for CHF 2-3. Many specialty roasters offer better quality at similar prices to tourist cafés.

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