A whole new set of options right in front of your eyes!
Sounds cliché but rings true, coffee shops are more than just coffee shops. In my years of experience, I’ve talked with hundreds of clients, owners, managers, you name it! Each one of them tends to choose their favorite coffee shops with different criteria. Starting with a good cup of Joe, the friendly baristas, even the music or atmosphere. In other words, people are looking for an experience, something that can transcend and have a meaningful impact within their daily lives. Looking for this whole package can be demanding for business operators, but it’s a healthy process.
As owners of a coffee shop you’ll see huge benefits for this in the long run! Let’s see what else we can sell in a coffee shop below.
Another thing worth mentioning, success not only depends exclusively on quality coffee, it goes way beyond. Nowadays, customers tend to pick restaurants with free Wi-Fi connection available, charging ports and cosy furniture, just to mention a few upgrades, making the coffee shop business more competitive and engaging than ever. And yes, all that stuff is kind of overwhelming, that’s how the market is responding to the needs of modern coffee lovers, and believe me, there are more things to take into account.
At the moment you have the perfect coffee to serve, and that’s a good start, but as you may know, this is not sufficient to cover the full costs of running a successful coffee shop. In fact, coffee works as an entrance, a gateway for the masses, the perfect invitation for anyone who wants to come and enjoy a few hours, without stress and the hassle of the modern days. Now, what happens if your clients want something extra? What about if they want to enhance the experience? Are you prepared for those demands? Prepare yourself with the demands of your customers with some of the things you can sell below!
Ready? Here we go.
1. Delicious Desserts
The awesome field of desserts is a unique world by itself, always interesting and new, the number of creations you can come up with is just endless, and the best part is that people love to have some of them with a cup of coffee on the side, the perfect combination for a Monday morning just before work.
Let’s begin with a fan favorite, cookies are a great option for your starting lineup, who doesn’t love them? You can make chocolate cookies, butter cookies, oatmeal cookies, anything you can think of. Remember to always apply an efficient rotation to your supply, freshness is extremely important in this case, as it’s extremely easy to spot a product that has been on the shelf for too long.
Another classic: Donuts. customers love these and the variety is quite vast. Donuts also make a perfect match with good coffee, and its international appeal is very effective with tourists visiting your town. The idea behind all these alternatives is to provide different choices for the amount of customers going in every day, proposals that can relate to what they really want, you can ask them directly, or by sharing beautiful little cards in which these customers can answer particular questions, such as: What other options would you like to see on our menu?
The feedback can surprise you, some people like cupcakes, others love cheesecakes, it’s a matter of collecting that information, and using it to your advantage.
2. Healthy Sandwiches
Having this wonderful item on your menu will open new possibilities to scale your business, because you will expand the whole experience of your coffee shop to different levels, in regards to demand. Some just want to come by and grab an espresso, but there are others who really want to stay, have a chat and to even eat something healthy, and you need to be there to fulfill that petition.
Sandwiches come in many sizes, shapes, and forms, and that is great, because you can be as original as possible, combining the type of bread you like the most, with the ingredients that go best with your ideas. One great tip is to have an established menu for people to choose, this will ease the amount of work, while helping you achieve consistent results.
3. Tea, Hot & Cold
Another great option to have on your side, and just like coffee, tea has a great demand, and some kind of a cult following, I know many people that can go almost political, talking about this fabulous drink. Various tea infusions can be used as a cheer me up drink, while others are great for relaxation, thanks to its natural antioxidants; in other words, a healthy addition to your menu that a large number of clients will choose.
Make sure to have it available for both climates, I mean hot and cold; as we mentioned before, customers have totally different preferences in regards to tea, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if your coffee shop gets new hardcore fans in the way.
4. Other Options Based on Your Community
It depends on the state or region your coffee shop is located, it is your duty to stay vigilant to what is happening in your community, all in regards to traditional dishes, festivities and state fairs. You can also look for inspiration on special holidays, one great example is Pumpkin-Spice Latte in Halloween, and the Eggnog Latte on Easter. This strategy helps your business to stay more relevant to new customers, portraying an image that works very well with tourists, mostly in small towns and historic sites.
Again, we need to build engaging experiences with our customers, it is because of them that we’re able to dedicate our lives to this industry, goes way beyond selling just frappuccino. The number of factors that come together to build unforgettable anecdotes is over the roof, but it’s worth knowing and counting with each and one of them. When you have more alternatives, the client’s journey becomes more personal, as they will be able to pick what goes best for them, and nothing beats that feeling.
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