Creating your coffee shop menu is a process that takes time. Whether you are expanding an existing menu or opening up a brand new cafe, this isn’t a step that you want rush through. Examine what the most successful coffee shop menus in your area tend to offer. It tends to be a limited selection of light selections intended for lunch or breakfast. Some cafe’s go heavy on the pastries, while others focus on perfecting the simple breakfast sandwich. You need to know how to make food that is flavorful, hearty, but light enough to appeal to the modern coffee shop crowd.
Tips and Tricks of the Trade
There are a million different ways that you can go about making your coffee shop menu. You need to be able to make the right decisions at the right time, and we’re here to help! The first big decision you have to make is whether to focus on knocking out the basics with a simple, steady menu, or to dazzle new customers with an ever-changing array of daily specials for them to enjoy. Both are valid strategies, but you need to choose one to succeed.
Give the Customer What They Want
Customers want to be treated well at the places they frequent. Off your customers free coffee for customer referrals, and reward them with a loyalty program that encourages repeated visits. A loyalty card with punches for free coffee can go a long way towards bringing back one-time customers. For breakfast, focus on the basic egg sandwiches and spice up the menu with omelettes or frittatas. Try out different veggies and meat combinations and see how your customers react. When you have a hit on your hands, the customers will let you know.
Don’t Skimp on Lunch
Coffee shops that stay open through lunch need to offer some more substantial options for their customers to enjoy. Lunch tends to be a bit more expensive, so you might want to consider charging more for your breakfast specials after that point. Deli sandwiches, bags of chips, pickles, soup, and salads all make cheap, easy to make lunch options for even the smallest cafes.
Pastries and Treats = Sweet Success
People that frequent cafes and coffee shops are used to having some tasty baked options as well. This could include croissants, cakes, muffins, danishes, and more. If you want to have a well-rounded menu, providing a few of these more conventional options is crucial. Not everyone wants a heavy egg and bacon sandwich first thing in the morning. Derby Joe just recently introduced Strawberry Shortcake as a dessert to set up apart from the crowd and our customers have been loving it. Don’t be afraid to try out something new in your pasty case – a new addition may just become your best seller!
A Final Reminder
The last bit of info we’ll leave you with is to know how much is enough. Limit your hot food options in order to keep costs down and as always, listen to your customers! If something isn’t selling, change it up. There’s only so much room on your menu so you need to make the most of it.