A successful beverage program is crucial for any coffee shop, café, restaurant or other foodservice operator’s overall success. A well-developed beverage program can significantly boost revenue, enhance customer satisfaction and help your establishment stand out.
Here are six things to consider when creating or updating your beverage program.
Determine customer preference.
What are your customers looking for in addition to quality? Do they prefer specialty coffee blends, crave seasonal flavors or enjoy cold brews? You’ll want to make sure you offer a mix of classic and signature options in key beverage segments. Including limited time and seasonal drinks can help keep your menu fresh, generate positive customer buzz and ultimately drive traffic.
Don’t forget to consider cross-selling opportunities (i.e. pairing beverages with popular food items), which your menu listings and staff can help promote. You should also factor in the cost of goods compared to retail pricing to ensure profitability.
Maximize product potential.
Identifying menu items is just the first. Make sure to consider how you can use your base products (i.e. coffee beans, syrups and concentrates) across multiple drink offerings to reduce overhead costs and potential waste. Standardizing recipes, where possible, will help with this effort and ensure consistent quality across shifts and locations.
Establish staff roles and responsibilities.
If you are also providing self-service options for your customers (which can be a great option we will discuss momentarily), determine what will be offered via self-serve machines versus baristas or staff.
Once you have made that decision, you will need to evaluate menu complexity when evaluating your staffing needs, as well as peak traffic times when creating shifts. You should also consider providing incentives for team members to promote high-margin beverages, such as suggesting your highest-margin or seasonal offerings when taking orders.
Make training and education mandatory.
Create step-by-step training materials, such as video how tos, recipe cards and quick reference sheets for team members. To ensure quality and profitability, team members should be trained on:
- Proper brewing techniques.
- Equipment cleaning and maintenance, as downtime can have a significant impact on your bottom line and customer sentiment.
- Customer interactions, including upselling and new drink promotion.
Periodic refresher courses will ensure consistency in product quality and presentation.
Consider self-serve options.
Including self-serve options, such as cold brew taps and bean-to-cup machines, can offer quick and easy options for customers who prefer a grab-and-go option. It can also help with traffic flow and service times during peak times, while also alleviating some staffing burdens.
Successful self-serve programs should include clear customization options, such as alternative milk options and flavoring. Loyalty programs and “drink of the month” promotions are also great options to drive repeat business. Most importantly, you should gather regular customer feedback to refine self-serve recipes and menu offerings and evaluate equipment options.
Select the right equipment.
Choosing the right equipment can seem like a daunting task. Do you want specialty machines or something more versatile that, for example, can handle both hot and cold beverages? You should consider:
- Speed and capacity for high-volume periods.
- Maintenance and service requirements.
- Available workspace, facility layout and workflow, including countertop space, water and electrical needs and staff movement/flow as they prepare and deliver orders.
Farmer Brothers’ expert team is here to help you develop a customizable beverage program (coffee and otherwise) that pairs perfectly with your menu offerings and meets the needs of your target demographic. Learn more!