According to a recent article in the British Baker, the number of coffee shops will outnumber the number of pubs by 2030.
Did you know British consumers drink a staggering 2.4 billion cups of coffee each year? Coffee shop culture is really being embraced by customers of all types. How many times do you hear those famous words “let’s grab a coffee” A ‘coffee’ meet up is recognised as being a much shorter and cheaper option than meeting for a long lunch or dinner. Cost-conscious customers are more frugal with their spend but at the same time want to enjoy a casual and often shorter hospitality experience.
So why not take advantage of your off-peak trading times and adopt a ‘coffee shop culture’ to the outdoor area of your pub.
We have put together our top tips to help you generate revenue from ‘coffee shopping.’
Opening Hours / Customer Profiling
Remember the old saying ‘the early bird gets the worm’? Well, in this case, the early bird will be in search of the bean (coffee). So don’t limit your customers by keeping them waiting until 11 am. So many potential customers are looking for the perfect place to have a good coffee early in the morning.
Mums and Dads after the school run are always looking for convenient meeting points to grab a coffee and cheeky breakfast snack with fellow parents before they move on with their day of chores. Or maternity leave parents who are looking for a change of scenery and a much needed caffeine fix.
Likewise, the freelance community who often have no designated office space are always on the hunt for a place to meet for business and networking meetings. Freelancers are very time conscious groups of people limiting short amounts of time (just enough to grab a coffee) to maximize the number of sessions they can hold. This group of customers are also likely to spend several hours buying snacks and coffee while they catch up on emails and work in between their meetings. If your property has function rooms you might like to consider renting these out as meeting room space to small businesses. This is a nice way to provide additional income and furnish your property with a buzz during quieter trading periods.
The community of retired locals who are notoriously early risers are another group of customers who would welcome a new venue for a morning coffee and a read of the newspaper.
Cost
Putting together a special early coffee ‘breakfast’ service offering is a great way to attract customers. Giving the customers an incentive to visit your Pub before 11 am by enticing them with a coffee and Danish for a discounted amount that shows a clear saving is a sure win to hook your customers. Advertising these ‘early bird savings’ to a chalkboard will definitely grab the attention of passing customers.
Why not invest in one of our Large Chalk A-Boards. This heavy-duty board is fully weather resistant with exterior grade blackboard and carries an impressive a 5-year structural guarantee.
Menus
Customers are always looking for a unique experience, whether it might be a new type of coffee or artisan tea. Remember that not everyone is a coffee drinker, so it is always nice to have a good selection of specialty teas to satisfy the non-coffee community. Sourcing sweet and savory treats from local bakers is also a great marketing idea. It is somewhat on-trend to ‘shop local’ and promote products that have been made by local business owners. Using social media to advertise these service offerings is an easy way of drawing new customers to your Pub. Customers like to see what is on offer and are attracted to mouthwatering images of coffee, cakes, and furniture that they can photograph and share with their own followers. By using Instagram and Facebook to tag the local businesses which you have sourced your products from, they are likely to share your posts with their followers who may turn into new customers for your business.
Furniture
Here at Woodberry of Leamington Spa, we have a vast selection of stunning cafe sets from classic to contemporary to suit both your terrain and budget. Our space saving furniture solutions make the ideal choice for busy pubs that might need to move around furniture during more active trading periods.
Our brightly coloured comfortable Milano Set available in a choice of colours is an excellent practical and functional furniture solution for a portable coffee shop environment.
Both table and chairs are all weatherproof and space efficient – the Werzalit table top flips vertical and the chairs stack.
Alternatively, our gorgeous Florence Folding Range, made from Grade-A teak could be just what you are looking for. You don’t even need to treat the wood, merely let the teak age to a luxurious silver-grey shade. Although robust, the table and chairs are lightweight enough to move around when required.
For more information on which furniture selection will work best for you please contact [email protected].