How to Run a Cafe Business

The coffee shop

Cafes have historically been places for people to not only obtain a good cup of coffee, but also to interact socially. It can become a mirror of its community's culture when run well. Developing a coffee shop that becomes a part of the pulse of its community only starts with dusting off the welcome mat, setting out the chic cafe patio furniture, and delivering a good daily roast. It also includes creating an engaging ambiance, maintaining operational checks, providing good customer service, and tending to administrative and accounting duties.

Things You'll Need

• Coffee shop
• Waitstaff

Instructions

Running a Coffee Shop

1. 

   Creating the cafe experience

   Develop a good menu and a good cup of coffee. Reasonable prices; tasty, appetizer-size pastries; and a small selection of sandwiches and salads make a solid cafe menu. The core, however, of a cafe's menu is its fresh-roasted coffee. For example, The Coffee Roaster in Sherman Oaks, California, is a petite coffee shop that delivers a big cultural experience. It offers its international roasts daily in small batches from its antique-like, open coffee bean roaster that is on display for customers to view. In addition to offering coffee by the pound, a cafe should sell a good cup of coffee well under $2.

2. 

   Cafe culture

   Create an engaging ambiance. Design the space for multiple social experiences. This may include placement of tables that intimately seats a party of two, as well as a long communal table where single guests who want to be more social can enjoy a hardy cup of coffee close to others. Whether developing a richly themed decor or a simple one, keep it comfortable. For instance, music is always nice if it is not too loud. Also, create a public space where free local newspapers can be properly displayed, and maintain a community board for such items as business cards and lost dog postings.

3. 

   Cafe operational checks

   Maintain periodic operational checks. Staff should make systematic checks of all cafe areas throughout the day to ensure that everything is in proper order. This includes ensuring that refrigeration systems are functioning properly, public areas are clean, and the public facilities are properly stocked. This keeps the cafe business in the good graces of its customers and public health and safety officials.

4. 

   Customer service

   Train staff to provide good customer service. Develop the general policy that customers are always right. Also, a properly trained waitstaff knows not to talk about their personal lives behind the counter to other employees while a customer is being served. Unfortunately, this has become an all-too-common occurrence in the public service sector.

5. 

   Cafe table service

   Deliver coffee at tables for dine-in customers. Many U.S. cafes have developed the culture of exclusive behind-the-counter service delivered with paper cups. For customers who are not on the go, consider using a more Old World-style waitstaff service. This includes the earth-friendly concept of offering coffee in real ceramic cups that have to be washed. It also gives more meaning to the waitstaff's "tip cup." In such a situation, a customer does not feel like he or she is tipping the staff for simply ringing up an order or placing a pastry in a bag.

6. 

   Coffee shop accounting

   Conduct daily accounting and administrative duties. After the cafe has closed, create a system for recording daily sales accounts and settling administrative tasks like arranging banking drop-offs for the next day. The book "How to Open a Financially Successful Coffee, Espresso & Tea Shop," by Elizabeth Godsmark, Lora Arduser and Douglas R. Brown, offers sound tips on both financing a cafe business as well as managing its profits.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember, local artists are always looking for an opportunity to display their works. Consider using wall space as a gallery and take a commission from each sale.

• Many cafe customers have come to expect free Internet service with their coffee. Consider offering this as a service and added attraction to cafe customers.

• This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for legal or tax advice.

References

• The Coffee Roaster

Resources

• "How to Open a Financially Successful Coffee, Espresso & Tea Shop;" Elizabeth Godsmark