The café and coffee shop craze is in full force in the UK. We’re sure you’re aware of just how many cafés there are on the high street now. It seems that every other shop you walk past is advertising luxury coffees, teas and smoothies.
It’s not just the major players though. Although there are over 5,000 major coffee shops (Café Nero, Costa, Pret A Manger, Starbucks and Greggs) in the UK, independent cafés seem to be a common feature; perhaps not as commonly on the high street, but certainly on the outskirts and back streets of town centres. So, how does one reap success from an independent café and attract customers?
Be different
Being different from the generic café competition pays off. A café called Run For Your Bun opened as a pop up in London in January. The concept was that customers get lunch in exchange for doing a workout in the café. This idea generated plenty of PR just for having something different about it.
With so many cafés available for customers to go to, it’s important to be unique or have a speciality. Your uniqueness could come from your décor, a special drink recipe or a strong theme.
Attractive cafe front
The large majority of customers make their decisions based on the store front - what else can they go on when there are plenty of cafés to choose from? Unless they have been to every café in the area, they won’t have built up an opinion of their favourites.
To pick up ‘floaters’ that are undecided on which café to go to, you need to have a welcoming exterior.
High-quality coffee
The UK as a whole has become a nation of coffee connoisseurs in recent years. Well-made coffee is now a necessity for most and lukewarm instant coffee is far from acceptable.
Coffee is one of the main reasons that most go to a café. It’s the driver of everything - customers won’t come back if they’re not satisfied. Variety and quality is a must. So, a bartender has to be capable of serving good coffee.
A cafe is more than coffee
Of course,high-qualityy coffee is important but you shouldn’t rely on coffee alone to make up your income. Push for alternate sales to accompany coffee such as muffins, cakes and pastries and perhaps diversify into hot and cold food options if you have the space available.
Loyalty cards for cafes
Possibly the cheapest customer gaining technique is the loyalty card. So long as they’re attractive and actually reward the customer, they really do work. Tick off more than just one stamp on their first visit to give an extra incentive to return.
Attractive cafe layouts that promote conversation
In the modern world, much of our day is taken up with technology and virtual interaction. People still seek the normality of a café to enjoy the sociable atmosphere, whether it’s catching up with friends or having an interaction with the baristas.
Sofa areas with large coffee tables are a necessary asset for a café looking to increase the number of group visitors.
For all areas of your café’s furniture: tables, chairs, stools and sofas, Trent Furniture can help. Explore our café furniture range to find the right fit for your café. Call us on 0116 2989 335 for more information.