New to business and need help on make/model of this antique machine

[JumpinJakJava]

Looks like a great setup! Do you charge the same price for the 16 & 20 oz. cups? If you do, maybe you could consider 12oz. & 20oz.
Regular and Large. I am a firm believer in options. I appreciate your quality standard, and I am not an advocate of pod espresso.
I am a coffee roaster. Love just selling whole bean for coffee or espresso drinks. But it might be helpful in(less mess, no grinders, speed up the line),
your new venture. You may be able to visit a dealer of these machines and check the quality
of the cup. Lavazza has been around a long time. There is a lot of manufacturers of pod commercial espresso machines.
Very competitive market today. What coffee do you brew? The Bunn brewer is a great choice.

 

[javahut]

No the two cups are not the same price, close but not the same. Here is the menu to our first event we hosted last friday. It was a Christian Musican (Chris Tomlin); We sold 30 coffees and 26 specialty cups. I personally think the specialty sizes are too big. I think ill wait till i run out of inventory cups/lids before i make a change down.

 

[expat]

Considering who's buying the coffee (I'm thinking people coming to a sporting event just want a good cup of coffee and aren't looking for the best cup they ever had) so I'd forget selling espresso based drinks (very time consuming if you've just got 15 minutes) and simplify my life. Get a good drip coffee maker and some air pots (pump the top and the hot coffee comes out) and good coffee. Support a local roaster.

Fill the air pots just before period breaks with freshly made coffee. Set the air pots, along with all the fixings --- with milk, cream, sugar, stirs, lids, etc. on a table where people can get to them and there won't be too much of a jam. Sell them the cup and let them go make the coffee themselves. Easier for you and your staff can then concentrate on the other things they're making.

 

[PinkRose]

The sizes are definitely too big.

The prices are a bit steep too.

Maybe it's time to re-think and re-do your menu.

 

[JumpinJakJava]

The regular coffee cup sizes are fine. I agree with PinkRose here, a little steep on those prices.
I think you could make smaller size specialty drinks, and even drop those prices a little.
Do you sell more drinks at the hockey games? Is the coffee pre-ground or do you grind then brew?

 

[CoffeeJunky]

The sizes are definitely too big.

The prices are a bit steep too.

Maybe it's time to re-think and re-do your menu.

I don't think price is not that big of deal since he is the only gig.
Just like paying 5 dollars for 20oz water at college football stadium.
Also the size will justify the high cost of the drinks.

You could charge dollar less for 12 oz drinks. But don't fix anything that is not broken.

I really don't think people will buy more drinks because it is less expensive.

 

[JumpinJakJava]

I agree with CoffeeJunky about the venue and what people will pay. I still think the price of the 16 & 20oz. regular coffee is about
$.50 too high. The hot chocolate is priced well with the cream and syrup. CJ makes a good observation with the size of the cups justifying
the prices(especially with the specialty drinks). The question remains: do we just want to speed up operations
during the intermissions or increase sales too? I agree that nothing here is broken, but sounds like good business foresight and concern.
Personally, I see a little tightening of the wallets and pocketbooks these days, because of the economy. Especially here in the Norhteast.

 

[CoffeeJunky]

At my coffee house, we have big rush early in the morning. I get around 150- 200 cups of coffee within about 2 hours. And I get all the servings done with 2 group Nuova Simonelli Aurellia 2.
I am doing small town fall fair and I for hot chocolate, I would have little heating system to heat up 5 gallon milk to hot and I would serve around 100-150 cups in about 1/2 hour.
It is out door fair so I would get tons of sales.

maybe you should think of some alternative ways to get the drinks ready. One of the way is to have extra espresso machine instead of getting rid of your old one. See if that helps.

 

[javahut]

The sizes are definitely too big.

The prices are a bit steep too.

Maybe it's time to re-think and re-do your menu.

PinkRose, i would 100% agree if this was a normal coffee shop or local business that is open daily. Since we are located inside an Arena/Civic Center, there is some standard inflation that occurs. Not sure if this is the place to explain cost/fees/dues/reasons, but the prices have yet to be a problem. Especially when we are the cheapest source of 'drink' available. Current options would be a $5 regular soda, $8 Dasani bottle water or nothing. As much as i would love to offer a $2 dollar ice tea, we do have some contractual agreemens that we can not 100% bite the hand that feeds us and totally kill the concession stands sales. I hope that make sense?

 

[javahut]

The question remains: do we just want to speed up operations
during the intermissions or increase sales too? I agree that nothing here is broken, but sounds like good business foresight and concern.
Personally, I see a little tightening of the wallets and pocketbooks these days, because of the economy. Especially here in the Norhteast.

The 1st event of our season was last Friday (11th) and 99% of our sales were in the 1st hour and half, doors open at 630, opening performer went on at 7 and the main event was at 730. I sold 14 'small' and 16 'large' regular coffees and 17 small and 9 large specialty drinks. I personally dont think someone needs a 20oz Cappacino or Latte'. That seems a bit 'big' to me. Some of the regular coffee sales were because the specialty wait was longer then they wanted, so they just opted to grab the ready made black coffee and get into the event. With no actual 'breaks/intermissions' we sold 3 drinks in last 1hr and 45 mins before deciding to clean up, pack up and close down. So majority of the sales come before the event starts. As winter will approach I see people waiting in lines, getting cold and rushing to warm up. This is great for us, our prime business will be during the hockey games which are more 'scheduled' with intermissions and the people to 'get out and about' during that break.

So to get to your question, I wonder how I can offer more specialty drinks in a closed window of time. Most people might take a regular coffee, but I believe they are coming to our business because they can get a specialty drink. Latte's, Cappuccinos, etc are sweater and more attractive then standard coffee in my opinion. This is just based on this event and I have no experience with the hockey events yet. The former owners of the business had complaints of being slow, and the booth being maned by just one person. They did single drip pot coffee and people had to wait. I got the city to add me a direct water line, in order to eliminate the pump/bottle requirements, add the BUNN coffee machines which would allow us to focus on the specialty drinks.

 

[javahut]

Do you sell more drinks at the hockey games? Is the coffee pre-ground or do you grind then brew?

Yes based on the business numbers from the last several years, the hockey games is the bread and butter and that is is where majority of the business will come from. The event we did on the 11th was a ' get your feed wet' type of event that allowed me to get in there and get more comfortable with the process, set up, etc. We currently get our coffee from a local company just an hour away from my business. About Leroy Hill Coffee Company

 

[PinkRose]

Since you're located in an Arena/Civic Center, I guess it's pretty standard for everyone to jack up the concession stand prices. After all, you probably have customers who aren't allowed to bring in their own beverages, who are desperate for a cup of coffee, and who are stuck paying whatever price you come up with. From what people tell me, it's all a part of the experience of attending a game, and they get used to paying for overpriced refreshments.

 

[javahut]

Since you're located in an Arena/Civic Center, I guess it's pretty standard for everyone to jack up the concession stand prices. After all, you probably have customers who aren't allowed to bring in their own beverages, who are desperate for a cup of coffee, and who are stuck paying whatever price you come up with. From what people tell me, it's all a part of the experience of attending a game, and they get used to paying for overpriced refreshments.

Sadly yes, no outside food or drinks are allowed. It's kinda like going to the Movies. You expect a drink and popcorn combo to cost $20

 

[CoffeeJunky]

But most of the people will expect to pay that type of price when you are in the sports arena. Also when you are in NYC, you would expect to pay much higher price because of the higher cost for doing business.


If most of the arena only charged like everyone else, they would not be able to afford the higher cost of employees, rent and shorter business hours. That is all in consideration. Those business are there for convenience of customers and that is cost of doing business. Nothing to do with jacking up prices. If those business can open 7 days a week and have more people come by, they wouldn't have to charge more.

 

[javahut]

Looks like an old Gaggia machine...the exact same one I worked on at my first barista job. Side panels and top are just for show and a pain in the butt to keep polished. External pump is there..right down to the red buttons. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the same one. What year is it? The plate on the front lower part of the machine. What does it say? If it says ABC I am going to laugh.

Topher, was at the Arena today and it does say ABC.. we removed the unit and put in a newer but used ECM unit that came with the business purchase.