Drive thru ???

[coffee seeker]

I have been open for 11 weeks now and have a few ? I would like to pose to other owners.
Sales were going up every week by 20% or so until three weeks ago. I feel the higher gas price is playing a large role in my situation. Anyone else sees this also?

I know I'm losing 2-5 sales a day from not having a debit/credit machine but plan on it very soon. Any suggestions with whom to go with? And those that are using one do you charge your customer a fee to help cover the cost?

I currently work the morning by design in-order to create a good base during start up. In your opinion how important do you think it is to use young females as baristas are in building a drive thru? Has anyone made the change and realized a huge gain?,Enough so to off set wages?

And lastly, does anyone know where I might lease or rent an espresso cart? Have an opportunity to put one in a huge FM store,I do not want to lay out full purchase price for a cart as this market is unproven to me. Has anyone had experience with running one in a large grocery store .environment?

If you do not want to respond here shoot me an e-mail at mid4444jeff@netscape.net.

 

[chmorrison]

I think that if you need to hire young female baristas to make your business more successful, you should probably reconsider your business plans. Personally, I would rather have a barista who can make a decent drink, and have a personality that would attract customers back, rather than be young and hot to attract the few dirty old men that come to ogle at the help and buy only a cup of plain coffee to sit and watch them work.

 

[cafemakers]

I think that if you need to hire young female baristas

You may want to think twice about making such statements; hiring based on age or gender is illegal in America, as is indicating a preference in your employment advertisements.

 

[Coffee Guy]

Hey CS:

Congrats on your opening... In the beginning you may experience a good start, but that is usually because some are curious. The true test will be how many become regulars enough to support the business. It will take you about a good 6 months or so to give you a chance to compare sales, etc. Yes, gas prices have something to do with the short term effects, however, that will come to pass as everyone accepts the gas price to be the norm. Keep in mind also that if some of your customers are mothers and fathers taking kids to school, some of that traffic has died until the fall. Yes get that credit/debit machine A.S.A.P., that has become the norm now in the drive thru industry. In my opinion those that aren't capatilizing on this are loosing out. As for the cost of the fees, that will be up to you. Some post signs stating this, whereas others build in a flat fee into the drink prices. Sure it's always a good thing to have younger ladies working your location and if they are pretty great, however, as an owner you should base your decision on their ability to make an outstanding drink, know how to follow orders directed by you, have both great customer service skills (including upselling other items in your shop), and know how to work the till!!! It is also a good thing that you are working the stand yourself. Customers love to see the owners especially in the beginning and if you are working with one of you employees in the morning. Additionally, you will have first hand knowledge of everything going on until you are ready to place a manager in there to do the day to day operations. Does your roaster have any experience in the drive thru industry? If so, I would ask them for some of their advice. As for carts, that's a whole different ball game, I would not concentrate on that at this time seeing that you have just launched this business. I know it sounds tempting to branch out, but I would advise against it until you are ready to branch out. Be careful not to over extend yourself this early in the game...Just a few thoughts :wink:

 

[equus007]

girls girls girls

do not be so quick to change your staff based on their gender. One you are opening yourself up to a nasty lawsuit that you WILL lose. Two the perception that cute girls raise coffee sales is just dead wrong. Most of my experince tells me that as long as your employees are clean and presentable it doent matter especially in a drive-up environment. Though it is pretentious to say it baristas are often viewed in the same light as chefs and for some reason men are percieved as more professional, more personalbe and more dependable(please don't shoot me for saying this). Keep in mind too that while men tip more women tend to spend more on product. If you are truely thinking of going with a gender biased hiring practice you would be better served to hire studly Frat boys than cute beach babes...I will bring in more women and gay men. The more women who are seen in your shop regularly the more men will come in.
Sorry to be so negative about this...I'm sure you are only trying to do what is best for your business.

 

[Coffee Guy]

I'm a little confused??? Why is everyone discussing more about the gender of the baristas? That's what the original questions were about. There are more concerns other than the gender issue.

 

[cafemakers]

I currently work the morning by design in-order to create a good base during start up. In your opinion how important do you think it is to use young females as baristas are in building a drive thru? Has anyone made the change and realized a huge gain?,Enough so to off set wages?

This is this passage on which the group has focused; probably due to its peculiar nature. I suggest that the poster can find answers to his or her other questions by using the 'search' feature, as these other topics have previously been discussed ad nauseam.

 

[equus007]

why??

we are focusing on it because we are actually concerned about maintaining the honesty and ethicacy(sp?) of our industry...I would hate to see a SP.Coffee Hooters...but yes there were several other important questions in there...just hard to get past the hot girls part....and I love hot girls

 

[equus007]

to clarify

I'm sure you are a good person but talking about hot girl issues is a lot more fun than rehashing sales figures

 

[Coffee Guy]

Thanks CM. I agree, I sometimes get besides myself especially when I see a lot of the same questions being asked again and again... :roll: Guess I must be having a bad day :roll:

 

[equus007]

agree

Agreed. I apologise. Though I have been rethinking my view of the Hooters crossover. How about Seattle's Best Hooters(but not Peet's Hooters...got enough man boobs wandering around Texas as it is)

 

[DCC_2006]

We have not really seen the gas prices affects us much yet...

As for credit card machine, you definitely need to get one. We just build the fees into our drink prices. We only do mastercard & visa. AMX & Discover fees are too high, and most people have mc & visa along with AMX.

As for the type of baristas to hire??....not even going to touch that topic.