Question for MUDDY CUP

[momof3qc]

I just read somewhere that you only offer one size of coffee. I'm sitting here trying to price coffee and deciding what size cups I need for take-out, and for in-house, etc. How do you handle the one-size thing? And what size is it exactly that use use - 12oz? What do you say if someone orders a Grande? I think the one-size idea is brilliant, but I want to be prepared for customers reactions. Advice?

Thanks!
Kim
Buddy's Ice Cream Café
Montreal, Canada

 

[dant]

I don't know about muddy cup but we offer 2 sizes, 12 & 16 ounce. It's handy not to have to mess around with a 3rd size and people seem happy with what we offer.

On the other hand, if we offered a 20 ounce drip coffee (which seems like a lot of coffee to me) for an extra 25 cents I suspect we'd sell 50-100 20oz cups a day (10-20% of our current daily drip coffee sales volume). That's an extra 5-10,000/year in sales of a high profit margin product. Am I dumb not to do this?

Gluttany kind of goes against my principals & I get frustrated with restaurants constantly trying to supersize you. But that extra sales for the next 15 years could pay for my kids college.

Any thoughts?

-Dan

 

[Comfy Place]

I've been waiting for Muddy Cup to post a reply, but I'll weigh in with my 2 cents...

Our shop is like dant's in that we offer 2 sizes, 12oz. and 16oz.. We have had a number of requests from our customers to offer an even larger size, and we are going to do so; we're going to add a 20oz. in the next couple of weeks.

While I agree with the principle of "its my shop and I'll have what I want", sometimes you need to decide which battles really matter to you and which ones don't. Ultimately, we are in business to make a profit so that we don't have to work for someone else. To that end, if you have customers that are asking for something, it would pay to at least look into carrying it. If it is easy/inexpensive for me to get, I figure why not, and just do it. Other things are more expensive, or just aren't what you wanted for the overall feel of your shop, so that's something that you would want to take a closer look at and be sure to justify going forward with it.

As an example, we've had a few people request that we have "normal" height tables instead of the furniture that we do have. While I appreciate them taking the time to provide us this feedback, adding these furnishings is not in keeping with our overall ambiance and style. This is a battle that we are choosing to fight and to use the "its my shop" mentality. Other things, such as adding wireless Internet access, we are currently evaluating because we have had a number of people ask us if we offered this, and its starting to become something that we may add because it will be an added draw, and hopefully translate into overall better sales.

There, I think I'm done with my lecture. Sorry for the length, but I wanted to be sure that my point got across fairly clearly. Feel free to provide your thoughts on the above, I'm always willing to see a different point of view.

 

[muddycup1]

I just typed a very long response to this question, I have alot of trouble on this forum it kicks my sceen name and password out, so I have to log in and out consitantly So sorry but I have given up on this forum in favor of specialy-coffee.com

I have tried to ask the admin for help with no response

 

[Comfy Place]

Muddy Cup

I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems with this forum. I know that even before I officially joined this forum, I had been reading alot of the posts that were here, and much of what you had to say was interesting, insightful, and most of all, helpful. I would like to urge you to continue trying to get things straightened out with this forum, however I can understand and appreciate your level of frustration. I for one will miss your contributions to this forum. Thank you for everything that you have contributed thus far, and keep up the great work.

 

[Coffee Guy]

Let's keep in thing in mind. We all work for the customer, that's what keeps us all in business. Simply stated, that if a customer asks for something within reason, and if we can provide it, then we do so. Offering multiple sized drinks is a simple enough thing to provide, especially if you get requests. Also keep in mind that is additional profit for you. The one or two size fits all may not be a good thing especially if you have someone down the street offering multiple sizes. Why not ask your existing customer base if they would support you in getting larger sizes. If so, then go for it... :wink:

 

[alsterling]

I'm hopeing that I didn't miss anything, and have found this topic precisely what we've been mulling over for our coffee venture. Borrowing from the original post.......My question is about size offerings within what I have to presume is a traditional espresso coffee cafe.

As an example.....What do you serve or offer if someone walks in, wants to sit down and asks for a true double cappuccino; 1/3, 1/3 and 1/3? That's, at best, a 6 oz. serving. Do you offer, as we've been thinking, "traditional" espresso beverages "and" American style coffee flavored drinks? I'm not being sarcastic, but describe the 16oz cap's, lattes, as "coffee flavored", as they do defy the base recipes.

Our thought is to split the menu and let the customers make their decision as to whether they want to be served "No. Italian style" or "Amercanized version" coffee drinks. That demands "to-go" cups of even smaller sizes; ie, 6oz., and also demitasse to 4oz and 6oz. hard cups. If the operation doesn't have "sit down", then I'd understand paper cups only. By the way, some shops in Brasil have small auto dishwashers built into the front counter areas for the hard cup inventory.

Would appreciate comments and opinions... thanks, Al

 

[Comfy Place]

Drink Sizes, etc.

For us, we only have a single menu. Most of what we have is the "traditional" drink types that you could almost anywhere. The other few would be the "Americanized" versions, such as the cappuccinos. We have yet to have someone request a "true" cappuccino, where it is 1/3, 1/3, 1/3. I've heard the best description of the "Americanized" cappuccino somewhere: a latte with foam on top. I have nothing against either version, its just that most people in my neck of the woods don't know what a "true" cappuccino is supposed to be like, so I don't even have it on the menu.

Similarly, we offer flavored coffees because people like them and want them. Could one get a better coffee if they used syrup flavors instead? You bet. But again, most people don't know that; its an educational thing. This just means that one should host an educational night at their shop to help bring up the level of education regarding coffee! We do offer our customers a choice of having their drink in a ceramic cup if they are staying, otherwise the default is a togo cup. This is regardless of the drink; if they get a double espresso to go, they'll get it in our smallest cup, a 12oz.. We don't have enough interest at this point in just espressos to warrant getting special small togo cups for them. Traditionally, they should be in ceramic and be drunk while sitting, but this is America, so....

I think I've hit on your questions/points, but if not, let me know and I'll try again.

 

[alsterling]

Darren...... yes, you did answer the question. There is no interest here in educating as the locations will be more cart to kiosk than cafe. I need to look again at some industry statistics on beverage sales by type, size, etc. My primary focus is still high quality, limited menu. Given that premise, it doesn't easily accomodate the low volume items, but I don't want to shut any doors of opportunity.

 

[Coffee Guy]

Hey C.P. you've hit the basic nail on the head. This is America. Most that drink espresso type drinks are not really interested in the history of the espresso or the cap. Instead they have mainly been educated by Starbucks or establishments like them and alsterling I'm not stating that this is the absolute truth, but I can say that this is what I've noticed over the years. In today's world, things change, just like traditions change. With that being said, as an owner or operator of a coffee business or espresso based business, you must offer the customer what he or she has grown used to. If they want an espresso drink with flavors, then by all means serve it, if they want an 8oz, 12oz, 16oz, 20oz, or 24oz, then provide that as well. I'm not saying to run right out and increase your inventory to please a few customers, what I am saying is do something to address your customers needs as long as it is within reason. In our wonderful state of Washington you will see all of the sizes I mentioned above, and even more sizes in some places, and those are just the hot drink sizes. Try a few sleeves of the other sizes to see if they take off, you might be surprised if the sales pick up in the larger sizes. Also keep in mind that you make a much better profit in espresso style drinks than you do in the drip coffee.