When you open a coffee shop, a key component is the menu. Components of a well-crafted menu include your drinks and their varieties, specialty items, and food, if applicable. The menu's layout and design should be consistent with the rest of the shop: font, color scheme, graphics.
Drinks
Every coffee shop serves exactly what the name suggests: coffee . It's the main ingredient on the menu. Starting with espresso, there are a couple of varieties on offer. In addition to hot drinks, most coffee shops also offer iced beverages. Depending on the shop, adding a couple of unique specialty drinks can get people excited.
Sizes
Everyone has a different caffeine tolerance. Standard serving sizes for coffee are 12, 16, 20, and 24 ounces, which are served in the cafe or on the go. The 24-ounce option is best used with iced drinks. The larger size leaves room for ice.
Alternatives to milk
Not everyone can handle the lactose in cow's milk, and offering alternative milk options at a small cost can be beneficial. Alternative milk options include almond, cashew, coconut, flax, hemp, and soy.
Key options to add to the menu
Espresso
With the espresso machine, you can make a variety of drinks, including cappuccino, latte, mocha, and Americano, the most popular.
Drip or strain
Another hot coffee method is drip coffee. The difference between drip coffee and espresso is how finely the beans are ground and the amount of time. Drip coffee beans don't have to be as fine as espresso. The hot water settles with the beans and drips, thus draining the coffee. An espresso is quick, brewing in about 30 seconds, while drip coffee takes a couple of minutes to prepare.
Frozen drinks
A coffee shop menu that serves iced drinks is a must, as most people expect. Some of the most popular options include iced coffee, nitro coffee, iced espresso, and iced tea. Iced drinks are easy to prepare and quick to serve.
Specialty coffee
Whether it's a seasonal or a niche drink, specialty coffee can make your customers want to come to your coffee shop.
Need help creating specialty drinks? Here are some you can offer:
Lavender Latte
CBD-infused cappuccino
Butter coffee with MCT oil
Pumpkin Spice (Fall Season)
Peppermint Candy Cane Latte (Holiday Season)
Cookies and cream with vanilla milk (topped with whipped cream)
Iced Vanilla Matcha Latte
Meal
The type of cafe you plan to open will determine the type of food you offer. Cafes are popular morning destinations, so the food offerings should be relevant. Offering steak in a cafe is a strange combination. Most cafes offer pastries such as donuts, cookies, mini cakes, and bagels. They also offer different types of toast and breakfast items.
Keep menu items simple. Most of the time, customers just want a quick bite before heading to work. Or something to munch on while sipping coffee and chatting with a friend.
Design
At this point, you've done your research, visited several coffee shops, and created a list of items to offer on your menu. Now you want to beautifully showcase what your coffee shop has to offer.
While you're visiting different coffee shops, ask the barista if you can take one of their menus with you. If you can't, take a photo. With all the menus gathered, lay them out and take notes on what you like and dislike about them: placement, material, design, font, color scheme, and graphics.
The menu design should be consistent with the cafe's aesthetic. For example, if you have a rustic cafe, make the menu look rustic. Consistency is an important part of any business.
You don't need to include an address on your menu, but if you offer takeout, displaying your address somewhere can help people find your store. Also, if you offer Wi-Fi, place it near the bottom.
Location
Coffee shops offer coffee , and that's what most people will buy when they arrive.
Display your coffee options at the top of your menu. Espresso is the title, and below it is a list of cappuccino, latte, mocha, and Americano, as well as any other espresso-based drinks you wish to offer.
After espresso drinks, offer drip coffee options. On the right side of the menu, iced offerings, below specialty drinks, and at the bottom, food options. Somewhere on the menu, you should have extras that people can add to their drinks.
List the prices of drinks relative to size and clarify: This size of drink costs this amount.
Extra tips
Creating a cafe menu may seem simple, but if you don't consider key points like portion size, shelf life, and the ability to reuse ingredients, you could end up with excess food and non-reusable materials.
New drink ideas can liven things up. Add a section on your menu for new drink announcements and let your customers tell you what they want.