Cups n bottles - Barista Exchange2024-03-29T15:55:14Zhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/forum/topics/cups-n-bottles?commentId=1688216%3AComment%3A912501&feed=yes&xn_auth=noIt's been about five months s…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-02-02:1688216:Comment:10205372011-02-02T22:10:49.674ZGary Thttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/GaryT
<p>It's been about five months since I changed up the menu; so far it's been great and I've really enjoyed it. It's made ordering decisions less complicated, easier and quicker. Every once and a while I'll have someone ask if the 16oz is the largest that I carry, but they always seem content with it and come back. I've never had anyone leave because I didn't offer a 20oz. I did have a couple people leave because I didn't carry their favorite syrup, but to be honest, that doesn't bother me…</p>
<p>It's been about five months since I changed up the menu; so far it's been great and I've really enjoyed it. It's made ordering decisions less complicated, easier and quicker. Every once and a while I'll have someone ask if the 16oz is the largest that I carry, but they always seem content with it and come back. I've never had anyone leave because I didn't offer a 20oz. I did have a couple people leave because I didn't carry their favorite syrup, but to be honest, that doesn't bother me that much. They don't really love coffee, they love the syrup. While I would love to introduce them to what coffee should be, I don't mind if they leave. Another plus is that it provides a gateway conversation to quality coffee. I am in Billings, Montana and am the only genuinly quality-oriented shop here, so people want to know why I do things differently and why my coffee doesn't 'taste burnt' ... limiting my sizes and flavors gives me another way share knowledge and taste experiences.</p> We're facing the same thing a…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-02-02:1688216:Comment:10197932011-02-02T16:41:46.804ZAndy Wiebehttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/AndyWiebe
We're facing the same thing at our shop. We'd like to ditch the 20 oz all together but we have a lot of customers who get several large drinks each day. What we're just starting to do is offer a 'traditional' menu and serve appropriate sized capps and lattes (obviously with no flavor) and we're building a pour over bar to start offering a few select coffees (Direct Trades, in seasons, etc.) and really hyping them up. We currently offer these premium coffees as a V60, Aeropress, or Syphon and…
We're facing the same thing at our shop. We'd like to ditch the 20 oz all together but we have a lot of customers who get several large drinks each day. What we're just starting to do is offer a 'traditional' menu and serve appropriate sized capps and lattes (obviously with no flavor) and we're building a pour over bar to start offering a few select coffees (Direct Trades, in seasons, etc.) and really hyping them up. We currently offer these premium coffees as a V60, Aeropress, or Syphon and lots of people are starting to appreciate these new coffees, even if they can't get a 20 oz and are paying more for them. I think the main thing is to play to your market without selling yourself out. As much as we would love to offer only a traditional menu and toss the flavors, our customers wouldn't take well to that. So we start slowly introducing higher quality products and educating our customers on why we're doing so (and also educating them on the coffee they're purchasing...farmer name, etc.). gary, about 2 years ago i dec…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-02-01:1688216:Comment:10187682011-02-01T06:44:10.804Zsagehttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/sage
<p>gary, about 2 years ago i decided to bring the 20oz on board, and i'm glad i did 'cause it helps with my bottom line. i figure, if a customer doesn't want 20 ounces, then he/she most likely won't order it, and choose either the 16 or 12. with my particular locations, i get a good amount of repeat customers, but sometimes certain customers will be tied up with events and can't get back to order perhaps as often as they'd like...so they "stock" up on the 20oz! i started out offering more…</p>
<p>gary, about 2 years ago i decided to bring the 20oz on board, and i'm glad i did 'cause it helps with my bottom line. i figure, if a customer doesn't want 20 ounces, then he/she most likely won't order it, and choose either the 16 or 12. with my particular locations, i get a good amount of repeat customers, but sometimes certain customers will be tied up with events and can't get back to order perhaps as often as they'd like...so they "stock" up on the 20oz! i started out offering more syrups than i do now...quickly found out that most customers weren't ordering the oddballs all that often...so, i stick with about 6 of the basics. get strict!</p>
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<p>sage</p>
<p>the coffee hound</p> Keep it simple! Reduce invent…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2011-01-31:1688216:Comment:10180272011-01-31T16:52:21.559ZMichael Gracahttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/MichaelGraca
<p>Keep it simple! Reduce inventory and choices that are time consuming (for customers)...that is, at least, for syrups.</p>
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<p>As for the 20oz, if you've already got that established at your shop it might be a hard sell for your customer. Let me know what you come up with!</p>
<p>Keep it simple! Reduce inventory and choices that are time consuming (for customers)...that is, at least, for syrups.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As for the 20oz, if you've already got that established at your shop it might be a hard sell for your customer. Let me know what you come up with!</p> Hi Gary, We bought our shop j…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2010-10-14:1688216:Comment:9447662010-10-14T13:13:37.009ZJulie MacDowallhttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/JulieMacDowall
Hi Gary, We bought our shop just about a year ago and the previous owner served a 20 oz latte with only one shot, and it was like a cup of steamed milk. We just revamped our menu a couple of months ago and we do not serve any espresso based drink larger than 16oz. We just explain that it taste better this way, and the reception has been very good. We also now only serve an 8 oz cappuccino. The syrup question....yeah we have about 14 syrups...lets just say we aren't adding any more!
Hi Gary, We bought our shop just about a year ago and the previous owner served a 20 oz latte with only one shot, and it was like a cup of steamed milk. We just revamped our menu a couple of months ago and we do not serve any espresso based drink larger than 16oz. We just explain that it taste better this way, and the reception has been very good. We also now only serve an 8 oz cappuccino. The syrup question....yeah we have about 14 syrups...lets just say we aren't adding any more! in 10 months of being open, i…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2010-10-14:1688216:Comment:9444192010-10-14T00:16:48.899ZJared Rutledgehttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/JaredRutledge
in 10 months of being open, i've seen one person leave because we didn't have sugar free syrups, and no one has left due to the cup sizes. a few have been disappointed, but i tell them we will fill their mugs up til 11am from our airpots for $1.50, and they're fine (we just do airpots til 11am, it's all harios after that).<br />
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we offer homemade vanilla, caramel, chocolate, and (seasonally) pumpkin reduction. it's gone over well.
in 10 months of being open, i've seen one person leave because we didn't have sugar free syrups, and no one has left due to the cup sizes. a few have been disappointed, but i tell them we will fill their mugs up til 11am from our airpots for $1.50, and they're fine (we just do airpots til 11am, it's all harios after that).<br />
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we offer homemade vanilla, caramel, chocolate, and (seasonally) pumpkin reduction. it's gone over well. We opened in September 2009.…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2010-10-13:1688216:Comment:9439842010-10-13T14:17:57.899ZGreg Stumbohttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/GregStumbo
We opened in September 2009. From day one, offered one size drinks, including to-go brewed coffees. Our brewed coffee was 12 oz to-go. In-house, we offered 7 oz cup with reasonable amount of refills. We've since added a 16 to-go for brewed coffee only. We maintain single serve sizes on capps (6 oz) and lattes (12 oz). We are the only ones offering this locally and have had, surprisingly, little negative feedback.<br />
We make our chocolate, caramel, and vanilla syrups from scratch and offer only…
We opened in September 2009. From day one, offered one size drinks, including to-go brewed coffees. Our brewed coffee was 12 oz to-go. In-house, we offered 7 oz cup with reasonable amount of refills. We've since added a 16 to-go for brewed coffee only. We maintain single serve sizes on capps (6 oz) and lattes (12 oz). We are the only ones offering this locally and have had, surprisingly, little negative feedback.<br />
We make our chocolate, caramel, and vanilla syrups from scratch and offer only hazelnut, almond, and mint on bottle line. Chocolate and caramel are by far the most popular requests. We also have limited sugar-free options to hazel and vanilla. Just thought I would give an…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2010-10-13:1688216:Comment:9439652010-10-13T13:27:27.714ZGary Thttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/GaryT
Just thought I would give an update on my experience.<br />
I moved my coffee kiosk to a different location and used the change to tune up some things. So far, it seems that most people don't care if there isn't a 20oz. I have experienced slight resistance to limiting the flavors; I am the only kiosk/shop that doesn't have dozens of flavors. But so far, I've only had one person who left because I didn't have Macadamia Nut. However, it really just reinforced my convictions on dropping them. People…
Just thought I would give an update on my experience.<br />
I moved my coffee kiosk to a different location and used the change to tune up some things. So far, it seems that most people don't care if there isn't a 20oz. I have experienced slight resistance to limiting the flavors; I am the only kiosk/shop that doesn't have dozens of flavors. But so far, I've only had one person who left because I didn't have Macadamia Nut. However, it really just reinforced my convictions on dropping them. People like that don't like coffee, they like syrup. You can get syrups at any crusty coffee shop or gas station, but you can't get quality coffee there. Of course I'll sell them a drink, but I don't have to cater to them. For the most part it seems, with limitations on size and flavors, customers are prone to try new things more focused on the coffee. I dropped the 20 oz cups earl…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2010-10-13:1688216:Comment:9433052010-10-13T00:56:54.546ZLisa Kettylehttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/LisaKettyle
I dropped the 20 oz cups early in the year. We're planning a reduction of our cup sizes again this winter to bring our shop to strictly traditional sizes.<br />
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So far, we've had very little opposition. Go for it. : )
I dropped the 20 oz cups early in the year. We're planning a reduction of our cup sizes again this winter to bring our shop to strictly traditional sizes.<br />
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So far, we've had very little opposition. Go for it. : ) Limitations on size and flavo…tag:www.baristaexchange.com,2010-10-12:1688216:Comment:9432602010-10-12T23:55:34.559ZJohn Phttps://www.baristaexchange.com/profile/JohnP49
Limitations on size and flavors are easiest if this is something you start with from the inception or is an obvious direction your business has pursued by refining and upgrading your model on an annual/regular basis.<br />
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I would look at your sales over the past year and, if you have the ability, chart how many of each size are being sold. If the trend and percentages favor smaller sizes, make the change, but if it favors larger sizes then for the time being you may have to stick with it. Flavors…
Limitations on size and flavors are easiest if this is something you start with from the inception or is an obvious direction your business has pursued by refining and upgrading your model on an annual/regular basis.<br />
<br />
I would look at your sales over the past year and, if you have the ability, chart how many of each size are being sold. If the trend and percentages favor smaller sizes, make the change, but if it favors larger sizes then for the time being you may have to stick with it. Flavors are an easier fix. Really, beyond vanilla, caramel, and chocolate, you really won't piss off many people.<br />
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My belief is if you have to sell your customers on the idea, then you really don't believe what you are pushing.<br />
Actions and results in terms of product quality, design, and business philosophy will lead your customers in a particular direction. Be true to who you are. If you are changing who you are, then who were you before?<br />
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Best of luck.