With consumers becoming more and more acquired to good quality coffee, gone are the days were sub-par coffee was acceptable. Restaurants can no longer afford to serve up poor tasting coffee; as coffee drinker’s pallets become more sophisticated and demand for artisanal coffee increases.
Investing in a commercial coffee machine for your restaurant is worthwhile and has many long term benefits. Some of the benefits include improving diners experience and the chance to upsell and increase revenue. It is a win-win situation as it benefits both you and your customers.
Logic Vending, a supplier of leading commercial coffee machines, discusses reasons why restaurants should consider investing in a coffee machine for their business.
Why do restaurants need a commercial coffee machine?
Improve the quality of the coffee
The reason commercial coffee machines are instantaneously associated with creating high-quality cups of coffee is primarily due to the amount of control you have over certain elements. The two key factors you can control that make a good cup of coffee include heating and boiling.
Without a coffee machine, it would be very tedious, time-consuming and difficult to ensure that the coffee is heated at the same temperature and for the same amount of time, each time around. This can cause the coffee being served to be inconsistent and allows room for error because you are not able to regulate and automate your coffee-making process.
Having a high quality coffee machine takes the stress and the mundanity out of this task and whether you opt for a traditional espresso machine or a bean to cup machine, it is sure to be an improved version of the instant coffee you might have been serving before the upgrade.
Increases coffee output
When you invest in a commercial coffee machine for your restaurant, usually, this means that the coffee quantity output increases. This is all relative to the model you select, as some models, such as bean to cup machines, only accommodate a certain quantity per day.
Commercial coffee machines are made to keep up with the demand of a fast-paced environment, where you may need to make an unlimited amount of coffee per day. Typically, traditional espresso machines are recommended in a restaurant setting as you have control over the quantity and also the quality of each cup.
Helps your restaurant stand out from the crowd
Being able to offer quality coffee opens up different avenues that can make your restaurant stand out from the rest. It shows that you are catering to a greater audience, and having good coffee in your restaurant can act as an incentive to draw a different kind of demographic into your dining space.
Potential diners now have more choice, as they may not necessarily want to dine in and have a full two or three-course meal. It may be the case that they want to sit in, have a dessert and some coffee – maybe not an option they had, before you bought a coffee machine.
It is common knowledge that the restaurant industry is highly saturated, and many compete for their customer’s attention. And for many individuals, you offering quality coffee on your menu may be the deciding factor, to encourage them to choose your restaurant above the rest.
Improves customer experience
Traditionally, coffee was offered at the end of a meal as an accompaniment of dessert, or to be drunk after the main courses. As it is typically the last thing consumed, this will be the lingering taste your customers will remember as the leave your establishment. Ensuring that your coffee leaves a pleasant long lasting impression, is what makes an impact, in order for them to want to return to your restaurant. Nespresso conducted a survey and revealed that a quarter of the diners surveyed said that they would not return somewhere that served them a bad cup of coffee.
With that being said, they are more likely to order a cup of coffee if they know that it is good quality. Even simply being surprised that the coffee you ordered was one made by a barista would make any diner more appreciative of the service and care the restaurant has made.
Upsell benefits
The rise of the coffee culture in the UK has caused a boom in demand for artisanal coffee and a particular taste for a good quality cup of coffee. The initial investment in a commercial coffee machine will see long term benefits as you can now charge more per cup. This price increase is warranted as the quality of the coffee has also increased.
Utilising the coffee machine and innovating a more specialist drink menu can allow opportunities to create special coffee-based hot drinks, cold drinks and even cocktails – something that could entice customers and you can upsell on their bill.
Should you want to go the extra mile, you can invest in more theatrical processes of coffee making, alongside your commercial coffee machine. This allows you to charge your coffee at a premium, as customers would be paying not only for the coffee but for the whole experience.
