Cafés are very popular. These are places where you can relax in a pleasant atmosphere with a cup of a hot drink. A café is also a profitable business. That’s why such establishments open as quickly as mushrooms grow after rain. To make a café truly popular, you need to create a well-thought-out menu. This is the business card of the establishment that attracts visitors.
Drinks – the foundation of the café menu
First of all, you need to decide on the drinks and the components for their preparation. You must buy freshly roasted coffee and milk. Additives needed include sugar, chocolate, syrups, and toppings.
The drinks included in the café menu are divided into the following groups:
Mandatory – these are classic coffee-based drinks: espresso, americano, cappuccino, latte, and others. They are included in the menu of all cafés without exception. This is the base assortment. Classic drinks can be diversified with alternative milk – almond, soy, coconut. You can also offer the addition of syrups and toppings.
Signature – exclusive drinks with original recipes that can become the business card of the establishment. These offerings attract the younger generation. Such people love to try something new and unusual.
Additional – mainly seasonal offerings. In summer, you can add milkshakes, smoothies, and mojitos to the assortment. In winter, you should diversify the coffee menu. Tea and hot chocolate also serve as additional drinks.
There can also be water and soft drinks in the café's assortment.
Desserts
Cafés rarely limit themselves to just hot drinks. Desserts are often included in the menu. Classic offerings:
croissant – a puff pastry roll with a savory or sweet filling;
cheesecake – a cheese pie with a delicate texture, which can be drizzled with sweet syrup on top;
muffin – a small sponge cake with filling or additional components, such as raisins;
doughnuts – an airy roll with filling, powdered sugar, or syrup;
tiramisu – an exquisite dessert that can be beautifully presented.
You can also add pastries, pies, and buns to the menu.
Main Dishes
Main dishes are included in the menu of stationary cafés. For their preparation, the premises must have a kitchen with the necessary equipment. In a mobile café or an island in a shopping center, the possibility of equipping a kitchen is absent. Therefore, they do not offer main dishes. But if there is enough space in the café, such offerings can be added. They will attract the attention of an additional audience. Options:
Pizza – with classic and signature toppings. It should cater to the tastes of as many people as possible. Therefore, you should add pizza with cheese, meat, salami, seafood, and vegetables.
Burgers and sandwiches – popular dishes for a quick snack. You can offer visitors to choose their own toppings for the filling.
Salads – you can include classic salads such as “Caesar” or “Greek”.
Sides – there is demand for French fries, pasta, and noodles prepared in various recipes.
Meat dishes – nuggets, wings, and others.
It is better to determine the number of dishes at the stage of opening the establishment. The menu should be periodically updated and new offerings added. Over time, it will become clear which dishes are in demand and which can be removed from the menu.
Some useful tips
The menu should be diverse but not too complicated and overloaded with dishes. It should be well presented. This can be a brochure, a screen, or a board. You can combine these formats. Thus, daily specials and promotions are often written on the board.
Creating a menu is a collective effort that should involve the owner, the chef, and the barista.
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