blog
August 30th, 2012
Essential Equipment for Opening a New Cafe
Opening up a new cafe can be an exciting experience, as well as a nerve-wracking one, but if you at least have all of your essential equipment covered, you will be giving yourself the best chance of succeeding. The following is a look at some of the essential equipment your new cafe is going to need.
It is essential to have a comfortable place for people to sit and enjoy their food and drinks, because unless your customers feel comfortable and relaxed at your cafe, they aren’t much chance of returning. Doing something special with your cafe furniture is also a great way to add style and colour to your space, and can play an important role in establishing a unique look and feel to your cafe.
An espresso machine
It wouldn’t be a cafe without coffee, so you are going to need to invest in a high-quality, high-production espresso machine. While they are certainly not cheap, a good espresso machine should last quite a few years. Show some faith in your new cafe and get yourself a good one.
A fridge
It is absolutely essential that you have a fridge in your new cafe, because apart from being able to keep your drinks cold, if you plan on serving food, you will more than likely need to keep some of it refrigerated as well. Depending on the types of food or drinks you choose to serve, a large freezer may also prove to be very useful.
A cash register or cash box
Hopefully your new cafe is going to be swarming with customers looking to spend money on your delicious treats, so you are going to need a way to handle all of that cash coming in. Having a cash register — or at the very least a cash box — will enable you to centralise your money and hopefully keep track of your sales as well.
Menus
Whether you opt for individual menus or just one large menu to be displayed on the wall, people are going to want to know what you have on offer, as well as how much it costs. Don’t be shy — let everyone know all about those marvellous options by providing a menu or menus that are easy to read and even easier to understand.
A glass/cup washing machine
Most cafes will go through a staggering amount of cups and glasses in an average day, and washing them individually by hand simply won’t be an option when you are slamming busy. Give your staff a chance of being able to keep up by investing in a small glass/cup washing machine. You will save time, money and water, as well as make it far easier for your cafe to run smoothly and efficiently.
Mobile POS devices
When you open a new business it is always important that you are able to make a good impression, and there is no better way to do this than by being extremely efficient. Mobile Point of Sale devices will make it simple and easy for your customers to settle their bills from their tables without having to come up to the register — a far more convenient setup for both your staff and your customers.