Cafes and coffee shops: problems we solve
27 problems cafes and coffee shops bring us, each with the cause, what it costs and what we build to fix it.
Cafes and coffee shops problems
27 articlesHow Do We Get Coffees Out Faster at 8am When the Queue Is Out the Door?
Coffee shop morning rush queues jam at the espresso bar, not the till. We build order screens and rush data so drinks go out in order and staff fit the peak.
How Do We Take Coffee Pre-Orders Without Making Everyone in the Queue Wait Longer?
Cafe pre-orders from an app or website land at the bar all at once and slow the walk-in queue. We build timed pick-up slots and a bar screen that paces them.
How Do Baristas Give the Tenth Coffee Free Without a Rubber Stamp in the Queue?
Coffee shop buy-nine-get-one-free cards get missed by baristas in the rush and copied. We build free-coffee rewards that run from your till automatically.
How Do We Order the Right Amount of Whole, Skimmed and Oat Milk for the Week?
Cafes over-order dairy that goes off and run out of oat milk by Friday. We build milk ordering that works from actual till sales of each milk type per day.
How Do We Order Coffee Beans From Our Roaster So We Never Run Out or Serve Stale Coffee?
Coffee shops order beans from the roaster by feel, so bags go stale or hoppers run dry. We build bean orders from shots sold, shelf stock and roast dates.
How Many Croissants Should Our Cafe Order From the Bakery Each Day?
Cafes order pastries from the bakery on a standing order, then bin the rest or sell out by ten. We build daily pastry orders from sales and sell-out times.
How Many Sandwiches and Salads Should We Make for the Grab-and-Go Fridge Each Morning?
Cafes make grab-and-go sandwiches from guesswork, then bin them at close or run out at lunch. We build a morning prep list from sales, time of sale and waste.
Why Are Our Baristas Not Charging for Oat Milk, Syrups and Extra Shots?
Cafe tills make oat milk, syrup and extra shot charges easy to miss in a rush. We rebuild till buttons and modifiers so the right price is the fastest option.
How Do We Handle Office Breakfast and Lunch Catering Orders Without Mistakes?
Cafe office catering orders come by email, phone and message with late changes. We build a catering order form with cut-offs, invoicing and a kitchen sheet.
How Do We Run a Monthly Coffee Subscription for Regulars Without a Spreadsheet?
Cafe coffee subscriptions for regulars are tracked on a spreadsheet and card slips. We build subscriptions with recurring payment and till-checked allowances.
How Do We Stop Selling Coffee Bags Online That We Have Already Sold Over the Counter?
Cafes selling retail coffee bags on Shopify and at the counter oversell because stock isn't shared. We sync till and online stock so each bag is sold once.
How Do We Make Sure Every Early Shift Has a Keyholder and a Trained Barista?
Coffee shop rotas break when an opener calls in sick at 5:30am with no keyholder cover. We build a rota with skills, keyholders and quick cover requests.
How Do We Keep Track of Espresso Machine Servicing, Water Filters and Grinder Burrs?
Cafes forget espresso machine servicing, water filter changes and grinder burrs until something fails. We build a kit schedule with reminders and history.
How Do We Stop Our Cafe's Fridge Temperature and Closing Check Records Having Gaps?
Cafe fridge temperature logs and closing checks are kept on paper and filled in late. We build phone checklists with reminders so records are done on time.
How Do We Print Accurate Labels for the Sandwiches and Cakes We Pack Ourselves?
Cafes write labels for their own prepacked food by hand or from old templates, so recipe changes slip. We build labels printed from your recipe records.
How Do We Manage Wholesale Cake Orders From Other Cafes Without Losing Track?
Cafes that bake for other cafes and delis take orders by WhatsApp and invoice late. We build a trade order page with cut-offs, bake lists and invoicing.
Why Do We Keep Getting Deliveroo and Uber Eats Orders for Things We Have Run Out Of?
Cafe delivery app menus show items sold out at the counter, so orders get cancelled. We connect the till to delivery apps so menus and sold-outs stay in step.
How Do We Take Birthday and Celebration Cake Orders Without Getting the Name or Date Wrong?
Cafes take custom cake orders at the counter on paper, then miss dates, misspell names and chase deposits. We build a cake order form and a bake calendar.
What Does a Flat White Actually Cost Us to Make Now That Beans and Milk Have Gone Up?
Cafes set drink prices years ago and lose track as beans, milk and cups go up. We build a cost-per-drink view that updates when supplier prices change.
How Do We Stop Running Out of 12oz Cups and Lids in the Middle of a Busy Week?
Cafes run out of takeaway cups, lids and sleeves because packaging is ordered by eye. We build packaging reorder alerts from takeaway sales by size.
How Can I See How Each of My Cafes Is Doing Without Driving Between Them Every Day?
Owners with two to four cafes visit each shop to see how it is doing, and still miss things. We build one daily view of every cafe's sales, staffing and waste.
How Do We Take Bookings for Evening Private Hire, Supper Clubs and Workshops at Our Cafe?
Cafes hiring out their space for evenings, supper clubs and workshops take bookings by message. We build a booking page with deposits, tickets and reminders.
How Do We Keep Our Espresso Tasting the Same No Matter Which Barista Dialled It In?
Coffee shop espresso changes by shift because each barista dials in differently and nothing is recorded. We build a dial-in log on a tablet by the grinder.
Why Does Food Keep Going to the Wrong Table in Our Cafe at Lunchtime?
Cafe food orders get lost between counter, kitchen and table when the lunch rush hits. We build kitchen tickets with table numbers and a runner screen.
How Do We Launch Our Autumn and Christmas Drinks Without Running Out of Syrup in Week One?
Cafe seasonal drinks launch with the till, boards and apps out of step and syrups under-ordered. We build a launch checklist with stock and sales tracking.
Why Does Our Coffee Shop Use More Milk and Beans Than the Till Says We Sold?
Cafe staff drinks, freebies for regulars and remakes skip the till, so stock never matches sales. We set up simple recording so usage adds up without fuss.
How Do We Make Sure Our Cafe Till Records Eat-In and Takeaway Correctly on Every Sale?
Cafe tills default to one option, so eat-in and takeaway are recorded wrongly and reports mislead. We set up the till so every sale is recorded the right way.