3 Reasons Your Coffee Shop Needs a Drive-Thru (And How to Get Started)

Drive-thrus are a staple to American restaurant success. Businesses with drive-thrus are far more successful than businesses without them. Your coffee shop will benefit greatly from incorporating a drive-thru and turning your cafe into a drive-thru coffee shop.

Why Should Your Coffee Shop Have a Drive-Thru? Benefits of a Drive-Thru Coffee Shop

1. It Promotes Sales

McDonald's reported that 65% of their sales come from their drive-thru. When Panera Bread introduced its drive-thru in 2011, its sales increased by upwards of 25%. People love drive-thrus. Turning your coffee shop into a small drive-thru coffee shop will increase your sales significantly.

2. It's Great for Families

Drive-thrus are so much easier for parents with small children. They don't have to take their kids out of the car. You don't have to worry about the kids making a mess in your coffee shop. Drive-thrus keeps children contained while they're enjoying their food.

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3. It's Convenient

People want the least amount of effort for their coffee. Even if it isn't much faster to use a drive-thru than going inside, people feel like it's faster because they're doing less. They don't have to park, get out of their cars, or walk anywhere. People are more likely to buy from your coffee shop if they don't have to work for it.

How To Open a Small Drive Thru Coffee Shop

1. Do Your Research

Most places have differing laws when it comes to what restaurants can and can't do. Before you do anything to open your drive-thru or start construction, check with your local government. There may be regulations you aren't aware of. Most governments will take a long time to get back to you or schedule a time for inspection. If you contact them before you start, you won't have to worry about waiting weeks for them.

2. Construct your Drive-Thru

If your location doesn't already have a drive-thru window built-in, you'll need to build one. When planning where it will be, you'll need to make sure the window is near the kitchen. It needs to be where the drinks are made. Another major thing to consider is how easy it is to access from the outside. Your customers should be able to drive up to it without getting lost.

3. Build Your Menu

Your drive-thru menu needs to be only products that can be made quickly. If the items on your main menu can all be prepared quickly, you won't need to change them. Your drive-thru menu items need to be prepared fast enough that you won't lose customers by making them wait too long. You'll also need to have your menu posted near where the customers will be ordering so they can read it.

4. Advertise It

Make sure your customers know you have a drive-thru now. You can advertise both online and in person. Have a grand opening for your drive-thru! If people feel the excitement about your drive-thru that you do, they'll want to visit it.

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5. Have Dedicated Drive-Thru Staff

It may seem like a waste of money to have more staff just for a drive-thru, but it's worth it. Your regular person at the cash register will be overwhelmed by the amount of work coming from the drive-thru. Keep one dedicated person for the drive-thru so you don't have to have your regular baristas spread too thin.

Drive-thrus are a great way to bring more traffic to your store. Your coffee shop should have a drive-thru because it will promote sales, bring more families, and increase convenience. More people will want to come to your coffee shop because of the drive-thru.