Improving Your Takeaway Coffee Process
“People are happy to wait in line to order. They measure the wait time after payment. A quick time from payment to delivery wows your customers!”
An efficient takeaway coffee process boosts speed, quality, and customer satisfaction. It reduces wait times, eases staff pressure, and increases sales. Clear systems for order flow ensure consistency, keeping customers coming back.
Limitations & Challenges of a Poor Takeaway Coffee Process
- Baristas can’t keep up in a rush.
- Orders pile up.
- Orders get lost or missed.
- Baristas don’t work well together.
- Customers collect the wrong order.
Assess Your Café
- How long does it take to make a coffee vs. take an order?
- Do customers have to ask staff which coffee is theirs?
- Can a second barista help without asking questions?
- How many mistakes and mix-ups do your baristas make?
- How long is the wait time for coffee?
Solutions
1. Organize the Order Process
- Place takeaway cups at the till, not at the machine.
- Write on cups—not lids or printed dockets. The cup stays with the order throughout.
- Use a shorthand language guide that all staff follow to reduce mistakes and questions.
- Write the order details directly on the cup in this order:
Blend → Strength → Coffee → Milk → Temperature - Include the customer’s name on the cup.
2. Improve Workflow Efficiency
- Write on the cup, place it on top of the coffee machine, then complete the customer’s order and payment.
- This gives the barista a head start and allows the staff time to upsell.
- Stack cups as single orders to maintain clarity.
- Ensure both baristas can clearly see the full order on each cup—no need to match dockets with cups.
- This reduces confusion and mistakes.
- Since the till staff writes on the cup, the barista never has to stop making coffee to do so.
3. Optimize Barista Performance
- Baristas should clearly see lined-up orders, allowing them to group coffees efficiently.
- Assign till staff additional responsibilities, such as:
- Adding sugar, chocolate, or syrups to cups before passing them to the barista.
- This slows down the till process slightly, creating a better flow from ordering to making.
4. Increase Sales with Upselling
- Train till staff to upsell after placing the cup on the machine.
- This increases Spend Per Head without disrupting workflow.
Not sure where to start?
Need help implementing this into your café? Contact Us today.
