Thursday 31 July 2014

Scilly Cows & Shoemakers

 Love the local ice cream sales pitch in St Agnes, Isles of Scilly plus the Little Arthur Cafe & Shoemaker on St Margaret's.

Wednesday 30 July 2014

Buoyed Up Advertising

 
Advertise your cafe anyway you can - The Lifebuoy Cafe in Fowey has a boat 'hoarding' moored off the town quay.  Brilliant.

Tuesday 29 July 2014

Contactless is Coming

Great for speeding up transactions at cafes (and racecourses).  The average spend per transaction in UK cafes is under £9 (incl VAT) - have you installed contactless yet?

Monday 28 July 2014

Beach Weather


Novel edible beach made of biscuit at anonymous works cafe.  Thanks Maurice for the photo.

Friday 25 July 2014

Healthy Eating and Chips with Sauce

This Wasabi kiosk is parked outside Liverpool Street Station.  The world is certainly changing when we have this rather than a burger van.  The City may lead trends but more healthy eating is on our customers' agenda.


Just to make sure we don't get too carried away, a unit spotted at a stately home half marathon event that just does chips, with added sauce!

Wednesday 23 July 2014

Whose Brand Are You Promoting?


The ubiquitous and prominent Coca-Cola fridge but whose brand are you wanting to promote in a cafe.  Dur......   Surely your own.  Companies may provide free equipment but it's at the expense of promoting yourself.

Tuesday 22 July 2014

Food Storage as Styling

 Benugo's Bishopsgate Kitchen is in the design style of Bill's Produce Store, Carluccios, Albion Caff and Jamies Italian - the food does the talking/styling.

Almost all storage is out front - you just keep the unbranded items out back.


Monday 21 July 2014

Now that's how to sell a Sandwich

We are reviewing some of our most popular blog posts over the summer - this was from April 2011.  Carluccios now have 80+ outlets in the UK.  Maybe it is down to their sandwiches!

Look .... Carluccios (53 cafes and counting) displaying their lunchtime sandwiches 'au naturel' - no packaging or chilling and presumably they have done their risk assessment well.

Great display and taste.

Thursday 17 July 2014

Look After The Locals

Cupcakes may be commonplace but they are a great way of making that local connection.  Glendoick CafĂ© sent in a photo of their limited edition St Johnstone Cup Cakes in celebration of the team winning the Scottish Cup Final back in May.  St Johnstone's Chairman is boss of a major local employer.  Local connections count.

Wednesday 16 July 2014

A New Type of Venue Caterer?

 Jupiter Artland is a wonderful external contemporary art location just outside Edinburgh.
 The cafe is part vintage 1953 Silver Streak caravan and part inside space - their Proposal Room - and opens Thursday to Sunday.
The Cafe is operated by sister company to Leo's Beanery Cafe http://www.leosbeanery.co.uk/  Will we see more cafes becoming concession caterers at venues?
 Wood fire and jugs of wild flowers complete the ambiance.

Tuesday 15 July 2014

Tree Huggers

 Eye catching and attractive wooden furniture at Foodilic in Brighton.


Monday 14 July 2014

Blitz those Cold Drinks

Pod gets the visual appeal of their various smoothie ingredients and take it from the chiller to the counter to be 'blitzed'.

Friday 11 July 2014

A Positive Welcome

Do you have clear and published provision for customers with disabilities.  Bravo Whitbread's Premier Inn.

Thursday 10 July 2014

Pork is Popular

 Loughborough gets its Hog Stop.




Wednesday 9 July 2014

Pod & Prunes

 Prune and Chia seed and Cacao, Agave & Pistachio Yoghurts by Pod.

Tuesday 8 July 2014

Scotland Decides

 Cuckoo's Bakery in Edinburgh has its own, and sweeter, voting record updated weekly.

Monday 7 July 2014

Barefoot Bakers

 Homemade and unusual cakes at Storytellers Cafe by Barefoot in Oxford.
 Cinnamon Nut Crunch and Rhubarb Cake
Strawberry, Butternut Squash and Almond Cake

Friday 4 July 2014

Forget the Phone Booth

Skype booth at Central Working's meeting/cafe/networking space.  Should your cafe have a privacy booth?

Thursday 3 July 2014

The Doughnut Renaissance

 Gourmet doughnuts from Crosstown - a five week old company.  Selling fast at pop up stalls and events.
Check out the flavours at  http://www.crosstowndoughnuts.com/
 At up to £3.50 a time these are top end doughnuts.

Wednesday 2 July 2014

Toilet Humour

 Virgin Trains don't want old phones, unpaid bills, junk mail, your ex's sweater, hopes, dreams or goldfish down this toilet.
"I am clean" proclaims a private hospital toilet.

Tuesday 1 July 2014

Toddler Tapas

Barefoot Books' Storyteller's Cafe in Oxford is one of the best kid friendly and focused cafes we have ever seen.