Love the local ice cream sales pitch in St Agnes, Isles of Scilly plus the Little Arthur Cafe & Shoemaker on St Margaret's.
The Cafe business for the professional operator - keeping up to date with what's new and interesting - written by Paul Cottrell, Turpin Smale Catering Consultants
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Thursday, 31 July 2014
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.
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.
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 Café 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.
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
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
Wednesday, 9 July 2014
Tuesday, 8 July 2014
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
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.
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.
"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.