When it comes to coffee shops, bigger isn’t always better. With people making a quick stop to grab a coffee on their way to work or to run errands, coffee shops don’t need much sit-down space. Especially since the onset of the pandemic, more people opt to grab their morning joe from the drive-thru.
If you’re trying to decide on the optimal coffee shop floor plan or coffee shop layout, you may also want to consider the option of a drive-thru coffee shop. Here are the top four things to consider when choosing a small coffee shop design.
With only so much restaurant square footage, you’ll need to make sure your equipment is placed correctly. To provide the best customer service, your equipment needs to be organized in a way that allows employees to make orders and get them out the door quickly. If you have people constantly bumping into each other trying to fill coffee drink orders, it will create frustration for both your customers and your employees.
Similar to equipment, the customer journey through your coffee shop floor plan should also flow. Think about where the person will order, where they’ll pick up their order, and where they’ll grab any additional utensils or napkins. You don’t want your customers to be confused about where they should go next after placing their order. Make sure to have signage that clearly defines where people should order and where they should pick up their coffee. With a drive-thru coffee shop layout, this is a simpler step since customers will only order through the drive thru.
This is paramount for any business, but your coffee shop floor plan should abide by all city and accessibility requirements. Be sure to do your research to find a knowledgeable contractor who fully understands the correct way your coffee shop should be built. This includes but is not limited to aisle width, doorway size, restroom layout, table height, parking spaces, and entryway ramp (should the door not be on flat ground).
Drive-thru coffee shop floor plans tend to be on the smaller side because they only have to account for employees. This can reduce your upfront costs during construction and your ongoing costs after you open. With a smaller space, there’s less to clean, heat, cool, and keep well-lit than a larger sit-down coffee shop. You also probably won’t need as large a staff within a smaller coffee shop.
A drive-thru only coffee shop also makes things a little easier for your employees. Instead of having to keep track of where an order needs to go – either drive-thru or pick-up counter – there’s only one option. This allows for smoother service and a better customer experience.
Boasting a 664-square-foot kiosk model, Scooter’s Coffee® has one of the smaller coffee franchise models in the industry. Needing only six employees to run, Scooter’s Coffee provides franchisees an affordable model requiring lower buildout costs and payroll and expenses.
With an investment range of $794,000 to $1,264,500, franchise candidates are required to have a net worth of $500,000 with $200,000 in liquid capital. Franchisees can expect to pay a 6% royalty fee and a 2% advertising fee.
Having opened our 300th store at the end of 2020 and our 400th at the end of 2021, Scooter’s Coffee is quickly approaching 500 locations with markets available across the country. If you’re ready to get started with a Scooter’s Coffee kiosk, fill out this form and one of our representatives will be in touch.
