Whether you’re opening a small, low-key operation or a large coffee shop with lots of dining space, your cafe menu needs to reflect the kind of food and drink you want to sell. A well-conceived menu can boost your customer base and help you develop a loyal following. However, you shouldn’t get carried away and overstock your menu with items that are too complex or costly to produce consistently. If you’re new to restaurant menu planning, start off small and gradually add more items as you gain a better feel for your business.
Typically, cafes focus on complementing their main attraction with light foods 카페 메뉴 and drinks. For example, many cafes only serve sandwiches and other quick lunch options to allow their customers plenty of time to enjoy their coffee. They may also offer pastries and desserts. Restaurants, on the other hand, usually have full-service dining rooms where patrons are shown to a table, served by a server and can order from a full menu.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when designing a cafe menu is that most customers come for breakfast, lunch and dinner. While a cafe may also be a place where people stop to meet friends or work, most visit for the food. This means that your cafe’s menu should include a variety of items to appeal to each crowd.
Breakfast items such as bagels and cream cheese, yogurt parfaits and granola salads are relatively simple to prepare in a kitchen. They require minimal equipment and basic skill from your staff and are popular with customers.
A grilled sandwich or panini is another simple cafe menu item that you can offer your customers. Depending on your location, you can either make these sandwiches in-house or source them from a third-party vendor. If you go the latter route, make sure to carefully evaluate your vendor’s production facilities and food safety practices to ensure that your menu items are as good as or even better than those made in your own kitchen.
For the more indulgent crowd, you can offer sweet snacks such as macarons that promise a light, meringue-based taste but still have a sweet flavor. These can be baked in-house by an experienced staff member or ordered from a third-party supplier. Start off offering these items at night, when the dining room tends to attract a different type of clientele, and then increase your menu options in this area with the demand that you see.
If you want to please a lunch crowd, try offering light soups like a hearty chicken noodle or bountiful Caesar salad. You can also feature a wide variety of sides to help keep customers full throughout the day, such as creamy mac and cheese or savory potato salad.