Coffee Shop Menus As Unique as their Owners
We recently wrote about broader cafe menus and what they mean for your cafe. Coffee remains at the center, but customers expect other drink categories to be there, too: matcha, craft energy, and signature drinks are mainstays.
But that doesn’t mean that every cafe menu looks as it did before, but bigger. What we’re seeing instead is how owners are putting their own spin on these categories to create menus that are just as unique as they are.
This trend is exciting to Texas Coffee School founder Tom Vincent, who said, “Every new generation of owners and baristas changes the industry in their own unique way. We’re in one of those periods of change right now, and it’s big. What I think this next generation is doing is taking that same expectation for quality and applying it to a much broader range of traditions, flavors, ingredients, and experiences.”
When we really want to analyze the way the industry is changing in real time, we look to our graduates. They’ve opened shops all over the world, and they each bring their own cultures, interests, and even quirks into their menus.
In this article, we share examples of the ways our students are expressing themselves, their values, and their niche business concepts through their menus.
Flavors and Ingredients From Around the World
Is there anything more universal than sitting down for food and drink with a friend? Coffee shops serve this purpose worldwide. And, more than ever, customers are excited to try flavors from around the world, too.
Tom said, “We’re seeing concepts drawing from Mexican, Yemeni, Vietnamese, Japanese, and other cultural traditions, along with concepts that intentionally bring multiple influences together. And in many cases, it’s deeply personal. These owners are building around their family, their culture, foods and drinks they grew up with, or something from their own background they want to share with their broader community.”
Let’s turn to our graduates for examples:
- Horchata Matcha from Mi Corazon Latte (pictured)
- Yemeni Coffee and Pastries from Sayfani Coffee House
- Ube and Pandan Filipino Lattes from Most Fly Coffee (pictured)
- Adeni Tea from Arwa Yemeni Coffee
- Tea and Turkish Delight from Must Go Coffee (pictured)
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Menus Based on Themes and Interests
Pumpkin spice and peppermint are familiar seasonal flavors, but what about a Pink Palace Matcha from the movie Coraline? Have you ever had a Twilight-themed Vampire Frappe? Signature drinks are becoming more creative as colors, flavors, and ingredients expand.
At Pan Pan Bakery, every week in October has had its own theme, from Snoopy to Coraline. It might seem counterintuitive to offer something so niche, but the opposite can be true. The more specific the interest, the more passionate the following. Customers love to connect with coffee shops over their shared interests, Here are a few examples from our graduates:
- Coraline-themed drinks and conchas from Pan Pan Bakery (pictured)
- Harry Potter Bagel Bear from Bagelology (pictured)
- Spurs pastries in San Antonio-based Sip N Sit with Me
- Welcome to the Black Lemonade with a marshmallow ghost, paired with a spooky read from Talking Animals Books
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A Drink For a Cause
Something we love about the small business owners we work with is their bottomless generosity. Now matter how much they give to their communities, many coffee shop owners also have special causes that they love to support.
We love seeing signature drinks for a cause. Here are a few ways our graduates are adding causes to their menus:
- Breast Cancer Awareness drink from The Frenchie Fix
- The News Flash, a drink supporting student journalism from Beanstalk Coffee and Sno
Make Your Coffee Shop Your Own with Texas Coffee School
Has there ever been a better time to be a coffee shop owner? We are energized at the creative ways our graduates are infusing their culture, interests, values, and unique personalities into their businesses.
When you’re ready to start your coffee business, we teach you what’s possible–and how to do it effectively and profitably. But you’re the one who will ultimately make it your own. We can’t wait to see what you create.
Sign up for our 3-Day Coffee Business Master Class® to get started.
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