Communication is the key.
Opening on weekends can be mixed business for cafes. They’re usually busy, but labour costs can cut deep into the profits.
To make up the increased expense, some cafes have added weekend surcharges to menu items - often around 10 to 15 per cent. It’s a strategy fraught with danger though. While some cafes have implemented the changes without a whimper, others have copped serious backlash from customers.
The best way to sidestep resentment is transparency – explain why you have added the surcharge.
It’s a strategy that has worked at Hawthorn cafe Finders Keepers, which recently stuck a note on its front window flagging a weekend price rise.
Speaking at the Bureaux Collective’s industry event Spotlight On: Can an Honest Cafe Actually Make Money? last week, Finders Keepers owner Kirsten Baker revealed the response has been “been really positive”.
“We might have a couple of people who’ve seen it go next door, but overall we haven’t had a drop in business,” she said.
Another option is printing a small note explaining the fee, and placing it on tables.
For those seeking more industry insights and advice, Bureaux Collective will continue the Spotlight On series over the coming months. Their next event is on Thursday August 9 in Melbourne.
Bureaux Collective is a shared coffee-roasting workspace in Cremorne, focused on turning Melbourne’s cafes into coffee roasters. Find out more here.
