Pumpkin spice season is in full swing, and you don’t have to be a big name chain with a cafe on every corner to take advantage. The popular seasonal flavor profile can generate additional sales from your regulars, bring in new customers, and even drum up business during slower times. According to recent data, in addition to increasing visits and visit frequency, that pumpkin spice latte can also give a nice bump to your check averages ($7.81 for latte buyers vs just $6.67 for non-buyers).
Considering how competitive it can be for a local coffee shop to be successful against the big chains, it’s critical to offer unique, craveable menu items that attract both new customers and keep current ones coming back. Seasonal beverages, particularly pumpkin spice, also tend to inspire customers to purchase food along with their coffee, so start baking up those pumpkin muffins and scones.
Some other limited time flavor profiles increasing in popularity:
- Salted caramel
- Maple pecan
- Unicorn (just kidding…sort of!)
- Spiced caramel apple
- Mocha hot chocolate
AN Extra Shot of Revenue
The seasonal beverages are a great income booster on their own, but the fall and winter months are also prime opportunities for gift card sales. As expected, the months before and during the holidays see a nice boost in gift cards as customers prepare for the gift giving season. Pairing a gift card promotion alongside your seasonal drinks will give you that extra boost of revenue coffee shops usually see during this time of the year.
You don’t have to wait until Black Friday descends upon the retail season to start maximizing your gift card sales. October and early November are the perfect opportunity to incentivize your customers to shop early. Consumers are already holiday minded (it’s hard not to be when retailers put out Christmas decor before the Halloween candy is even gone), so leverage your marketing tools to get your best customers in a gift giving mood.
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