Why One Café Chose to Shrink Its Kitchen and Refocus on Coffee

The Allure of a Full Food Menu

When we were figuring out how to make our 700-square-foot coffee shop stand out, the idea of serving perfectly fried eggs with tomatoes on freshly baked croissants sounded irresistible. Then we imagined adding a range of homemade grilled cheeses. Who would go anywhere else? We didn’t need further persuasion.

Our main emphasis was on coffee, but we were determined to perfect the food menu too, and we believed our classic grilled cheese would get people talking. The start was promising: we opened our first shop in October 2009 with a full coffee and food menu, a complete front- and back-of-house staff. Business was slow at first, but we saw the potential and felt we knew what it would take to succeed. Sales grew, projections were met, and we were getting a better grip on running the business.

Expansion and an Expensive Experiment

Over the next four years, we opened three more stores and built one with an even larger, more elaborate kitchen. We hired a consultant to design the most unique menu a coffee shop had ever offered. We thought the neighborhood was in for something special. After investing a considerable sum in that food concept, within six months we reverted the menu entirely to match our original location. Nothing really beats a grilled cheese and a latte for lunch. It was a costly lesson, but it made us realize that running a full-time kitchen is no simple feat.

The kitchen at Birch Coffee.

Persistent Hurdles with a Smaller Menu

Even with the reduced menu, problems persisted. I could make a cappuccino well, but I couldn’t prepare a salad to save my life. If the cook called in sick, the kitchen would often be closed for the day. The coffee program was thriving, yet the kitchen and food program stayed stagnant and inconsistent. Finding back-of-house staff grew harder, and our hearts weren’t in doing whatever it took.

We love coffee and we are really good at it. We wondered: if we feel this way about coffee, surely there must be someone who feels the same about good food. So we began searching for a partner happy to deliver freshly prepared food daily.

Finding the Right Partner

Our real search started about six months ago. After many phone calls, meetings, and tastings (definitely not the worst part of the job), we met a local food purveyor, Local Thyme, that focuses on healthy and delicious yet incredibly approachable items—which seemed like a perfect fit. They deliver parfaits, fruits, wraps, and salads freshly daily. It removes all the guesswork for us and our baristas. As long as we can read their handwriting on expiration dates, we’re in great shape. It has helped increase our profit margins and eliminated significant waste and unnecessary labor.

Lessons Learned

So I leave you with this: do what you love. Connect with others who love what they do. Stay relevant and ahead of the competition. Don’t fear change—embrace it. If something isn’t working, move on and focus on what is. These are all the recipes for success you need.