An office coffee service can save you money in surprising ways. That may seem to go against the traditional wisdom that says doing something yourself is always cheaper than paying for a service, but providing coffee for your office staff and clients can add up in the accounting books in places where you don’t see it. Contracting with an office coffee service can increase productivity, increase staff and customer satisfaction with your company and reduce the unexpected overhead costs of coffee in your office.
Is coffee costing your company money?
If your company provides coffee for the staff and clients, then you probably think you have a pretty good idea of what your coffee costs are. Bankrate.com, one of the premier finance websites on the Internet, points out costs that few businesses consider when totaling the cost of providing coffee service for their employees. Among those “hidden” costs are the amount of time it takes to shop for break room coffee supplies and the time your accountant or bookkeeper spends tracking coffee expenses for your annual expense reports. Those may seem minor, but when you consider how much you are paying your accountant, it can add up surprisingly fast.
Believe it or not, even those businesses that do not have a break room on premises where they provide coffee for their staff and customers could be losing money by not employing a coffee service. When you provide coffee service on premises, none of your employees are leaving the building to pick up coffee at the local coffee shop; trips that add up in terms of lost productivity and time out of the office. By contracting with a coffee service to provide fine coffee for your employees, you can increase the amount of time that your employees are at work and focused on their jobs.
Can a coffee service increase your company’s profits?
The surprising answer to that question is “absolutely!” Here are just some of the ways that providing coffee through a coffee service can affect your bottom line.
- Providing coffee service for your staff improves employee morale.
Happier employees are more productive employees. While coffee may seem like a very small thing in the larger scheme of things, providing good coffee (especially free good coffee) to your employees’ rates very high with them. In a number of surveys, researchers asked employees to name something that their employer does that makes them feel valued and appreciated. In nearly every survey, more employees named free coffee than any other perk.
- Offering fine coffee to your customers increases their positive feelings about your company.
Anything you do to make customer or client experience with your company will show up in your bottom line, even if it can’t be easily quantified. Offering your customers a cup of gourmet coffee is one way to make them feel valued and appreciated. This is a lesson learned by high-end hair stylists, doctor and dentist offices and even upscale retail stores. Give your customers good coffee, and they will leave feeling far more appreciated, which can translate into a better bottom line for your business.
- Coffee can improve focus and can increases productivity.
A recent study measured productivity in workers who drank coffee during the day against the productivity of workers who do not drink coffee at the office. They found that workers who drank coffee at their desks were more focused on their work and completed more work than their co-workers who did not. The difference between the two groups of workers became more marked as the day went on. In fact, most of the coffee drinkers avoided the typical mid-afternoon slump in productivity entirely. A good coffee service can improve your bottom line by increasing productivity and reducing errors. Not to mention, your employees most likely will not be heading out the door to grab a coffee at the local coffee shop if they have a great coffee service providing coffee in the break room.
Using an office coffee service is less expensive
In many cases, the coffee service will provide a high-end coffee maker for your office for free as long as you purchase a minimum amount of coffee from them. Depending on the quality of the coffee that you choose, a coffee service for your office will cost between 4 cent and 19 cents per cup; the 19 cent figure is for Starbucks coffee from a coffee service. The machines ranges from double burner pour-over coffee makers to fancy bean-to-cup coffee machines that dispense gourmet espresso, complete with frothed milk.
If you are considering providing coffee for your office, or if you already provide free coffee for employees and customers, take a look at what a coffee service can do to save you money on your coffee.
By: Stephanie Larkin
About the Author:
Is coffee costing your company money?
If your company provides coffee for the staff and clients, then you probably think you have a pretty good idea of what your coffee costs are. Bankrate.com, one of the premier finance websites on the Internet, points out costs that few businesses consider when totaling the cost of providing coffee service for their employees. Among those “hidden” costs are the amount of time it takes to shop for break room coffee supplies and the time your accountant or bookkeeper spends tracking coffee expenses for your annual expense reports. Those may seem minor, but when you consider how much you are paying your accountant, it can add up surprisingly fast.
Believe it or not, even those businesses that do not have a break room on premises where they provide coffee for their staff and customers could be losing money by not employing a coffee service. When you provide coffee service on premises, none of your employees are leaving the building to pick up coffee at the local coffee shop; trips that add up in terms of lost productivity and time out of the office. By contracting with a coffee service to provide fine coffee for your employees, you can increase the amount of time that your employees are at work and focused on their jobs.
Can a coffee service increase your company’s profits?
The surprising answer to that question is “absolutely!” Here are just some of the ways that providing coffee through a coffee service can affect your bottom line.
- Providing coffee service for your staff improves employee morale.
Happier employees are more productive employees. While coffee may seem like a very small thing in the larger scheme of things, providing good coffee (especially free good coffee) to your employees’ rates very high with them. In a number of surveys, researchers asked employees to name something that their employer does that makes them feel valued and appreciated. In nearly every survey, more employees named free coffee than any other perk.
- Offering fine coffee to your customers increases their positive feelings about your company.
Anything you do to make customer or client experience with your company will show up in your bottom line, even if it can’t be easily quantified. Offering your customers a cup of gourmet coffee is one way to make them feel valued and appreciated. This is a lesson learned by high-end hair stylists, doctor and dentist offices and even upscale retail stores. Give your customers good coffee, and they will leave feeling far more appreciated, which can translate into a better bottom line for your business.
- Coffee can improve focus and can increases productivity.
A recent study measured productivity in workers who drank coffee during the day against the productivity of workers who do not drink coffee at the office. They found that workers who drank coffee at their desks were more focused on their work and completed more work than their co-workers who did not. The difference between the two groups of workers became more marked as the day went on. In fact, most of the coffee drinkers avoided the typical mid-afternoon slump in productivity entirely. A good coffee service can improve your bottom line by increasing productivity and reducing errors. Not to mention, your employees most likely will not be heading out the door to grab a coffee at the local coffee shop if they have a great coffee service providing coffee in the break room.
Using an office coffee service is less expensive
In many cases, the coffee service will provide a high-end coffee maker for your office for free as long as you purchase a minimum amount of coffee from them. Depending on the quality of the coffee that you choose, a coffee service for your office will cost between 4 cent and 19 cents per cup; the 19 cent figure is for Starbucks coffee from a coffee service. The machines ranges from double burner pour-over coffee makers to fancy bean-to-cup coffee machines that dispense gourmet espresso, complete with frothed milk.
If you are considering providing coffee for your office, or if you already provide free coffee for employees and customers, take a look at what a coffee service can do to save you money on your coffee.
By: Stephanie Larkin
About the Author:
Stephanie Larkin is a freelance writer who writes about tips for living and saving money, often offering suggestions about certain services to try such as office coffee.
A coffee service is commonly touted as one of the best perks that you can offer your employees; and one of the best ways to add positively to the company experience for your customers and your clients. Why a coffee service? And precisely what IS a coffee service?
Coffee Services Come in Many Flavors
When working with a coffee service, run-of-the-mill flavors such as French Vanilla and Cinnamon Hazelnut coffee flavors are just the beginning. There are several different standard kinds of coffee services, and each coffee service provides different services and equipment to your office. Each of them also offers benefits, both in general and specifically for your office.
Full Office Coffee Service
Most coffee service companies provide a free coffee machine – or more than one machine, depending on the needs of your company, as part of their service contract. You pay nothing for the coffee machine as long as you purchase a minimum specified amount of coffee and other supplies from the coffee service company. The coffee machines supplied run the gamut from basic Bunn Coffee-matic pour-over coffee pots to elaborate high-end espresso machines that make multiple kinds of hot drinks, usually dispensing one cup at a time.
If you opt for a full coffee service contract, the supplier will generally set up an automatic delivery schedule of coffee, teas and other beverages, commonly referred to as consumables. Some may also include such supplies as water filters for your coffee machine, bottled water, automatic coffee machine cleaner, coffee filters, disposable coffee cups and napkins. Most likely, you will be assigned to an account manager who will be available to discuss your coffee service needs if you find that you are ordering too much or too little coffee.
When you use a coffee service to provide coffee for your office and customers, you reap some very tangible benefits, and a few intangible ones. Here are just a few of them.
1. Your coffee expenses are far easier to track when you use a coffee service
If you are providing coffee to your employees and customers for free, it is a legitimate business expense. When you use a coffee service, you only have one expense stream to track, the bills from the coffee service. Compare that to tracking the receipts from the food service, from the supermarket, the replacement coffee machine when the old one failed, the box of tea. It will save your bookkeeper a lot of aggravation and time, and probably save you some money on your taxes.
2. You don’t have to worry about running out of coffee or coffee supplies when you use a coffee service
When you sign up with a coffee service, you could set up automatic regular deliveries of coffee and supplies. No one has to think about ordering coffee, and you should never run out of coffee again. That means no sending out your secretary to pick up filters at the last minute so you can serve coffee to an important client, or rooting around in the break room cabinets to find a leftover coffee pod.
3. It costs you nothing for coffee machine maintenance
Since you do not own the coffee machine, you do not have to worry about maintenance. In many cases, the coffee service supplier will attend to routine maintenance chores, or at least remind you when it is time to do them. More to the point, if the machine just quits working, the coffee service provider will generally replace or repair it almost immediately. The same holds true if the coffee carafe gets knocked off the counter, no more hunting around for hours, or buying a new coffee maker because the carafe broke.
4. You have a wide choice of coffee machine options with a coffee service
Most office coffee services feature a full range of coffee makers and coffee machine options. The most popular are single-serve coffee makers that allow each of your employees or customers to make their favorite kind of coffee, tea or even hot chocolate. They can supply machines for any size office or retail operation.
Even if your company decides that it can’t foot the entire bill for your employees’ coffee habit, there are coffee services that can provide you with vending machines, but not the “old school” vending machines that dispense watery brew. The new coffee vending machines dispense gourmet coffee in different flavors, as well as hot chocolate and hot water for tea. Using a vending machine in conjunction with a coffee company allows you to offset the cost of providing coffee for your office by collecting a small fee for the coffee sold.
If the thought of using a coffee service sounds intriguing, coffee services can be found in just about every city as well as online. Contact a sales agent or account representative from a local coffee service to find out more about the benefits of using a coffee service for your office or business.
By: Stephanie Larkin
About the Author:
Coffee Services Come in Many Flavors
When working with a coffee service, run-of-the-mill flavors such as French Vanilla and Cinnamon Hazelnut coffee flavors are just the beginning. There are several different standard kinds of coffee services, and each coffee service provides different services and equipment to your office. Each of them also offers benefits, both in general and specifically for your office.
Full Office Coffee Service
Most coffee service companies provide a free coffee machine – or more than one machine, depending on the needs of your company, as part of their service contract. You pay nothing for the coffee machine as long as you purchase a minimum specified amount of coffee and other supplies from the coffee service company. The coffee machines supplied run the gamut from basic Bunn Coffee-matic pour-over coffee pots to elaborate high-end espresso machines that make multiple kinds of hot drinks, usually dispensing one cup at a time.
If you opt for a full coffee service contract, the supplier will generally set up an automatic delivery schedule of coffee, teas and other beverages, commonly referred to as consumables. Some may also include such supplies as water filters for your coffee machine, bottled water, automatic coffee machine cleaner, coffee filters, disposable coffee cups and napkins. Most likely, you will be assigned to an account manager who will be available to discuss your coffee service needs if you find that you are ordering too much or too little coffee.
When you use a coffee service to provide coffee for your office and customers, you reap some very tangible benefits, and a few intangible ones. Here are just a few of them.
1. Your coffee expenses are far easier to track when you use a coffee service
If you are providing coffee to your employees and customers for free, it is a legitimate business expense. When you use a coffee service, you only have one expense stream to track, the bills from the coffee service. Compare that to tracking the receipts from the food service, from the supermarket, the replacement coffee machine when the old one failed, the box of tea. It will save your bookkeeper a lot of aggravation and time, and probably save you some money on your taxes.
2. You don’t have to worry about running out of coffee or coffee supplies when you use a coffee service
When you sign up with a coffee service, you could set up automatic regular deliveries of coffee and supplies. No one has to think about ordering coffee, and you should never run out of coffee again. That means no sending out your secretary to pick up filters at the last minute so you can serve coffee to an important client, or rooting around in the break room cabinets to find a leftover coffee pod.
3. It costs you nothing for coffee machine maintenance
Since you do not own the coffee machine, you do not have to worry about maintenance. In many cases, the coffee service supplier will attend to routine maintenance chores, or at least remind you when it is time to do them. More to the point, if the machine just quits working, the coffee service provider will generally replace or repair it almost immediately. The same holds true if the coffee carafe gets knocked off the counter, no more hunting around for hours, or buying a new coffee maker because the carafe broke.
4. You have a wide choice of coffee machine options with a coffee service
Most office coffee services feature a full range of coffee makers and coffee machine options. The most popular are single-serve coffee makers that allow each of your employees or customers to make their favorite kind of coffee, tea or even hot chocolate. They can supply machines for any size office or retail operation.
Even if your company decides that it can’t foot the entire bill for your employees’ coffee habit, there are coffee services that can provide you with vending machines, but not the “old school” vending machines that dispense watery brew. The new coffee vending machines dispense gourmet coffee in different flavors, as well as hot chocolate and hot water for tea. Using a vending machine in conjunction with a coffee company allows you to offset the cost of providing coffee for your office by collecting a small fee for the coffee sold.
If the thought of using a coffee service sounds intriguing, coffee services can be found in just about every city as well as online. Contact a sales agent or account representative from a local coffee service to find out more about the benefits of using a coffee service for your office or business.
By: Stephanie Larkin
About the Author:
Stephanie Larkin is a freelance writer who writes about tips for living and saving money, often offering suggestions about certain services to try such as office coffee.
While some companies can easily afford paying accounting services to handle their figuring, others think that any expense that can be eliminated is a wise move. This decision is not always clear cut. Factors involved include: experience with accounting in the company, cash flow, available time, potential work elsewhere, etc.
There is really only one draw-back to paying to have accounting services done by someone else. Money invested, is still money not able to be spent somewhere else. This detractor is a big one because the whole reason of running a business is to make as much money as you can, not spend it.
There are many valuable benefits to spending money for accounting services that may make it worth the expense. Having professionals calculate the business figures means you don’t have to spend your time doing it. Many activities can be chosen to utilize this extra time. Use it for developing better business operations or taking personal time.
If you are ambitious and want to spend that extra time in your company, there are many productive things to do. More time allows focus to be used on more important tasks to make procedures and processes more efficient. Developing new customers or solidifying existing customers is a wise objective. In this decision implicit costs, also called opportunity costs, must be considered. If your time is worth $40/hr then is spending 5 hours a week worth doing it yourself, equaling $200. Could you be doing something more valuable with those 5 hours? An accountant may make more per hour, but consider that it would take them half the time.
With an accounting service, the accuracy of the figures does not have to be questioned. Correctly calculating accounting numbers quickly for a client is their sole purpose. In most cases, expensive software is utilized to ensure proper formulas calculate correctly every time.
Because double checking is already done for you and not needed again by you, reliability is an asset. A good service makes a name for themselves with dependability.
Come tax time, already having an accounting service in place, saves money with applicable deductions. Since they are fully aware of your type of business and your operations, their in-depth knowledge can offer tax advantages year after year.
Another benefit of having professionals know the ins and outs of the company is in the event of an audit. Audits are done selectively by the IRS and some insurance companies require payroll audits every year or even quarterly. If accounting is figured in-house, this process can take weeks out of productivity. If accounting services are employed, they are totally responsible to comply with any records requested and methods of calculations.
Either answer can be the right one for different companies. There is no one answer for every situation. Some companies have enough capital and revenue from sales or services that the cash flow can support paying for accounting services and some do not. After reading this article the generic answer should be: If there is enough money to substantiate outsourcing accounting services then it will pay off in the scheme of things.
By: Joe Coffee
About the Author:
There is really only one draw-back to paying to have accounting services done by someone else. Money invested, is still money not able to be spent somewhere else. This detractor is a big one because the whole reason of running a business is to make as much money as you can, not spend it.
There are many valuable benefits to spending money for accounting services that may make it worth the expense. Having professionals calculate the business figures means you don’t have to spend your time doing it. Many activities can be chosen to utilize this extra time. Use it for developing better business operations or taking personal time.
If you are ambitious and want to spend that extra time in your company, there are many productive things to do. More time allows focus to be used on more important tasks to make procedures and processes more efficient. Developing new customers or solidifying existing customers is a wise objective. In this decision implicit costs, also called opportunity costs, must be considered. If your time is worth $40/hr then is spending 5 hours a week worth doing it yourself, equaling $200. Could you be doing something more valuable with those 5 hours? An accountant may make more per hour, but consider that it would take them half the time.
With an accounting service, the accuracy of the figures does not have to be questioned. Correctly calculating accounting numbers quickly for a client is their sole purpose. In most cases, expensive software is utilized to ensure proper formulas calculate correctly every time.
Because double checking is already done for you and not needed again by you, reliability is an asset. A good service makes a name for themselves with dependability.
Come tax time, already having an accounting service in place, saves money with applicable deductions. Since they are fully aware of your type of business and your operations, their in-depth knowledge can offer tax advantages year after year.
Another benefit of having professionals know the ins and outs of the company is in the event of an audit. Audits are done selectively by the IRS and some insurance companies require payroll audits every year or even quarterly. If accounting is figured in-house, this process can take weeks out of productivity. If accounting services are employed, they are totally responsible to comply with any records requested and methods of calculations.
Either answer can be the right one for different companies. There is no one answer for every situation. Some companies have enough capital and revenue from sales or services that the cash flow can support paying for accounting services and some do not. After reading this article the generic answer should be: If there is enough money to substantiate outsourcing accounting services then it will pay off in the scheme of things.
By: Joe Coffee
About the Author:
Joe Coffee is a consultant for the online marketing firm, Web Shepherd. Visit www.AccountingAndYou.com for tips about leading methods of accounting and small business accounting options.
Does the aroma of brewing coffee transport you to a sensory paradise? Is a steaming latte your idea of comfort food? Do you consider coffee its own separate food group? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then a coffee franchise may be for you! When someone says “coffee shop,” the name that most often comes to mind is Starbucks. So it’s only natural that coffee connoisseurs and entrepreneurs will immediately want to know if this wildly successful java chain offers the opportunity to buy Starbucks franchises.
Despite its seemingly ubiquitous presence the Starbucks brand does not franchise or sub-franchise its operations. Rather, the company operates most North American Starbucks stores. The exception to this is situations in which Starbucks will enter into an agreement with companies that may provide physical locations that might otherwise not be available to Starbucks, such as space in airports, grocery chains, hospitals, and on college and university campuses. In addition, in certain areas, Starbucks may enter into an agreement with a group of individuals or a company in which the company or group is permitted to manage and operate Starbucks outlets within a certain region.
The unavailability of Starbucks franchises, however, should in no way dissuade the coffee lover from pursuing a coffee franchise business opportunity. There are numerous coffee companies that do, indeed, franchise their operations, and many even venture beyond the traditional coffee bean to provide gourmet coffees, food options, and even catering services.
The following represents a partial listing of the many coffee franchise opportunities available to java lovers everywhere.
Caffino
With its “60-second guarantee,” Caffino is a drive-through coffee bar that first opened its company doors in 1993 in Napa, California. Franchising since 2003, Caffino currently has 27 locations in 3 states, and it is actively expanding. Caffino prides itself on roasting its coffee on-site using only the world’s best coffee beans, Arabica Grade 1. The startup cost for a Caffino franchise ranges from $212,900 to $373,000.
Beaner’s Coffee
Founded in 1994 and franchising since 1999, Beaner’s Coffee offers a variety of the coffee beverages made from flavored, decaf, signature, organic, and fair trade beans. In addition, Beaner’s goes beyond coffee service and ventures into the world of sandwiches, salads, and baked goods. Beaner’s carries a startup cost of $240,000 to $300,000 and offers the option of express or kiosk franchises. Beaner’s is currently seeking franchisees nationwide, and for its franchise owners, exclusive territories are available.
Woody’s Chicago Style
Coffee and hot dogs? Not your typical combination, but Woody’s Chicago Style has no problem combining the two. Begun in Honolulu, Hawaii, Woody’s Chicago Style is a hot dog, beverage, and coffee cart business that has been franchising its operations since 1991. While franchises are not currently available in every state, Woody’s is seeking franchisees in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Washington, and Wyoming. And with a price tag ranging from $54,100 to $464,000, Woody’s just may be the right option for your pocketbook!
Scooter’s Coffeehouse
With franchise opportunities existing both in the United States and worldwide, Scooter’s Coffeehouse ranked #26 in Entrepreneur.com’s 2007 listing of the top new franchises. In business since 1998 and franchising since 2002, Scooter’s is a specialty coffee franchise that also serves up brewed coffees, espressos, flavored coffees including sugar-free options, teas, and a wide selection of smoothies. Startup cost ranges from $60,000 to $410,000, and, in addition to training, Scooter’s offers significant ongoing and marketing support, including regional advertising, national media, field operations/evaluations, purchasing cooperatives, newsletter, meetings, and a grand opening.
Dunkin Donuts
Who doesn’t recognize this household name in the coffee and donut industry? Established in 1950 and franchising since 1955, Dunkin Donuts now boasts more than 7,000 stores worldwide, including 1900 locations in 30 countries. In the United States, more than 5,200 Dunkin Donuts locations dot the landscape in 36 states. Based on years of operation and experience, Dunkin Donuts has a 5-phase franchising process, which begins with an application, credit check, and criminal background check, among other things, proceeds through several steps including an interview, business plan development, application approval, training, site location, and financing, and ends with restaurant construction and crew training. To ease financing costs, Dunkin Donuts has partnered with preferred lenders who offer franchisees flexible financing options, including Small Business Administration (SBA)-backed loans for certain transactions.
In addition to the five coffee franchise opportunities briefly profiled above, no fewer than twenty franchise opportunities exist for entrepreneurs seeking to turn their coffee passion into a profession.
From Café Ala Carte cappuccino catering service and Grabbajabba gourmet coffee and European sandwiches to It’s a Grind Coffee House and Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffee and Smoothies, numerous coffee franchises ranging from low-cost to high investment are available for serving up that morning cup of Joe, mid-day sandwich on the run, or afternoon tea or smoothie.
So next time you walk into your neighborhood coffee shop to fill your latte craving, imagine providing that same satisfaction to other coffee lovers like you…and even better yet, making a living at it!
By: Raymond Lawrence
About the Author:
Despite its seemingly ubiquitous presence the Starbucks brand does not franchise or sub-franchise its operations. Rather, the company operates most North American Starbucks stores. The exception to this is situations in which Starbucks will enter into an agreement with companies that may provide physical locations that might otherwise not be available to Starbucks, such as space in airports, grocery chains, hospitals, and on college and university campuses. In addition, in certain areas, Starbucks may enter into an agreement with a group of individuals or a company in which the company or group is permitted to manage and operate Starbucks outlets within a certain region.
The unavailability of Starbucks franchises, however, should in no way dissuade the coffee lover from pursuing a coffee franchise business opportunity. There are numerous coffee companies that do, indeed, franchise their operations, and many even venture beyond the traditional coffee bean to provide gourmet coffees, food options, and even catering services.
The following represents a partial listing of the many coffee franchise opportunities available to java lovers everywhere.
Caffino
With its “60-second guarantee,” Caffino is a drive-through coffee bar that first opened its company doors in 1993 in Napa, California. Franchising since 2003, Caffino currently has 27 locations in 3 states, and it is actively expanding. Caffino prides itself on roasting its coffee on-site using only the world’s best coffee beans, Arabica Grade 1. The startup cost for a Caffino franchise ranges from $212,900 to $373,000.
Beaner’s Coffee
Founded in 1994 and franchising since 1999, Beaner’s Coffee offers a variety of the coffee beverages made from flavored, decaf, signature, organic, and fair trade beans. In addition, Beaner’s goes beyond coffee service and ventures into the world of sandwiches, salads, and baked goods. Beaner’s carries a startup cost of $240,000 to $300,000 and offers the option of express or kiosk franchises. Beaner’s is currently seeking franchisees nationwide, and for its franchise owners, exclusive territories are available.
Woody’s Chicago Style
Coffee and hot dogs? Not your typical combination, but Woody’s Chicago Style has no problem combining the two. Begun in Honolulu, Hawaii, Woody’s Chicago Style is a hot dog, beverage, and coffee cart business that has been franchising its operations since 1991. While franchises are not currently available in every state, Woody’s is seeking franchisees in Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Washington, and Wyoming. And with a price tag ranging from $54,100 to $464,000, Woody’s just may be the right option for your pocketbook!
Scooter’s Coffeehouse
With franchise opportunities existing both in the United States and worldwide, Scooter’s Coffeehouse ranked #26 in Entrepreneur.com’s 2007 listing of the top new franchises. In business since 1998 and franchising since 2002, Scooter’s is a specialty coffee franchise that also serves up brewed coffees, espressos, flavored coffees including sugar-free options, teas, and a wide selection of smoothies. Startup cost ranges from $60,000 to $410,000, and, in addition to training, Scooter’s offers significant ongoing and marketing support, including regional advertising, national media, field operations/evaluations, purchasing cooperatives, newsletter, meetings, and a grand opening.
Dunkin Donuts
Who doesn’t recognize this household name in the coffee and donut industry? Established in 1950 and franchising since 1955, Dunkin Donuts now boasts more than 7,000 stores worldwide, including 1900 locations in 30 countries. In the United States, more than 5,200 Dunkin Donuts locations dot the landscape in 36 states. Based on years of operation and experience, Dunkin Donuts has a 5-phase franchising process, which begins with an application, credit check, and criminal background check, among other things, proceeds through several steps including an interview, business plan development, application approval, training, site location, and financing, and ends with restaurant construction and crew training. To ease financing costs, Dunkin Donuts has partnered with preferred lenders who offer franchisees flexible financing options, including Small Business Administration (SBA)-backed loans for certain transactions.
In addition to the five coffee franchise opportunities briefly profiled above, no fewer than twenty franchise opportunities exist for entrepreneurs seeking to turn their coffee passion into a profession.
From Café Ala Carte cappuccino catering service and Grabbajabba gourmet coffee and European sandwiches to It’s a Grind Coffee House and Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffee and Smoothies, numerous coffee franchises ranging from low-cost to high investment are available for serving up that morning cup of Joe, mid-day sandwich on the run, or afternoon tea or smoothie.
So next time you walk into your neighborhood coffee shop to fill your latte craving, imagine providing that same satisfaction to other coffee lovers like you…and even better yet, making a living at it!
By: Raymond Lawrence
About the Author:
Find franchises, franchise opportunities and information for entrepreneurs at
When it comes to office coffee makers, the most important issues for the users are flexibility, taste and ease of use. Since everyone has different preferences, it is important to have a coffee machine that can make a range of drinks: black coffee, latte, cappuccino, flavored coffee drinks etc. There should also be an option to make tea to cater for workers who do not drink coffee.
Most popular office coffee makers are single serve coffee stations that make hot, fresh coffee straight into a coffee mug. Individual coffee and beverage packets provide a variety of beverage flavors that can meet the needs of any coffee or tea drinker. What makes these units so popular is the ease of use, convenience, and the distinct advantage of no messy cleanup. Plus, you can get a hot steamy cup of joe anytime on demand! No bitter coffee that has been sitting in the pot for hours and doesn’t even taste like coffee anymore.
User reviews of these models indicate that users love the variety and the ease of use. The disadvantage of these units however is cost. The refills tend to be a lot more expensive than cartridge refills for 10 or 12 cup units. Varieties must also be purchased in bulk so offering a very large variety can get expensive.
Another option is an office coffee service offered by some of the major chains like Peet’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, or Starbucks. With this type of service you will get freshly brewed coffee delivered to your office several times a day along with all the extras like creamers, sweeteners and napkins. Some vendors will also give you a lease on a complete high quality coffee brewing system. The coffee service is a very good solution for large offices. In general, it is probably not worth it if your office has less than 20 employees.
On the more conservative side there are many thermal coffee makers available. Because the carafes are insulated and keep their temperature naturally instead of with a heating pad, the quality of coffee is far superior to the proverbial “glass coffee pot on a plate” variety.
No matter whether you decide to opt for a company purchased coffee machine or for an coffee service, here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for an office coffee maker:
- Consider how many coffee drinkers will use the machine or service weekly. Are they willing to pitch in for more quality options, or does quality not matter too much?
- Be sure that the coffee machine will be able to keep the coffee at a consistently hot temperature for long hours. No one has time to make new coffee every 20 minutes, so something that will last throughout the morning and afternoon hours will be important.
- Find out what the coffee preferences are in your office. Maybe there are more who would pitch in if the machine provided cappuccino or latte options in addition to regularly brewed coffee.
- Convenience is a must in a busy work environment. A coffee machine that will require tedious cleaning and upkeep maybe become the behemoth on the counter that never gets used.
- How durable is the machine? If it’s constantly breaking down or requires continual maintenance to keep it working, it may be more trouble than it’s worth.
Get the best coffee maker or coffee service that you can afford. Providing good quality coffee in your office is a relatively cheap benefit that will be really appreciated by your employees.
By: K. Braun
About the Author:
Most popular office coffee makers are single serve coffee stations that make hot, fresh coffee straight into a coffee mug. Individual coffee and beverage packets provide a variety of beverage flavors that can meet the needs of any coffee or tea drinker. What makes these units so popular is the ease of use, convenience, and the distinct advantage of no messy cleanup. Plus, you can get a hot steamy cup of joe anytime on demand! No bitter coffee that has been sitting in the pot for hours and doesn’t even taste like coffee anymore.
User reviews of these models indicate that users love the variety and the ease of use. The disadvantage of these units however is cost. The refills tend to be a lot more expensive than cartridge refills for 10 or 12 cup units. Varieties must also be purchased in bulk so offering a very large variety can get expensive.
Another option is an office coffee service offered by some of the major chains like Peet’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, or Starbucks. With this type of service you will get freshly brewed coffee delivered to your office several times a day along with all the extras like creamers, sweeteners and napkins. Some vendors will also give you a lease on a complete high quality coffee brewing system. The coffee service is a very good solution for large offices. In general, it is probably not worth it if your office has less than 20 employees.
On the more conservative side there are many thermal coffee makers available. Because the carafes are insulated and keep their temperature naturally instead of with a heating pad, the quality of coffee is far superior to the proverbial “glass coffee pot on a plate” variety.
No matter whether you decide to opt for a company purchased coffee machine or for an coffee service, here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for an office coffee maker:
- Consider how many coffee drinkers will use the machine or service weekly. Are they willing to pitch in for more quality options, or does quality not matter too much?
- Be sure that the coffee machine will be able to keep the coffee at a consistently hot temperature for long hours. No one has time to make new coffee every 20 minutes, so something that will last throughout the morning and afternoon hours will be important.
- Find out what the coffee preferences are in your office. Maybe there are more who would pitch in if the machine provided cappuccino or latte options in addition to regularly brewed coffee.
- Convenience is a must in a busy work environment. A coffee machine that will require tedious cleaning and upkeep maybe become the behemoth on the counter that never gets used.
- How durable is the machine? If it’s constantly breaking down or requires continual maintenance to keep it working, it may be more trouble than it’s worth.
Get the best coffee maker or coffee service that you can afford. Providing good quality coffee in your office is a relatively cheap benefit that will be really appreciated by your employees.
By: K. Braun
About the Author:
Find out more information about single serve coffee makers. Also check some recommended models for thermal coffee makers.
