Th ey are at Overfl ow Coff ee Bar, where Neely prints the
menu options herself on three chalkboards, changing them as the shop rotates coff ee varieties. But larger chains oſt en want more consistency and less chalk
dust, Miller says. Many operators who use magnetic menu boards have a library of magnetic strips sporting the names of diff erent coff ee varieties that can be rotated on and off , Miller says. Menu boards also are used
to sell other merchandise, from sandwiches to T-shirts, hats and travel mugs, he says. But too few list their whole-bean off erings, he says, adding, “People won’t buy it if they don’t see it” on the menu board. Most retailers now use multiple
menu boards, organized by type of product, Miller says. A complete menu board system generally costs from $1,000 to $2,000, Miller says. Magnetic updates cost $10 to $15 per menu strip and $3 to $5 per price change, he says. Oſt en, coff ee shops can update
all their prices for $100 or so, Miller says. But new Food and Drug Administration rules that take eff ect in mid-2012, requiring restaurants with 20 or more locations to display calorie counts on their menus, will mean more costly updates. Making room for the new information might require radical changes to layouts, he says.
IN-STORE SAMPLING While Barnie’s Coff ee & Tea
switches its menu boards seasonally and also relies on signs accompanying merchandise displays, the company’s main thrust is personal product sampling, Hardy says. “We prefer to use less signage and encourage the store staff to interact with customers more,” she says. Customers can choose from
50 diff erent coff ee varieties as a “personal brew.” Once selected, a barista will use a pour-over method, which involves grinding the coff ee for the customer, placing it in a fi lter over a cup or glass carafe and pouring hot water over
Priscilla’s Coffee House – Burbank, CA
it, Hardy says. It’s all done on an individual basis. Customers “get to try something new and they get some
interaction,” Hardy says. In the end, the extra attention Barnie’s staff provides helps
diff erentiate the company from its competitors. “Th e customer feels like they are part of the experience,” Hardy says. “And it gives them a real reason to want to come back.” SCR
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