Yes, what you have on the menu as well as the price you sell it for can have their say in your café success, but that’s not all there is to making it work – there’s also cleanliness to take care of. You’d be surprised to hear grown ups can be like children sometimes when it comes to washing hands, especially after using the toilet, but when you’re running a café it’s simply a must.
Then again, so is wearing disposable hair nets; If your whole business is focused on sustainability and you get to choose only one disposable item, then let it be a hair net. There should be no question about it, if you’re handling food and drinks you can’t risk having a hair scare off your customers, and they’re even a better option than hats because of the full protection.
Designed to be comfortable, provide the needed coverage, they’re also affordable when you buy in bulk, and depending on the job itself, for example preparing and baking pastries, as well as whether or not there’s someone from the team with a beard or moustache over a day’s growth, then there’s also the need of disposable hair nets for them too.
Since much of the success relies on coffee, you have to make it a habit to clean the coffee machine because the environment in it is moist, making for the perfect conditions for mould. Not only is it bad for the health, it ruins the taste of coffee at the same time, whereas a clean machine works faster and better.
It’s important to start off from the surface by cleaning it at least once daily and using a separate cloth for it. Apart from mould two other components can make up for a bad taste: the build-up of milk and coffee oil residue which is why you have to clean the steam wand, portafilters and group heads thoroughly every single day (if not after every use).
Choose the suitable coffee machine cleaning detergents, and don’t forget to wash any pull-out machine sections and tools you use either. Just because you don’t see bacteria doesn’t mean it’s not there!
Along with the regular floor scrubbing and surface cleaning, you must remember to change your aprons daily and use different towels for wiping your hands and the tools – you can’t be too careful! It’s all about setting your standards of hygiene while at the same time ensuring the taste of your coffee and baked goods, and the customers are sure to reward you with their loyalty.