Why are takeaway and 'drink in' prices different?

[Beanie]

There is only ever ONE situation where the customer is ALWAYS right: when I AM the customer Dincha know? Everyone else is ALWAYS wrong except if I'm wrong... which means you're wrong really, cause I'm never wrong

[Hugo]

For the record, at Relish I charge the same for takeaway as drink in, though takeaway cups are a little bigger and cost me money.

A recent customer ordered a takeaway and drank it in the cafe, I knew his wife (a regular and babe to boot) so let him finish it. When he ordered another in a takeaway cup when he was blatantly planning on sitting in, I asked him ever so nicely to drink it out of a china cup if he was having it in... takeaways were for taking away. He gracefully accepted, he knew I wasn't asking. He's welcome back.

Personally, any decision I make on pricing is made with a lot of thought. £2 isn't a premium for a good coffee, far from it. If a customer thinks I'm expensive, I don't want him or her as a customer. Easy. If they suggested they could get better coffee at home I would cheerfully tell them to do so.

[Aadje]

We all have a market, niche or not. And we all have a vision. If vision and clientele don't match, it's easier and better for both not to even try.

And hearhear Beany

[JonEdwards]

Firstly - well done Beany and her cafe.

The customer is NOT always right
Agreed. You just don't let on that you disagree.

the customer is not royalty
Sometimes they are

and if you have the front to treat another person in such a disrespectful way, you should expect it to be returned to you with bells on.
That is precisely my point. You (cafe owner) are treating me (customer) disrepectfully. Personally I wouldn't kick up a fuss, I just wouldn't return. Put it a different way. I work for a party organiser. Some of my clients are right c*cks. If I'm charging them £200, 000 for a party, can you imagine what would happen if I walked up to them during their event and said "I think you're a bit of an arse. Next time, I'm going to charge you £250,00, just because I can". Do you really think I'd get any more business? Practically, it's "yes sir, no sir, 3 bags full sir, would you like to sleep with my wife sir".

£2 isn't a premium for a good coffee, far from it.
Depends whether it's a *GOOD* coffee or not. £2.50 for a taste orgasm is acceptable. £2 for another bucket of muck that gives me heartburn ain't! I certainly don't believe Starbucks/Nero etc can justify their prices.

Anyway - away from all that.

I think my business model would be to make in & out drinks the same price, but put a 10p/cup excess on drinks served in paper cups, which, clearly advertised, would go to carbon offsetting the cost of producing the cup. I'd give a corresponding discount for those who turned up with their own cup/mug ("or why not buy one of these nice travel mugs we have on display here").

Also, surely it's of benefit to keep customers on the premises? Give me a seat, and a paper and I'm more likely to order a pastry. Oh and yes please, could I have another drink, and 30 mins of Wifi please etc etc. Once you've got the punters trapped in your web of quality caffeine, it's quite easy to milk them nicely with good product and great service!

[Beanie]

Erhmmm, thanks Jon, but I haven't done anything and it's not "my" cafe either It's success is all down to the owners. Sometimes we think they're just too nice to customers And they are equally as generous with their staff.

I believe you have it the other way around, Jon, on who was disrespectful first (oh goodness, feels like I'm with my siblings explaning stuff to my parents again). You mentioned that you would not return after the first visit... thing is, it wouldn't be until the 2nd time that the cafe would charge you for having a take-out to stay.

As much as I'd like our customers to stay, it just doesn't happen as often as I'd prefer. Having said that, I believe we sell more of our pastries "to go" than "to stay". Also, a lot of our "to go" customers come back 2 to 3 times in the day with another "to go" and on the rare occasion "to stay".

I think we try to be as accommodating as possible, even when we disagree with the customer... BUT... there IS ALWAYS a line. In some cases, it's best for both customer and cafe to just stay on their sides of the line... and both would be right.