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How to Choose a Coffee Shop Location

Crafting a thriving coffee shop begins with selecting the perfect location—a decision that can shape your business's trajectory. It's more than just about aesthetics; it involves a comprehensive understanding of various factors. In this guide, we'll delve into key considerations to help you choose the ideal location for your coffee shop, paving the way for success.

‍Demographics -

Know the area's demographic makeup to tailor your coffee shop to your target audience. Consider factors like median income to gauge spending habits and the number of residents to estimate foot traffic. Additionally, assess the level of education, as it can influence consumer preferences. For instance, areas with a higher percentage of young professionals might favor specialty coffees and a chic ambiance, while neighborhoods with families might appreciate a cozy atmosphere and quality pastries.

Foot Traffic - Vital for Business Viability

Foot traffic isn't just about numbers; it's about understanding consumer behavior. Analyze both the daytime and evening populations within a 1-5 mile radius to grasp your coffee shop's potential reach. Areas with high daytime traffic due to offices or universities can be lucrative for breakfast and lunch sales, while evenings and weekends might see more leisurely visits. By studying these patterns, you can tailor your offerings and hours to meet customer demand effectively.

Competition Analysis - Learn from Your Rivals

Competitors aren't just threats; they offer valuable insights. Dive deep into neighboring coffee shops to identify opportunities for differentiation. What unique offerings do they have? Is there a gap in the market you can fill? By understanding your competitors, you can position your coffee shop strategically, offering something distinct, whether it's ethically sourced beans, innovative brew methods, or community-focused events.

Accessibility and Parking - Convenience Counts

Consider how patrons will reach your coffee shop. In pedestrian-heavy areas, ensure visibility and ease of access, while in car-centric locations, prioritize parking availability. Accessibility isn't just physical; it's also about creating an inviting entrance. Lighting, signage, and ambiance should beckon customers inside.

Future Development - Stay Ahead of Trends

Look into potential growth and trends in the area. Neighborhood revitalization efforts or upcoming developments could turn your coffee shop into a hotspot. Keep an eye on emerging trends to position your business as innovative and forward-thinking.

Choosing the right location for your coffee shop involves careful analysis of various factors. By considering demographics, foot traffic, competition, accessibility, and future development, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals. With the perfect location, your coffee shop can become a beloved community hub, offering quality brews and memorable experiences.

And when you've found that ideal spot, remember that GoTab's Coffee Shop POS features can elevate your business

From efficient order management to loyalty programs, our technology can help your coffee shop thrive. 

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Situated “in the heart of it all, yet tranquil enough to make you feel away from it all too,” The Limelight Hotel Snowmass offers 99 hotel rooms and 11 residences, as well as footsteps-to-gondola access in winter and summer — right in the middle of Snowmass Base Village.

The Situation

Especially over the last few years, the Limelight Hotels IT team had witnessed a significant shift to contactless technology in the hospitality industry. After evaluating friction points in the guest journey, aligning with modern technology platforms in their restaurant was determined to be an effective way to offer elevated contactless dining experiences to their guests while also evolving their technology platforms to continue to support long-term company goals. Limelight Hotel partnered with GoTab to provide an enhanced on-demand dining experience on par with the brand’s reputation for exceptional guest service.

The Solution

Reducing Staff Touch Points Without Sacrificing Guest Experience

Guests are now able to begin a tab from their room or the property’s restaurant by scanning a QR code, texting a link to friends or family members on the ski slope to add in their orders, then meeting up together at the patio or lodge to enjoy their meal and après ski festivities without interruption. By streamlining tasks like inputting orders and processing payments, this eliminates friction for hotel staff and allows them to focus on delivering renowned guest service for a memorable experience. Since partnering with GoTab, Limelight Snowmass has consistently seen higher check averages and sales.

“We found the Point of Sale platforms we were looking at offered the guest and staff limited opportunities to further reduce touch points or improve the traditional restaurant experience. The GoTab platform enabled the guest to take an active role over the flow of their experience while simultaneously reducing touch points and further streamlining restaurant operations.”Nick Giglio, Manager of Hotel IT Operations, The Little Nell Hotel Group

According to the Limelight Hotels team, some of the other platforms that were evaluated were either missing some of the pieces they were looking for, had weak customer support models, or had little willingness to develop integrations to existing hotel platforms already in place. To that end, GoTab integrated with cloud-based platform, Infor. Together, GoTab and Infor are providing dynamic solutions to support central, efficient service across hotel amenities and deliver exceptional guest experiences.

“Previously, guests would call down to the restaurant to begin an order from their room or while they were out enjoying the ski slopes. Using GoTab, guests can now place orders from anywhere on the resort, giving them the on-demand service they want without interrupting their day. GoTab empowers us to give control to the guest, reducing touch points and streamlining overall restaurant operations, making Limelight Hotel the resort of choice for Snowmass.”Nick Giglio, Manager of Hotel IT Operations, The Little Nell Hotel Group

Since introducing GoTab, The Limelight Hotel has seen a consistent level of upsells and items sold per check resulting in additional revenue capture. They have been able to maintain service levels in their restaurants during periods when there was reduced staffing available without significantly diminishing the guest experience.

The Benefits

Eliminate Phone Orders – Take Orders from the Slopes. Guests can start a tab from their room or on the mountain without interrupting the flow of their day.

Future-Proofed Technologies – Delivering elevated contactless ordering via integration with the Infor hotel management platform.

Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.

  • Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.
  • Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.
  • Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.
  • Eliminating Friction in the Guest Journey – Maintaining service levels during periods of reduced staff without diminishing the guest experience.

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