Temp based promo

Is your cafe based in a city where the mercury regularly rises into the triple digits? Why not give away free iced tea or discounted cold brew when the outside temp hits over 100 degrees? It's a great way to stay in your customer's minds and generate some brand loyalty.

Glow up your summer menu

Everyone loves a seasonal menu

Introduce lighter, more refreshing options using seasonal ingredients and offering limited-time deals. Ask yourself, what tastes like summer?

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. With a few shelf-stable staples and smart recipes, you can create high-margin specials that boost your bottom line.

Focus on:

• Simple drinks using 3-4 ingredients for quick prep
• Limited-time offers (like affogatos)
• Cross-utilizing ingredients like syrups and sauces

Summer drink ideas that make the most of what you have on hand

• Chai powder | Iced chai floats, sweet chai cream, spice-dusted whipped topping
• Matcha powder  | matcha lemonades, matcha cold foam
• Gelato | Affogatos, floats, shakes

Turning hot drinks into cold drinks

We know, you know, but it bears repeating: you can’t just add ice or chill a traditionally hot drink to turn it into a pleasing cold drink. You’ve got to keep flavor changes in mind and plan accordingly.

Aroma: Hot drinks release more aroma molecules through evaporation, which contributes in a big way to perceived flavor. As a drink cools, evaporation lessens, and as a result, aroma molecules become less pronounced, making chilled versions of hot drinks taste differently than expected.

Taste Perception: Our taste buds perceive sweetness, bitterness, and umami most intensely between 59 °F and 95°F (cool room temperature to just below body temperature).

• Sweetness: Cold temperatures suppress the perception of sweetness. This means you need more sweeteners in cold drinks to achieve the same level of sweetness as their warmer counterparts.
• Bitterness: As drinks cool, bitterness becomes more pronounced. Bitter tastes, like those in tea or coffee, are less noticeable when a drink is hot.

Carbonation: Cold temperatures help preserve carbonation, which contributes to the perception of a crisp, refreshing drink.

Summer partnerships

Summer is the season of exposure. It’s a great time to get out in your community and meet potential customers where they already are. Set up a pop-up booth at outdoor markets, hook up participants of the local 5K with branded cold brew samples, or team up with nearby businesses for joint promos like a “coffee and croissant” deal with the neighborhood bakery.

Extend hours and add vibes

If you’ve got a patio, make the most of it. Stay open an hour later a few nights a week and invite local musicians to play. Open mics and community jam sessions are encouraged. Offer evening-only drink specials and give people a reason to linger.

When it’s hot, a little hospitality goes a long way

Speaking of outdoor seating, nobody likes to get sunburnt. If you offer outdoor seating, do your guests a solid and leave single-use sunscreen packs in your restrooms. Little gestures like these can do wonders for your Google reviews.

Elevate your ambiance by adding string lights or greenery to your space. Bonus points for incorporating plants that people love but bugs can’t stand, like basil, rosemary, lavender, and mint, as well as flowering plants like marigolds, chrysanthemums, and nasturtiums. And bonus, bonus points if you can incorporate some of that greenery into one of your beverages. Looking at you, cool mint mojito Italian soda and strawberry matcha mint lemonade.

When in doubt, float a discount

Summer is a great time to offer student or parent-friendly discounts to drive more foot traffic.

Use promotional discounts strategically. Instead of lowering the price of your best seller, think about what could be your next big thing or what are patrons hesitant to try but end up loving.

Another option is to discount upsells like pastries, extra shots, or extra flavors. It encourages customers to add on without overthinking it and gives them a reason to try something new.

Ready to to craft your big summer blockbuster?

We have everything you need to wow your customers with unforgettable signature drinks. Make serving up the best drinks easy with convenient delivery of wholesale supplies right to your door.