Chain Leader Mobile
Log In  |  Register          Free Newsletter Subscription
Zibb
FREE subscription
Email
Print
Reprint
Learn RSS

The Menu: It’s A Grind Perks Up Coffee

It’s A Grind features develops specialty drinks to boost frequency and the average check.

By Maya Norris, Managing Editor -- Chain Leader, 10/1/2006

It's A Grind

It’s hard for coffeehouse concepts to differentiate themselves when they all have similar menus of cappuccinos, lattes and mochas. So to set itself apart, It’s A Grind features six specialty drinks a year, which have helped to boost frequency and the average check.

It’s A Grind’s Featured Drinks program offers seasonal, indulgent drinks every two months. For example, the best-selling Coconut Crunch, $4.75, an ice-blended coffee drink with chocolate, vanilla and coconut syrups, drizzled with chocolate and sprinkled with toasted coconut, ran in May and June, generating

7 percent to 8 percent of sales during that period. Other popular limited-time offers have included a peanut butter-chocolate ice-blended drink called Funky Monkey, and Raspberry Kiss, a raspberry-mocha beverage. Featured drinks now make up 4 percent to 7 percent of the overall sales mix.

When It’s A Grind formalized the program a year ago, its goal was to increase the average check by pricing the drinks $1 more than the items on the core menu. Not only has the check average increased 30 cents to $4.25, but weekly same-store sales and traffic have jumped 2 percent to 5 percent. The company says it is seeing increased frequency, especially among younger customers.

“Frequency is sort of a side benefit. We talk primarily to existing customers because we don’t advertise at all,” says Vice President of Operations Rick Kowalski. “So reaching outside the store to bring people in with the featured drink is not really our objective. It’s more trading up existing customers or getting them to come back more frequently.”

Email
Print
Reprint
Learn RSS

Talkback

We would love your feedback!

Post a comment

» VIEW ALL TALKBACK THREADS

Related Content

Related Content

 

By This Author

Reed Business Information Resource Center

Featured Company


Most Recent Resources


Sponsored Links

 
Advertisement

More Content

  • Blogs
  • Podcasts

Blogs

  • David Farkas
    Dave's Dispatch

    November 2, 2009
    What Servers Should Never Do
    I would have posted this note as soon as I spotted Bruce Buschel's "dont's" list on his blog "......
    More
  • Karen Brennan
    The Brand Landscape

    October 23, 2009
    Top Ten Things I Learned in Vegas, Part II
    The NRA Marketing Executives Group (MEG) Conference in Las Vegas was a great place to learn, to network and to be inspired. Here is part two of the......
    More
  • View All BlogsRSS

Podcasts

  • Greg Carey
    Greg Carey: When Two Chains Become One

    Last month, two Chicago-based restaurant chains, full-service Stir Crazy Fresh Asian Grill and fast-casual FlatTop Grill, merged, becoming 28-unit Flat Out Crazy LLC. "There's no downside to it," President and Chief Operating Officer Greg Carey tells Chain Leader Senior Editor David Farkas. The chains retain their separate identities, profitable unit economic models and expansion goals. Listen in as Carey explains.

    Hear It Now

    Sign up for the VIP Radio Podcast RSS feed

    View All Podcasts Subscribe Now to VIP Radio and never miss an episode
Advertisements





NEWSLETTERS

Get restaurant industry news, trends and business-critical information delivered directly to your inbox!

Chain Leader Executive Briefing
Quick Service Reporter
Newsfeed
Recipes & Ideas
eBurger, eBurger
Beverage Briefing
Regional Cuisines
Noncom Niche
In Balance
R&I and Chain Leader eMarketplace
Flashnews
Service Insights
The Specifier
When to Replace
FE&S eMarketplace
HOTELS' Daily News Service
HOTELS' eMarketplace

Please read our Privacy Policy
About Us   |   Advertising Info   |   Site Map   |   Contact Us   |   FREE Subscription   |   Useful Sites   |   RSS   |   Help
© 2009 Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Use of this Web site is subject to its Terms of Use | Privacy Policy
Please visit these other Reed Business sites