Owning a restaurant or business means creating a space where you can connect with your customers and employees. For this reason, countless brands are looking for ways to meet their customers in a comfortable space—and plenty of people love coffee more than anything else. These days, there is more to coffee than the drink itself. Coffee cups now present a unique opportunity for businesses to show that they really do care about their customers.
Coffee cups offer a fun connection point with customers. Not only can you show your appreciation for their needs, but you can use them as a way to give your customers a little extra. Let’s explore what makes your coffee cups so important.
Size and Shape Impact the Coffee Experience
While not everyone knows how to make the best pot of coffee in the world, most people know bad coffee when they taste it—but there might be more to the story here. Have you ever noticed how many different shapes and sizes there are in the world of coffee? Scientists have actually proven that these differences can actually completely change the customer experience.
When asked, the average person shows unintentional biases when faced with certain kinds of coffee cups. In fact, a good number of people believe that they know how coffee or a certain drink will taste based on the container that it comes with. For businesses, this means that coffee cups are more important than ever.
If someone orders a cup of coffee and expects it to be sweet, they will likely be unhappy to find a bitter drink hidden inside—and this goes both ways. Meeting customer expectations can ensure that they have a much better experience while interacting with your business.
Based on a history of coffee drinking, most people assume that round or bigger coffee cups will hold something sweet and tasty while narrow coffee cups are more likely to offer up something bitter. Of course, exceptions can sometimes be made when using to-go cups.
Branding and Advertising On Coffee Cups
Any brand that isn’t advertising on their coffee cups is missing out on a key opportunity, particularly if you are offering to-go cups. Having branded mugs in-house can offer quite a few key benefits. It means that any time a person goes to take a picture of themselves at a meal, there is a great opportunity for free advertising. A simple picture of friends can highlight your business for all the world to see.
Branded to-go cups can be even more effective at advertising your business. Coffee cups that are designed for carryout business can be a great opportunity for you to put your brand in front of others. You can safely assume that the average person will be walking around for some time with their coffee cup on full display. If your logo is on it, people are that much more likely to recognize your brand—and that can make people curious.
Demonstrating a clear brand logo on a coffee cup can help everyday people to gain familiarity with your brand, even if they didn’t visit themselves. If your coffee cup is well-made and has an interesting design, there is a good chance that the individual will get asked about it. Assuming that you also have great coffee, you can use this as an opportunity to win a recommendation and gain a new customer.
Durability
There are few things that are more unpleasant than spilling hot coffee on yourself, but it isn’t great to have coffee spilling anywhere else either. Durability is a key feature that should be considered when purchasing coffee cups. If your coffee cups are prone to spills or leakage, you will end up with some truly unhappy customers.
The durability of your cup will play a large role regarding how your brand is perceived. Cheap cups that break or leak will make people think that your brand is cheap, too. It can influence how they perceive your brand in a negative way, and it overall just offers a less pleasant experience.
Ensuring that your customers can trust that your coffee cups will keep them safe while they enjoy a delicious drink is crucial to keep your brand going strong. Find well-made coffee cups that offer coffee drinkers the support that they need.
Personal Expression
Studies show that 7 out of 10 Americans consume coffee every single week, and 62% of them drink coffee every single day. Keeping this in mind, we can safely assume that people are passionate about their coffee.
As is the case with anything that has been widely accepted within society, coffee has fostered its own unique culture. People feel strongly about their favorite brands, and all coffee shops should work to build upon that connection with their customers.
One way to do this is to add some extra style and comfort to your cups with the help of custom printed coffee sleeves. Not only are they excellent for keeping fingertips safe from excessive heat, they also add colorful brand marketing to every cup. With crisply printed graphics sitting front and center on every beverage you serve, they’re sure to catch the attention of every customer – as well as everyone they pass by on the go!
People see the coffee that they drink as an expression of who they are. Some people love big brands like Starbucks while others prefer to show love for smaller local businesses. Some people are just happy to have an opportunity to add to a collection. Make sure that your coffee cups align with your customers and you will be in good order.
The Takeaway
Coffee cups are an exciting opportunity to share your brand and encourage the sharing of your brand. Before you simply invest in the cheapest plain coffee cups, make sure that you put in the time to get the most out of the experience for your customers.
Allow them to proudly show the world where they get their coffee from—and more importantly, use your coffee cups to make them want to share. In a digital world, free advertisement is always one Instagram photo away. Be the brand that knows this and chooses incredible coffee cups for their customers to enjoy!
Drew Thomas
Drew Thomas is a graduate of Georgia College & State University, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in English Literature. He is an expert in brand marketing and has experience in freelance writing on topics ranging from sports to music reviews. He has also spent time as an editor, having revised website copy and press releases for local businesses. In his free time, Drew enjoys performing music, reading, hiking, and spending time with friends.