What Customers Expect From A Cafe In 2025

Whilst chain coffee shops still have their place, many people want something more unique from their experience. We’re here to introduce a few of those things, from the cafe itself through to the ingredients and everything in between. We know there are a lot of moving parts when it comes to cafes, but hopefully, this will help to steer you in the right direction.

Ethically Sourced & High-Quality Ingredients

First up, you need to commit to providing ethically sourced, high quality and of course, delicious ingredients. Consumers are more conscious of where their food and drink is coming from, and so you should be providing them with the best. Getting responsibly sourced coffee is really important, as well as the rest of your drinks offering. You should also find local and fresh ingredients, for everything from your brunch dishes to pre packed sandwiches, so that you’re always offering something delicious and the best quality.

A Loyalty Scheme

Something else that people respond to is loyalty schemes. People want to know that they are appreciated as customers, and as a business, you want something that will keep people coming back to you rather than going to other cafes. The perfect balance between both of these things is a loyalty scheme! You can give out loyalty cards and stamp them every time someone buys something, then give them something free on their 10th visit. People find it satisfying to gradually collect these things too so it benefits everyone!

Seasonal Produce

Another thing that people will expect from a cafe this year is seasonal produce. You should focus on shopping locally for seasonal produce, to support small businesses and protect the environment. Plus, it will inspire you to mix up your menu and this will also keep people coming back for me. For example, you could have weekly sandwich or salad specials that are centred around seasonal produce, from watercress and steak with horseradish mayonnaise in April to a classic Italian sandwich with rocket, pesto and mixed meats.

Milk Alternatives & Dietary Requirements

You should make sure that you are offering a great range of milk alternatives and also that you’re catering to any dietary requirements. Whether it’s a preference or people have allergies, you should be offering cows milk, oat milk, coconut milk, soy milk and almond milk, then also ensuring that you have a variety of different options to suit people who have dairy and gluten allergies as well as the other main allergens, also vegetarian, vegan, kosher and halal customers. You want to be providing variety to your customers and also welcome everyone to eat and drink when they need to.

A Commitment To Sustainability

Something else that people look for in terms of cafes is a commitment to sustainability. You should be minimising your disposable waste, particularly any plastic. If you have any unavoidable items that need to be disposable, then make sure that they are fully recyclable or compostable. Offering incentives for people to bring in their own takeaway cups is also important, as it will save you money and also help the environment. This could be 50p off a coffee or an extra stamp on their loyalty card.