When evaluating whether a mobile app is a good fit for your coffee shop, you need to consider it on two fronts: yours and your customers'. Why are you considering a mobile app, and why would your customers use one?

How Your Customers Benefit

Mobile apps are popular because they are convenient to use. Your customers use them for everything, from banking to sharing messaging with friends and ordering dinner. But, will they use your app to pre-order coffees, drinks, and snacks for pick-up? According to Euromonitor: yes.

Here is the list of things they get from your app:

1. 1. They can browse your menu ahead of time.
      
      
   2. They can read ingredient lists, menu item descriptions, and nutritional information. And, they don't feel rushed.
      
      
   3. They can collect loyalty points, check their balance, and redeem points for discounts or free menu items if you offer a loyalty program.
      
      
   4. They don’t have to wait in line to order, or call ahead and wait on hold.
      
      
   5. Your customers feel like they are ordering from you, whether they are

This isn’t an exhaustive list. When designing your app, consider features that benefit both you and your customers. You can read a list of the most popular app features for restaurants in this article.

The Benefits of A Mobile App for Your Coffee Shop

So now you know why your customers want to use an app to order from you, how does it benefit your coffee shop? Here are a few ways:

1. Your staff are less likely to make mistakes. Since customers enter their own orders, the correct order is sent to your staff.
   
   
2. Generally, customers spend more when they order through an app. They have more time to browse the menu and make a decision, leading to more upsells and add-ons.
   
   
3. By offering a loyalty program, you can increase repeat visits and increase order sizes. You can read more about the benefits in this article.
   
   
4. Your staff will spend less time taking orders and more time fulfilling them. This makes your team more efficient and allows you to take more orders with fewer staff members. Chipotle claims it can handle six more orders an hour when orders are placed online.
   
   
5. You can showcase your brand. A custom-branded app gives you the ability to move your in-store branding online.
   
   
6. Unlike with third-party delivery apps, you own the information that you receive through your app. That means, with their permission, you can contact your customers directly. You can also use that data to improve your coffee shop's efficiency.
   
   
7. You can communicate with your customers by sending promotions, discounts, and personalized suggestions. If you send push notifications at the right time, you can increase order sizes. For instance, if your customer orders coffee every morning, and nothing else, send them a discount code for a breakfast sandwich.

Again, when designing your app, consider what off this list you want to achieve. You can focus on those features, and look at the other benefits as secondary.

Want to learn more about launching an app for your coffee shop? Read our guide.

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Written By Amin Yazdani

Amin Yazdani is the CEO and Co-Founder of Craver, a fast-growing mobile platform for restaurants, helping them grow and retain a loyal customer base.