What makes a small café work

A small café has very little room for error. A queue that blocks the door, a bar that forces staff to cross each other or seating that cannot be rearranged all cost time, and in hospitality time is revenue.

Five questions to answer before choosing a look

• Where does the queue form, and does it block anyone?
• Can one barista reach the machine, grinder, milk and cups without moving their feet more than a step or two?
• How many covers does the business need, and at what mix of stools, chairs and banquettes?
• Where are deliveries received and stock kept?
• What does the room feel like at night, not just during the day?

Design the counter as a workstation

The counter is the engine of a café. Plan it as a sequence of order, prepare and hand-off, with storage beneath each station, before deciding on its finish.

Vary the seating

Different guests want different things: a quick coffee at the window, a meeting at a table, a long afternoon in a soft chair. Offering a few kinds of seating lets one room serve all of them.

When the plan is right, the atmosphere has a stable base to build on.