Nuova Simonelli UK - Operating a Restaurant

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restaurant considerations

Having already decided that you want to operate a restaurant you should consider the following carefully:

Will the machine be seen by customers

Amount of time spent by staff making drinks

How essential coffee is to your operation

Counter space (How much space you will need)

Will the machine be seen by customers

Generally, espresso machines are modern in style. They tend to be viewed as functional pieces of equipment rather than ’Statement Makers’. There are some fairly avant-garde designs floating around in the market but they err towards modern rather than traditional. When choosing a machine you obviously need to bear in mind that if you go for something too way-out it may not suit your restaurant styling if you decide to change décor, colour, layout or theme in the future. For this reason we would probably suggest obtaining equipment that has fairly neutral styling.

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Amount of time spent by staff making drinks

A trained Barista will take a minimum 35 seconds to make a 12oz latte coffee and so the labour costs are high when using a traditional machine. Whilst grinding, dosing the coffee into the filter, putting the filter into the machine, selecting the cup, frothing the milk and decanting milk from a jug into the cup the Barista can do no other work.
Conversely, making a 12oz latte on a Super-Automatic takes less than 5 seconds of the operators time. All they have to do is put a cup under the spout and press a button. Whilst the machine is making the drink the same member of staff can be collecting payment, preparing a food item or serving other customers.
In summary: Super-Automatic equipment might cost you more but you will save money in staff and labour time.

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How essential coffee is to your operation

As the last thing your customers will order from your menu, an excellent cup of coffee is probably the most important item of all. It gives you a chance to create a final good impression and to ensure you gain repeat customers - the key to making your restaurant a success. Although the relative return is low compared to food and beverages, coffee is an essential part of your operation, and is often overlooked.

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Counter space (How much space you will need)

All manufacturers provide equipment dimensions. To each machine you will need to add about 35cm for the grinder which must be located immediately next to the machine, preferably on the left. Ideally you will also need a counter that is deep enough to provide a working area on the counter in front of the machine for the barista to make the drinks prior to serving.

Locating the machine on the front has the benefit that customers don’t see the mess that making coffee can sometimes cause, but a back bar machine shows off the full glory of the process. The choice is yours but we point out that locating the machine on a back bar leaves the front bar free for merchandising and serving.

You will need to fit a water softener in the cabinet beneath the machine. This is about the size of medium sized fire extinguisher, so you need a space that can accommodate such a large vessel. Finally you will need a knock out drawer for knocking out the used coffee. In a coffee shop operation we suggest that you fit a large capacity draw directly beneath the machine. Alternatively you could use a smaller, self-contained draw unit that sits beneath the grinder.

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