Coffee Bars

Great for high schools, coffee bars create opportunities for students and school faculty to grab a cup at school instead of their local coffee shop! You’ll increase dairy sales by serving milk-based coffee drinks such as lattes, cappuccinos and café au laits. A coffee bar also opens up the potential for à la carte breakfast items such as smoothies, muffins and oatmeal. During lunch, items such as salads, smoothies and paninis are popular with students.

Benefits

  • Increases: Sales of milk and à la carte items
  • Enhances: Dining space, school meal image
  • Engages: Students, nutrition staff
  • Improves: Your bottom line

Step-by-Step 

  1. Do you have support from students, faculty and administration? 
  2. Where will the coffee bar be located (i.e., cafeteria, kiosks, unused classrooms, etc.)? 
  3. What type of equipment will you need? 
  4. What products will you sell in the coffee bar? (If in Texas, you must comply with TPSNP.) 
  5. Does your staff need training? 

Helpful Tips 

  • Build relationships with entrepreneur and business classes; those students can help run the coffee bar. 
  • Use funds to purchase a chalkboard sign to feature daily milk-based coffee drinks. 
  • Work with students interested in design and marketing to create signage and coffee drink names. 

You could use the funds for:

  • Merchandise, coolers and incentives
  • Marketing materials
  • Tables and equipment for meal prep and delivery
  • Staff training
  • Taste testing events
  • Recycling
“Claude High School’s Coffee Shop has been a tremendous success. Students experienced starting and running a small business. We see a lot of student pride and ownership in the school’s Coffee Shop.”

Principal Scott Wilkerson

Claude High School, Claude, TX

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Regulations 

For Texas, please refer to the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy for milk-based beverages for high schools and middle schools. 

Funding and Reimbursement 

Coffee machines range from $1,000-$12,000 per machine. Dairy Dollars may not cover all of the costs, but your Dairy MAX representative can help you determine additional solutions.