The Pros and Cons of Starting a Bikini Barista Espresso Stand

Start a Bikini Barista Drive-Thru Coffee Stand

Pros and Cons of Starting a

Bikini Barista Drive-Thru Coffee Stand

Opening a bikini barista drive-thru coffee stand can be intriguing and beneficial from a business perspective. Aside from bikini-wearing baristas' novelty, a well-located drive-thru coffee stand can be a very profitable business venture.

Starting a bikini barista drive-thru coffee stand may have an inherent competitive advantage over other family-friendly drive-thru coffee stands. But then again, it could also be a potential target for some community members. Regardless, the coffee drive-thru concept provides a novel customer experience, generates inherent marketing advantages, and often generates higher receipts per sale.

However, along with the potential for significant profits, there are some challenges ahead. This is why we strongly encourage you to learn the fundamentals of the retail coffee business before you spend any money starting your bikini barista drive-thru coffee stand.

We strongly believe that learning how to set up your drive-thru coffee stand with other experienced coffee business owners can help develop your business concept and execute your strategy.

Bikini Barista Coffee Drive-Thru Can Be Very Profitable. Credit: ABC News

The Pros and Cons of Starting a Bikini Drive-Thru Coffee Stand Business

Over the years, we have been asked about what the prospects of starting a successful bikini drive-thru coffee stand business would be like.

The apparent success of existing bikini drive-thru coffee stands in the Northwest (and elsewhere in the United States) has attracted many other coffee entrepreneurs throughout the U.S. and beyond.  While it will require much more research to start your drive-thru business, we have seen that it can be tremendously profitable. 

The niche entertainment coffee business model that a bikini drive-thru coffee stand provides has raised some eyebrows in some tight-knit communities. However, with thorough coffee shop business planning, having a profitable bikini drive-thru coffee stand business is certainly obtainable.

I have interviewed several bikini baristas and bikini drive-thru coffee stand business owners. I know the businesses can be a worthwhile venture, even in a competitive market like Seattle.

A bikini drive-thru coffee stand business can easily differentiate itself from other coffee competitors but stands out with community critics. While traditional coffee shop business concepts try to bring communities together, the bikini barista drive-thru coffee business model seems to place people into three general camps:

The Opposition:

These people within and outside the community oppose any bikini barista coffee business outright and don't want them in their community. They often believe such businesses are morally wrong, attract crime, and are inappropriate for families and community children.

The Supporters:

These people support their bikini barista drive-thru coffee stands' right to be in business. Many believe that if these businesses are not breaking the law and are paying taxes, creating jobs, and generating income, they should stay in business. Some supporters may not frequent bikini barista coffee stands, actually. However, they fully believe in their right to run a legal business. 

No Opinion Folks (As long as No Laws are Broken):

As you would imagine, these are people who really don't have an opinion either way – as long as the business obeys the law.

From our observation, we have found that while the critics are often loud, many people fall within the third category. Many people actually don’t oppose such coffee businesses and defend a business owner's rights as long as no laws are being broken (and the business doesn't attract unwanted spillover of crime, etc.).

Bikini Barista Coffee Drive-Thru Stand Business Takeaway Points:

• Bikini espresso stands can be very profitable.
• They require exceptional research and planning. 
• They may attract good and bad attention (and scrutiny).

Instead of fully weighing in on the controversies themselves, let us briefly examine what it takes to start a coffee business – especially opening up a bikini espresso stand business below.  

Besides the attire, we know that a coffee stand owner needs to do his/her research thoroughly. In the following article, we will discuss some of the important topics you will need to address as you start planning your business.

Starting Your Bikini Barista Drive-Thru Coffee Stand

The right business for you? Facebook, M. Martinez

Let's start with a little history about bikini barista drive-thru coffee stands.

Bikini barista drive-thru coffee stands have been around since 2003. The majority of them started in the Pacific Northwest, where coffee is prevalent, and the competition among coffee businesses is fierce.

To encourage sales, baristas started to wear bikini tops – after the approval by local municipalities was granted.

As you can imagine, the novelty of the bikini barista coffee stand model of business drove up curious customers and sales.  Making the venture of young women dressed in bikinis and serving coffee quite profitable. In essence, it's an effective marketing strategy – and differentiator.

The Bikini Barista Coffee Stand Business Model

But once the “bikini barista business model” seal was broken, other competitors started to pop up – and a new bikini barista coffee drive-thru stand business model was born.

While some bikini barista espresso stands to focus on quality coffee, many customers find that uniqueness a compelling enough differentiation in the marketplace: a novel customer experience being served by bikini baristas and/or uniquely-themed costumes.

Perhaps having a bikini barista coffee drive-thru stand business may be hard for some people to swallow. However, there is no denying that they have a strong, clear, and concise USP (Unique Sales Proposition). This can serve as a real competitive advantage for any coffee business in the marketplace. A strong USP can increase sales,  develop customer loyalty, and lead to profits.

But how much profits exactly?

A Bikini Barista Coffee Stand: $2 Million a Year in Revenue?

Your coffee shop revenue will vary due to numerous unique factors to your location, your number of customers, and pricing. However, we recently read an article about one bikini barista coffee stand owner who allegedly raked in $2 million in revenue over a few years. But this specific business was certainly an extreme outlier of success and may have been fluffing the numbers.

A reasonable drive-thru coffee business owner shouldn't expect coffee business profitability at this level from a single coffee stand location.  Of course, you can multiply your gross revenue through the economy of scale if you have multiple locations. 

There are many factors in starting a profitable drive-thru coffee stand business. For example, you will want to make sure that you understand your pricing, product services, and other elements that adhere to your local state and city laws and regulations.

Drive-Thru Coffee Stand Profitability 

Still, one of the take-away points is that your bikini barista drive-thru coffee stand business can be profitable.

But remember, that example just mentioned was an outlier of revenue. In reality, most coffee or espresso stands are more modest in their revenue (and take significant work to maintain).  Such success factors, including your revenue, really are impacted by your location, your lease, your product offering, your management skills, and your pricing strategy.

Your initial coffee business startup costs are also important to consider. If you decide to borrow (take a loan or use credit cards), you may hamper your ability to turn a profit in a more reasonable time period.

Like any business, if you want to open a bikini barista coffee stand, you will want to calculate your pro forma financials and determine your break-even point. 

Turning a profit for any business is important and necessary to your viability as a business. Of course, you want to increase your revenue, decrease your costs, and scale your operations. By doing so, maintaining a well-greased operation and turning a profit is more than feasible. Training your baristas will be key. Barista training will help improve sales, increase morale, offer more consistently produced drinks, and maintain ethical standards you'll likely want to monitor. 

How to Open a Bikini Barista Drive-Thru Coffee Stand

Bikini Stands are gaining in popularity despite inherent potential controversy. Photo Credit: My NorthWest / AP File

How To Start a Bikini Barista Espresso Stand

Photo Credit: Hubpages

A bikini barista drive-thru coffee stand is no different from a “regular Joe” drive-thru coffee stand. It needs all the same things that any other coffee stand needs.

For example, as an aspiring coffee business owner, you will need to secure a great location, business licenses, health department permits, coffee equipment, and coffee supplies – such as a local coffee roaster, supplier of cups and lids, etc.

Your coffee shop business plan is a unique document that is used to separate the doers from the dreamers. Most coffee businesses actually fail, not because of a lack of money but because of a lack of planning.  This is especially true for bikini barista drive-thru espresso stands. 

Analyzing The Pros and Cons of Opening a Bikini Barista Stand

Every locale and municipality varies from the next, so the pros and cons may differ for each coffee business owner, city, and county.

Certainly, positive reasons for starting a bikini drive-thru espresso stand come to mind.  And some reasons should make you pause before you proceed.

Currently, there is a lot of back-and-forth of statutes, regulations, and legal decisions that impact bikini baristas and their coffee drive-thru stand. There is a strong argument that baristas serving espresso drinks in bikinis is (or should be) protected by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The various dress code ordinances from city to city are vague but may violate equal protection because they often only apply to women.  This issue is often being decided in local courts. 

A good place to start your drive-thru coffee stand business

Consider the following questions:

• Are there other existing bikini barista drive-thru espresso stands in the specific area where you wish to start your business?
• Has an attempt to build or open a coffee bikini barista drive-thru coffee stand ever existed?
• What would the sentiments at city hall or in the community, in general, be?  

Bikini Baristas make a significantly higher level of tips. Photo Credit: OregonLive

Advantages of Starting a Bikini Barista Drive-Thru Coffee Stand

There is no question that there are real and tangible benefits of starting a bikini barista drive-thru coffee stand.

Consider the following:

#1 Differentiation in the Market Place

Clearly, owning and operating a bikini barista drive-thru coffee stand business will be a lot different than your “traditional” or “family-friendly” drive-thru coffee stand. Therefore, standing out will be much easier to do. Offering a novel customer experience of being served by bikini-wearing baristas is the basis of this significant differentiation. This translates to serving a particular niche and ultimately reduces your competition in some marketplaces.

#2 Marketing May Be Easier

By being able to differentiate yourself in the “marketplace” with the bikini barista experience, you may find that your promotional efforts and marketing will be easier – or not – depending on how you handle the negatives (which we will talk about later). However, with all things being equal, your bikini barista espresso stand will essentially market itself – or at least through the level of unique customer service offered by your baristas.

#3: Customer Loyalty

A single loyal customer can spend $1000 – $1500  a year on coffee (on average) bought at a coffee drive-thru coffee stand and café.  And that number doesn’t include tips! In discussions with bikini baristas and bikini barista coffee stand owners, loyal customers are critical. Having more loyal customers is a perk the owners and baristas try to establish through excellent customer service. This may include remembering names, recalling previous conversations, and a well-poured coffee.

#4: Potentially Profitable

Many bikini baristas offer espresso coffee at generally a higher premium than other coffee shops or family-friendly coffee stands. Some retail coffee/espresso prices can be 20% to 35% more than a coffee chain or other cafes. The number of daily net sales and sales per order may, in fact, be higher when averaging the same number of customers at similar coffee stands. This generally leads to higher profitability for bikini barista coffee stands.

#5: Recouping Business Investments May Be Quicker

Since prices per order may be higher, and net sales will also be higher, recouping coffee business startup costs may be quicker. Certainly, you will need to figure out your coffee business's “break-even point,” but the more quickly a coffee stand can turn a profit. Generally, the numbers point to reaching your break-even point faster.

Credit: Fox 10

Disadvantages of Opening Up a Bikini Barista Coffee Drive-Thru Stand

Like starting any business, weighing the negatives or Cons of starting needs to be done; in fact, it's part of doing your due diligence planning.

Rather than treating each negative like a potential barrier, many successful business owners treat negatives as potential opportunities. Again, it's a matter of thoughtful planning, research, and business expertise.

#1: A potential powder-keg of controversy

Local news media love to cover this story. Local news managers see all the good stuff that drives ratings: The story involves bikini-clad women (AKA sexuality), a local business, and often scandalous controversy, oozing with the potential of crime, so it’s easy to find someone who is opposed to the business. This story is simply waiting to be covered by local TV stations when the next business owner or barista makes the wrong move.

#2: Maybe more difficult to get a business license

If you open a bikini coffee stand, you may have trouble securing a business plan in your community. You will need to do advanced research before you get a business license. Additionally, you may need to attend and get approval from your city council or county board.

#3: Maybe more difficult to find employees

You will need to find willing employees who want to dress in bikinis every day in your local area – you will need to make sure that you can hire at least 3-5 part-time, reliable, trainable baristas.   

Baristas generally have a high turnover rate, so your investment in barista training and excellent and stable customer service is a priority. Finding the right employees may be challenging, depending on where your business is. All it takes is one “bad” or unreliable employee to turn your profitable business into a money pit.

#4: Community May Not Embrace Your Business

Since bikini barista drive-thru coffee stands may generate a lot of news and attention, your community may not fully embrace your business. As any competent business owner would do, make sure you do your market research to see how the community will respond to your business.

Bikini Barista Coffee Drive Thru Business:

High Profits

Vs.

Your Community's Potential Wrath

Photo credit: Heraldnet.com

Develop Your Coffee Stand Business:

Addressing The Cons of Bikini Espresso Stand: Planning, Learning, and Developing Expertise

Excellent management from day-to-day operations will always be important. But staying ahead of any of your coffee business's potentially negative aspects will need to be essential.

Doing your research and staying sensitive to the needs of the community and the needs of your staff will impact your long-term success. Several bikini barista espresso stands have gotten in trouble because of their baristas' actions – and the mismanagement of their owners.

You are ultimately responsible for the actions of your baristas. Therefore, hiring decisions are even more important. Good management means training, monitoring, and supervising.

Hiring Great Baristas Is Essential

Having good employees means establishing a good system that encourages everyone to do the right thing. Additionally, it may be a good idea for any drive-thru coffee stand to install cameras, but it may be essential for bikini coffee stands. So, while you most likely will be on the “straight and narrow,” you may also attract extra scrutiny, especially in some communities.

Having in place a barista training program with a training manual that everyone must sign will be important.  Additionally, a mission statement, a vision statement, and well-laid written rules will be critical. You should have an employee handbook. It should detail the role of the job, which will include your dress code. Consistent enforcement of your employee rules is essential. While good barista job candidates may have no barista experience, I would rather hire based on trainability, reliability, and honesty.

You will also need to follow up with employees and perhaps get the opinions of your customers. For example, I've met one bikini barista owner who regularly drug tests their employees, does regular barista training sessions, etc. Also, she is extremely generous with them, but there is often zero tolerance for serious infractions. Developing great management skills takes time, but it will be something that you will absolutely need to focus on when it comes to your own coffee business.

Managing a Bikini Barista Drive-Thru Coffee Stand

Whether or not you serve coffee with bikini baristas, some things never change when it comes to successfully starting a coffee shop business.

Coffee stand business owners would be advised to plan out their business carefully, as they would normally. Perhaps even more so, as the type of business may be more difficult to establish in one part of town than another.

Researching the local laws and regulations of businesses matters, so your business planning will be essential.

Besides your coffee business planning, you will also need to maintain an excellent relationship with vendors – making sure your coffee beans are delivered (or picked up) whenever you need them.

Vendor relations are key to managing the “day-to-day” operations that are paramount for success.

The focus on your employees will be the highlight of your business. Therefore, like any other business, your hiring will be important.

Also, thoroughly research your local municipality, understand your community (residents of the area), and demonstrate that your coffee stand can be supported (with sales) in your area of choice.

Your Take Away Points:

• Research, Research & Research!
• Increase Your Knowledge Base
• Learn From Experts 
• Start Your Coffee Stand Business Plan!
• Understand Your Market, Industry, and Goals
• Plan, Plan, and Plan!
• Know Your Lease Terms 
• Choose The Right Coffee/ Espresso Equipment
• Hiring The Best Employees Matters
• Have a Marketing Plan
• Learn to Avoid Common Mistakes

Photo Credit: www.nydailynews.com

 Not Sure About Starting A Bikini Espresso Stand?

There May Be A Third Option…

A unique business model – Photo Credit: KiroRadio

Certainly, starting a bikini barista drive-thru coffee stand isn’t on everyone’s business radar. However, the benefits may intrigue many people to start some type of similar coffee stand business.

A third option has a “costume-themed” drive-thru espresso stand. A costume stand may not be as titillating as opening a bikini barista drive-thru coffee stand. However, it can still produce many of the benefits without the headaches and potential controversy.

Walking a fine line between a coffee business concept that attracts and “sells itself” versus a “bikini barista espresso stand” coffee stand that attracts negative attention or even harassment is tough to navigate at any time.

The most helpful thing you may consider is doing your research, writing your coffee business plan, staying organized, and having an effective training program.  Being creative, offering great coffee, excellent customer service, and operating within the laws of your community will get your bikini coffee stand business off to the right start.  

A Costume-Themed Drive-Thru Coffee Stand

A costume-themed espresso stand may help you test the waters and skirt any controversy in your community while you move up the experience curve in handling your coffee business. At the very least, if the “long game” your coffee business aspirations is to start and open a bikini barista coffee stand, but you seem to resist for any reason, you may simply consider opening a “family-friendly” coffee stand business first.

By opening a coffee stand business that is “family-friendly,” you can boost your confidence and management skills. You can move forward with your vision after you deem yourself ready and learn the ropes! Open a bikini barista coffee stand once you feel you have gained managerial experience.

Becoming A Bikini Barista Coffee Stand Owner

Why Not You?

Photo Credit: Fansshare

Coffee stands are being opened every week across the country. Bikini barista coffee stands are being conceptualized and started every month. They generate healthy sales and subsequent profits for their coffee business owners.

So, if you are interested, you should consider the question: why not you?

Why shouldn’t you receive the benefits of a thriving coffee business?

It’s just a matter of time before someone decides to open a bikini barista coffee stand in your area. So why not you first?

Being first in a community may require you to pave a new road.  If you plan right and execute well, you could be a successful coffee stand owner. But it won't happen unless you decide to take action. And it won't happen if you just try to “wing it.”

We recommend starting by learning everything you can about retail coffee. Talk to local coffee business owners – and get their feedback on your specific questions. It may take time, but it will be worth it. Or you can save time and money by getting our Complete Coffee Shop Startup Kit. It's not only affordable, but it's the best way to start planning your coffee business.

Start Your Drive-Thru Coffee Stand With Us

Our Complete Coffee Shop Business Startup Kit is the best way to get your bikini barista drive-thru coffee plan started. 

We provide you with the tools you need to expand your knowledge. Also, we provide you with an easy-to-use coffee shop business plan template you can simply fill out.

Simply add your own information and print! We recognize that there are many ways to get started in your coffee drive-thru business.

If You Are Interested in Opening a Bikini Espresso Stand Business, Where Should You Start?

Get the only affordable coffee online guide you'll need to get your coffee drive-thru to stand planning started and running. Would you like to start a coffee business like a coffee stand? Plenty of great opportunities exist to open and operate a successful, profitable coffee stand business.

We recommend that you do your research, understand the industry, and learn all you can before launching into something you “think” you might know about.

We've created a very affordable business startup kit for serious entrepreneurs. Additionally, for more information on starting a coffee stand business, consider visiting our coffee business blog page for more in-depth articles on how to start your own coffee stand business.

Are You Ready To Get Started?

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Based in Seattle, Washington, USA, Coffee Shop Startups is dedicated to providing you with the most relevant information on how to start a coffee shop business successfully. Over the last 11 years, we've helped thousands of aspiring coffee business owners worldwide. We harness the experience, wisdom, and knowledge of many successful coffee shop owners to help you increase your chances of success and profits. We support business owners who want to start a coffee business by providing them with valuable information on starting their coffee business successfully.