Staff Uniforms - An Important Piece of Your Café Puzzle

It's safe to say that we Australians have a thing for coffee. For many of us, coffee is more than just a fuel to get us through the day, but a lifestyle. We love a freshly barista-made cup of coffee and luckily there are many places here down under where you can order a well-made espresso or hand-brewed filter coffee and sit down to enjoy it. With so many cool and unique cafés popping out everywhere, each one is looking to set themselves apart from the competition.

As a business owner, there are many aspects that are important for running a cafe that your customers would love to stop by. The vibes of the place, the quality of the coffee, the expertise of your stuff, the interior design, the service, how willing are you to follow modern trends - these are all things that matter. Speaking of trends, modern customers are generally becoming more eco-conscious, so there are many coffees that are environmentally sustainable (serve coffee from sustainable sources and recycle coffee waste) and are therefore more attractive to some customers. It can't be also denied that cafe staff uniforms are one of those aspects.

Having your staff members wearing unique uniforms can help you shape the first impression for many reasons. For instance when the barista is wearing a crisp white shirt and an apron in could mean more chances for a professional customer service. Also when the stuff is wearing uniforms that are comfortable, practical and stylish, it can make the job more enjoyable for them and even reflects in their attitude, mood and body language which can be read by the customer.

Well, with a vast amount of choice in terms of colour, texture and style on the market, you want to take this opportunity and choose cafe staff uniforms that will impress your customers and will best represent your values. Even if you are not quite sure about how to style your workers, there are many sellers that can also help you pick a uniform that checks all the boxes for your business.

The Concept

When it comes to choosing the right cafe staff uniforms there are some aspects that need to be taken into consideration so that you pick a uniform that best reflects your business. Like what's the theme of your place that contributes to telling who you are and what is it that you sell? Who is your ideal customer? Do you run a modern sophisticated coffee place or maybe a more casual farm-to-the table spot? You stuff uniforms should fit into your concept and reflect that.

If it's the chilled vibe that you're after and where your typical customers are teenagers and young adults, then maybe you can go for more casual and informal uniforms. For instance, your staff could wear casual striped tees with black denim jeans. If instead, you manage a modern and trendy place you would want something more elegant and refined white shirts paired with black chino pants. You can choose neutral colours like black and grey in contrast with the white colour of the shirt if you prefer monochrome uniforms.

If you run a vegan-friendly coffee place that takes sustainability very seriously, then you should pick uniforms that are coordinated with these values. In this case, it's nice to have your uniforms made from fabrics that are sustainable and therefore more eco-friendly. Fabrics like recycled cotton, organic hemp and organic linen are all good candidates.

The Colour Pallete

Another good way to ensure your staff uniform will fit in with your venue is to decide on a colour palette. Like if your venue interior is full of neutral earthy tones, then it’s a good idea to carry this through to your uniform range. For a bold contemporary environment, you can choose denim with a pop of colour. If your place is about bringing the outside inside and filled with lots of greenery then maybe you should try rustic greens, browns and neutral colours for the staff uniforms.

If you’re located by the beach, then most likely your customers want to feel the beach vibes when entering the place. Well, continuing the beach theme into your venue and the uniforms with white, sandy beige and deep ocean blue colour could make the uniforms matching the surroundings.

The Specific Role Requirements

Not all of your employees need to wear the same uniform. Some of them will have to wear a more specialized work uniform than others depending on their specific roles. For instance, the barista and the waiters/waitresses can have matching but not identical uniforms. In addition to this, you may simply want your customers to be able to easily differentiate the staff you have by their different roles.