Global coffee sales are set to hit almost half a trillion dollars by 2025. Younger drinkers, even some still in high school, are grabbing lattes faster than ever. This wave gives cafés a new chance to earn more by staying open after dark.
Menu optimization plays a big role. Owners are trimming slow sellers and adding small wine lists that fit on one page. Many pick low- and no-alcohol wines because health-minded guests ask for them. Inventory management keeps the list tight; cafés buy fewer cases and reorder weekly to avoid the heavy stock seen in the wider wine market. Digital logs track every bottle so nothing sits past its prime. The use of pump systems in brewing coffee can improve taste and consistency, further enhancing the café’s offerings.
Trim the menu, track every bottle, pour low-ABV wines; tight stock keeps margins high.
Marketing tactics center on the switch from coffee to wine. Signs read “Coffee now, wine later.” Social posts show the same seat at 9 a.m. with espresso and at 7 p.m. with a glass of red. The message is clear: stay longer, spend more.
Customer engagement grows through quick polls on Instagram. Guests vote on next week’s featured pour. Winners feel heard and return to taste “their” pick. Staff greet them by name, enhancing repeat visits.
Sales data from pilot cafés in New York and Los Angeles show the plan works. Coffee covers morning rent and wages. Evening wine adds up to 35% extra revenue on weekdays and 50% on weekends. Average ticket jumps from $6 to $18 after 5 p.m. Owners note that wine drinkers also buy cheese boards, raising profit further.
Industry watchers say the model taps two markets at once. Coffee demand keeps climbing, while wine volume has slipped but value creeps up as buyers choose premium bottles. By offering both, cafés dodge the slump hurting single-focus wine bars. Globalization of coffee culture has also played a significant role in expanding customer preferences and driving café sales.
Still, the shift needs care. Staff need new training, and city rules on alcohol vary. Yet early numbers hint that the coffee-then-wine switch can turn a quiet café into a steady money maker.
