Sichuan Daily Full Media Reporter Chen Qiuji Wen/Photo
May I ask what you would like to drink? Bring your own cup and you can get a discount of 8 yuan. "At 9:30 am on August 5th, at a Tims coffee shop near a subway station in Jinjiang District, Chengdu, many customers were holding glass cups and waiting in line to place their orders.
In the pick-up area, one-third of the more than ten cups of coffee drinks prepared are self brought cups.
The peak hours for ordering with personal cups are from 9am to 10:30am and from 1pm to 2:30pm every day. The staff of the store stated that personal cups can only be ordered offline and cannot be disposable plastic cups.
In recent years, many coffee shops have launched a "bring your own cup" promotion, offering discounts of 3-8 yuan per cup, becoming a favorite choice for customers. According to data from Meituan platform, over 17000 stores across the country have launched the "Bring Your Own Cup" label.
As the "second coffee city" in China, Chengdu has over 7000 coffee shops. What is the situation of "bringing your own cup"? Which customers are paying the bill? What are the considerations of the shop owner? With questions in mind, Sichuan Daily reporters conducted market visits.
Office workers become the main purchasing force
At 9:50 am on August 5th, the reporter visited a MANNER coffee shop located in an office building in Jinjiang District. During the half-hour stay, it was found that a total of 16 consumers chose to use their own water bottles and enjoyed a discount of 5 yuan for the store's own bottles.
At a MANNER coffee shop in Jinjiang District, four customers who bring their own cups are queuing up to order.
Our company is upstairs, and every day I spend 5 minutes downstairs to buy a cup of coffee to wake up, which has become a habit. Citizen Jiang Yixi told reporters that she always chooses to bring her own water cup, and for as little as 10 yuan, she can get a cup of flavored iced American, which is very cost-effective.
Saving money is the most direct motivation for Jiang Yixi to choose to bring her own cup. She calculated her expenses and based on the frequency of purchasing one cup of coffee per day, five working days a week, she could save 25 yuan. "That's enough for me to buy two more iced Americanos
Similarly, citizen Dong Xiaoqiao is also a loyal user of "Bring Your Own Cup". On weekdays, she will buy a "Bring Your Own Cup" coffee on her way to work.
On the one hand, such behavior is very environmentally friendly and the price of coffee is affordable, "Dong Xiaoqiao said. On the other hand, she has a hobby of collecting coffee cups and has bought dozens of them at home." Drinking coffee from my favorite cup will also make me feel much happier
There are several pre made 'bring your own cup' coffees placed in the dining area.
That morning, at a Starbucks coffee shop in Wuhou District, there were also many customers who chose to bring their own cups.
Customers who bring their own cups can enjoy a discount of 4 yuan. Most of the customers who choose this method are office workers working near our store, "the staff of the store told reporters. On average, 16% of the total daily beverage production comes from bringing their own cups, with peak hours at 9 am and 2 pm.
During the visit, the reporter found that in addition to well-known chain coffee shops, many local coffee shops in Chengdu have also launched "bring your own cup" promotional activities.
At Farmer Coffee Shop on Shuyuan Street in Jinjiang District, within a space of over ten square meters, a coffee operation table occupies most of the space, with neatly arranged machines and equipment such as grinders, coffee machines, and ice makers.
At Farmer Coffee Shop in Jinjiang District, the owner Hu Xu is making coffee, with a water cup brought by a regular customer on the left.
Bring your own cup and you can get a discount of 3 yuan. "Whenever customers browse the menu, the store owner Hu Xu will proactively remind them," We are a community store, and price is one of our advantages
On the menu posted at the entrance of the store, there are 6 different flavors of coffee beans to choose from, with prices concentrated in the 30 yuan range. If customers bring their own cups, they can buy a cup of iced American style coffee for as little as 10 yuan, "Hu Xu told reporters. In the past six months since its opening, more than 40 cups of coffee have been sold daily, with self brought cups accounting for 20%.
Bring your own cup of coffee placed in the dining area.
Promote the "bring your own cup" discount, and businesses can increase their repurchase rate
Currently, the trend of "bringing your own cup" is gradually igniting a craze among consumers to purchase coffee. What considerations do merchants have behind this phenomenon?
On the one hand, it is the concept of green and environmentally friendly living. Taking the Starbucks brand as an example, during World Earth Day on April 22nd every year, customers who bring their own cups can be provided with one cup of American style cups for free at designated times and in the store, encouraging customers to reduce the use of disposable cups and integrate environmental protection actions into their daily lives.
According to the greenhouse gas emission coefficient database for the entire lifecycle of Chinese products and relevant research and calculations by the Public Environment Research Center, using a self brought cup to purchase beverages can reduce carbon emissions by about 40 grams per purchase, which is equivalent to using one hour less incandescent lamps.
On the other hand, it comes from considerations of cost and repurchase rate.
Gesang is the owner of Step One coffee shop in Wuhou District. Two years ago, he took over this community store and implemented the "bring your own cup" promotion.
A community coffee shop of more than ten square meters, with the operation desk occupying the majority of the area, mainly targeting surrounding residents, office workers, and other groups.
For community stores, small scale and cost control are key, "Gesang said. If disposable takeaway cups are used, including various items such as disposable plastic cups, cup lids, straws, and packaging bags, the packaging cost of a cup of coffee exceeds 1 yuan." If you bring your own cup, deduct this part of the expenditure and save costs
At the same time, the "bring your own cup" discount also brings foot traffic to community coffee shops.
On the afternoon of August 4th, during the half-hour stay at Farmer Coffee, the reporter welcomed two "regulars" who brought their own cups. After placing the order, Hu Xu took the cups from their hands, rinsed them briefly, and then made the coffee according to the steps.
After implementing this promotional activity, the repurchase rate of the store has increased by nearly 50%, "Hu Xu told reporters. The main customers of community stores are surrounding residents and office workers, and the repurchase rate is the key to maintaining store operations. Many customers choose to bring their own cups after learning about the promotion on their first order, which is more affordable for them. Among them, there is Mr. Li who works nearby. Since its opening, he can be seen coming to the door with cups almost every working day
Would you bring your own cup of coffee?
Source: Sichuan Daily