Last week’s article struck a chord—my inbox was full of notes from café owners, GMs, and chefs saying the same thing: Q4 decides the year. I agree. For many cafés and restaurants, the final stretch can drive up to 40% of annual revenue. With that in mind, here are three moves I’m urging operators to make—simple, human, and doable this week.
1) Put December on the Calendar—Now
The strongest teams don’t “wait to see.” They invite guests to reserve a little piece of December in advance. Keep it light-touch: one giftable coffee bag, one small office box, clear pickup dates. A friendly “Shall I set one aside for you?” at the till turns goodwill into scheduled revenue—and gives your team a calmer production plan.
2) Protect the Peak 90 Minutes
Beauty won’t save you when the line is ten deep. Identify your true rush window and design it on purpose. One person owns espresso/batch, one owns milk/ice, one runs and restocks. Do a 10-minute station reset each shift so tools live within one reach. Those tiny saved seconds become real capacity when it matters.
3) Lead with Freshness You Can Prove
Guests believe what they can see. Keep the message short and consistent across board, till, and team: Roasted in Brooklyn. Delivered fast. Ground on demand. It’s not hype; it’s a promise. In December, clarity converts better than a crowded seasonal menu.
Abbotsford Road’s Perspective
Our job is to help cafés and restaurants run like the season demands—smooth, credible, and guest-forward—while serving coffee roasted fresh in Brooklyn. If last week was about momentum, consider this your nudge to commit to a few simple moves and execute them well.
📍 499 Van Brunt St, Brooklyn ✉️ logan@abbotsfordroad.com
