What do you want from a teashop?

[littleteapotandcake]

I'm at the very early stages of looking at taking over a teashop in a small seaside town. I would interested in finding out what you like or don't like when you visit or any advice from anyone who has done/is running a teashop now. TIA

No dogs
No laminated menu
Choice of warmed or not warmed scones. Not warmed for me please.
Good coffee obviously
Clean loo. I always think that if the loos are well kept then the kitchen probably is.

mismatched lovely flowery china is important, not white cups

China cups, teapots tea leaves not tea bags with little tea leave strainer.......

Having worked in a very nice cafe that allowed dogs - FOR GODS SAKE NO BLOODY DOGS.

blackcurrant jam, i dont like strawberry

Tea made in a pot with nearly boiling water. As many choices in tea as there are coffee and I don’t mean the choices being fruit/herbal teas!!

A plain cheddar cheese sandwich - white bread, no salad, no mayo. DS has sensory issues and nearly all ready to eat sandwiches have mayo, are on what he terms ‘fancy’ bread or have been tainted by onion, tomato or other vegetables

Welcoming to mums, including breastfeeding mums (goes without saying but you never know), good coffee, decent opening hours that work with school drop offs and early commuters, clean and good quality snacks (both sweet and savoury), a couple of toys/ drawing activities for younger kids to ne entertained.

For everyone that wants tea shops to open late, it isn’t really feasible as normally the owners ( even with staff ) will be opening up very early to prep, working all day, closing down, cooking, cleaning, serving, paperwork etc. Plus to offer all the dietary requirements understandably wanted and needed, is just not cost or storage effective and usually ends in a lot of waste. It’s very hard to get right, not saying food places shouldn’t try, but whatever you say, a cafe won’t be flooded with customers wanting gf, vegan, etc. It will have a few, but not enough. Oh and did I say? NO DOGS! 😆

I want good coffee, fresh cakes and table service. I don't want to stand and wait while my coffee is made.

A community feel where people see a friendly face. Over the summer, a community/friendly feel would provide a different offer for tourist s. Join local Breastfeeding scheme . Dementia friendly. Accessible. An atmosphere where people are supportive of each other. Locally made cakes, pastries etc. Locally sourced products as much as possible. Pay it forward scheme.

Not too many tables crammed in.
Some easy chair seating options
Nice crockery , large enough mugs.
Napkins
Clean toilets
Cakes not open to the air while waiting to be served sneezes etc
Real butter or a good substitute
Tea in a pot, extra hot water
Good balance of cakes ,scones and savoury options.
Happy efficient staff
Windows not running with steam in winter
Doors shutting to prevent draft
Menu not covered in plastic or using photos of food.

I think parents can bring their own toys for young children. That would just be another thing for the owners to clean.

@Englishrosegarden your place sounds amazing 😊

No chips in the cups, saucers etc.
Clean tea pots, not hideously stained on the inside.
Fresh cakes

I totally agree that I prefer No Dogs in cafes but I work in a shop that doesn't allow dogs and customers are so rude, aggressive and entitled when you politely ask them not to bring their dog into our (tiny) shop. No one seems capable of reading the signs and the staff can get very upset when customers are rude ... so be sure to be very thick skinnned & firm about this rule.

I work for a business with an adjoining tea room which was recently taken over by new management, and ALL we hear is complaints. The customer demographic is young families, and then fairly elderly groups, and they all want a proper tea room, rather than the boring coffee shop it’s become.

What they want back - Slices of proper big round cake, not brownies etc.
Scones and tea cakes.
Loose leaf tea, or at least teapot tea, not a bag dunked into a cup.
Homemade food - some regular staples, then some specials.
They all want cosy tearoom decor and banter.
Mainly people object to the Starbuckification of cafes now, they want old school.

Good luck with it!

Round here, people seem to think ‘no dogs’ doesn’t apply
to small dogs - cocker/malti/cavapoos especially if they are sitting on laps.

Plenty of normal cakes and treats. A lot of places now have so many vegan and gluten free options that their regular choice is limited.

Good decaf coffee! Often the reason I will go to the chain places instead of an independent. First of all have some at all, secondly make sure it's really good quality! Decaf does not need to be weak and watery.

I think the only issue with all the space and options and quality and mismatched crockery that's spotless and unique and staff is you'd end up paying £35 for a cup of tea

Haven’t read all replies, but might revisit. Three friends and I went to a local tea shop recently in a nearby village. All tables were of four. All the tables, about ten, had one person sat at them 😞 We left as we couldn’t be accommodated. As a cafe owner I might not be happy about this.
And don’t get me stated about laptops in cafes……

A teapot of tea leaves not a teabag and a teapot that pours the tea into the cup and not all over the saucer or table. I've lost count of the number of times I've had to use napkins to mop up the tea that has ended up anywhere but in the cup.

The issue of space taken up by buggies is a good one, but you can say no buggies - lots of cafes do. You just transfer your child into a high chair and leave the buggy outside. If they are scared that their buggy will be nicked, they don't come in. Their issue, not yours. Other people will come in instead. There's probably a direct correlation between people whose children will behave well and not scream and run around and those who whine about everything and whose children won't behave.

And yes to the clear opening times - and stick to them. If you open at 10, open at 10 and not at ten past.