Winter is Coming — Here’s How Smart Cafés Get Lean, Not Lazy
- Ben Maher
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Winter’s coming, and that means two things:
You can finally wear your favourite crewneck without sweating through it
Trade slows down and the panic starts to kick in
If your café starts feeling like a ghost town after 10am and your produce is walking out the door slower than your staff on a split shift, this one’s for you. In this week’s Shift Report, we’re unpacking how smart operators tighten the screws without losing their soul (or their team).
1. Simplify Your Menu Without Looking Cheap
It’s time to Marie Kondo your menu. If it’s not selling or sparking joy, bin it.
Cut the low-performers: No one’s ordering that confit duck benedict in July—be honest with yourself.
Highlight winter heroes: Think toasties, slow-cooked anything, spiced drinks—batchable, comfort-heavy, and cashflow-friendly.
Rework bestsellers: Can your chicken burger wear a new jacket? Add a special sauce and call it a winter warmer.
🧠 Pro Tip: A tight, rotating menu every 2–3 weeks keeps prep tight, waste low, and your chefs from jumping into the deep fryer headfirst.
2. Use This Time to Tighten the Roster
Roster bloat is real. Winter gives you a guilt-free chance to fix it.
Track your slowest hours: If trade falls off a cliff at 1:30pm, so should your staffing.
Cross-train like a legend: Get your barista working the pass or your FOH running quick-prep during lull hours.
Close earlier if it makes sense: If you’re just hanging around for a single piccolo and an oat cookie, it’s not worth it.
🧠 Pro Tip: Don’t do sneaky roster cuts. Be upfront. Staff respect clarity more than passive-aggressive note writing.
3. Turn Downtime Into Deep-Clean & Training Time
Winter is the ultimate “clean out the fridge” season—for your kitchen and your systems.
Deep clean what hasn’t been touched since pre-COVID (yeah, that shelf).
SOP it all: Got time now? Write the system so you don’t have to keep explaining the blender to every new junior.
Run team sessions: Yes, even a 20-minute crash course on how to cut onions like a grown-up helps.
🧠 Pro Tip: Let your team lead one clean or training session each. You’ll be shocked at what they actually care about—like fridge labels that make sense.
4. Have a Hard Look at Your Suppliers
Suppliers aren’t the enemy, but they’re not charities either. If you’ve been on “set-and-forget” since summer, now’s the time to open the spreadsheet.
Renegotiate where you can
Check if you’re still getting value—especially if product spec or pack sizes have changed
Don’t be afraid to ask for deals—especially on overstocked lines
🧠 Pro Tip: Ask your rep what’s slow-moving. You might snag a deal and build loyalty by helping them move stuck stock.
To Sum Up:
Winter doesn’t have to mean doom, gloom, and staff crying into their soup specials.It’s a golden window to get tighter, sharper, and more profitable—so when spring hits, you’re not playing catch-up, you’re cruising.
If your venue’s been running on auto-pilot, you’re not alone.But if you want to:
Trim the fat from your menu without losing identity
Roster smarter (without drama)
Build systems that actually save you time
And make winter work for you, not against you…
👇 That’s where I come in.
💬 Reach out today for a consult call, winter menu session, or full reset package.📩 DM me @bambamculinary or hit the contact form on the website.Let’s make the next three months your most productive yet.
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