Burgess Enterprises

ESPRESSO DRIVE-THRU BUILDINGS

As the espresso revolution continues to expand across the USA, we have received requests from many customers who want to open up their own drive-thru espresso business.

From our 17 years of espresso business experience supplying quality equipment to many drive-thru customers, we have taken the best of form and function and combined these into a Burgess-designed drive-thru building.

To reduce costs to you and to conform with your specific local building and health codes,

rather than our company building the unit, we will supply you with complete building plans for you to build-it-yourself or submit to a local building contractor to use.

(see Drive-Thru Design Service info for details).

We will also supply you with the following to make your business successful:

1)Consultation service from the planning and design stages through the first year of business

2)Cost vs. Profit potential and projections

3)Guidelines for working with your local health and building departments

4)Electrical and plumbing requirements

5)Proven marketing tools and ideas

6)“Successful Espresso Drive-thru Business” manual including info:

  • “Critical Issues to Espresso Business Success”
  • “Outfitting Your Drive-thru”
  • “How to Choose the Best Equipment for Your Business”
  • “How to Find the Best Location for Your Drive-thru”
  • “Traffic Flow”
  • “Design for Operational Efficiency”
  • “How to Choose the Best Coffee Roaster for Your Business”
  • “Commissary Requirements”
  • “Lease Negotiations and Agreements ”
  • “All about Coffee”
  • “Menus and Recipes”
  • “Startup Supplies and Inventory”
  • “The Basics of Great Espresso Drinks”
  • “Accounting Procedures”
  • “Maintenance of Equipment”
  • “Training Your Staff”
  • “Expectations of a Barista”

Burgess Enterprises

DRIVE-THRU ESPRESSO BUSINESSES

History

Burgess Enterprises has worked with many different espresso businesses during the past 17 years. The espresso revolution began in Seattle – which saw specialty coffee emerge from the coffee shop onto the streets with the advent of espresso carts. Making espresso more easily accessible to customers led to the birth of the espresso drive-thru. These operations began popping up around Seattle, especially in the suburbs, as busy commuters began to enjoy their early morning gourmet javas.

As the espresso revolution spread south and east across the USA, it took root in predominantly metropolitan cities, most often in airports and coffee shops. It was just a matter of time before drive-thrus, so popular in Seattle, would begin to serve commuters across the nation.

Profit Potential

Espresso businesses are rare in the business world, in the fact that many experience significant profits and often have their initial investment startup costs recovered by the end of the first year, if not sooner. Net profits of $50-100K are typical and some in prime locations net $200,000 per year. The key to the profit margin depends more on how the owners address the “Critical Issues” than the location.

Critical Issues to Drive-thru Success

  • Providing consistent high quality drinks and products
  • Providing high quality customer service
  • Attaining efficiency and speed without compromising high quality

The successful drive-thru owner has made a commitment to address these issues by investing in high quality equipment, products and personnel selection and training, knowing that these are the tools of the trade.

Building Styles and Configurations

Drive-thrus are built in a wide variety of styles and configurations. There are home-builts, trailers and custom buildings. They vary is size from a super-compact 6’x6’ to a 1000 s.f. custom combo with two drive-up windows, a walk-up window, interior and exterior sit-down areas and bathrooms. Some have deluxe built-in cabinetry and counters, while others build a shell around an existing self-contained cart. Building costs vary from $10-$150K or more. Function is more important than form, but customer perception is important. If the building looks too cheap, potential customers may not even try the product. However, success is far more dependent on how the critical issues are addressed than the style or cost of the building.

Electrical and Plumbing Requirements

Most drive-thrus will require access to a minimum of 220v./100amp electrical power. This may increase with the addition of heaters, air conditioning, ice machines and other extra equipment. All quality espresso machines designed for drive-thru volume require 220v./30amp power.

Some drive-thrus are hard-wired and hard-plumbed. This is definitely desirable if possible because it eliminates considerable work hauling fresh and wastewater. Many drive-thrus however are self-contained. Fresh water tanks are filled at a nearby commissary and wastewater is drained at an approved location.

Commissary Requirements

Even though the specific requirements will vary from city to city, most health departments have basic items they require for espresso drive-thrus.

  • Fresh water supply (faucet with attached water filter)
  • Waste water disposal (usually a mop sink or floor drain)
  • Equipment cleanup (usually a 3 compartment sink)
  • Dry storage (for supplies)
  • Sink for washing hands
  • Restroom facilities

If these items are not built into the drive-thru, usually they need to be accessed nearby. A commissary agreement signed by the commissary owner is usually required as proof of accessibility. It is essential that you obtain an application from your local health department to assure receiving a permit for operation.

Planning and Building Departments

It is essential that you obtain a copy of the codes from your local planning and building departments to assure receiving a permit for building. Some departments are unfamiliar with drive-thrus and will need to be educated before granting permission.

  • Land Use: Check with municipality that property can be used for this type of business.
  • Show Design: Bring site diagram showing traffic flow, photographs and/or artist rendering if necessary to emphasize that your business will not create a liability, but will complement development.
  • Promote Quality: Present your project as a drive-thru kiosk - avoid terms such as “trailer” or “cart”. If mobility needs to be referenced, refer to the unit as a “mobile structure” or “modular kiosk that is transportable”.
  • Time Line: Ask when the approval can be expected.

Location: Site Characteristics

The best locations have a number of factors in common: ample traffic flow on the morning traffic side of the road, good visibility and ease of access. The following steps should be taken to assure the best location:

  • Traffic Count: Get the most recent information for frontage roads. This is available at most municipality offices or the Dept. of Transportation.
  • Ingress/Egress: Identify access to site for primary traffic orientation. Note curb cuts, traffic flow on frontage road and on site.
  • Orientation: Identify traffic patterns of target demographic (typically AM commuter traffic) and determine if site conveniently intercepts target traffic.
  • Visibility: Determine primary traffic orientation and look for possible obstructions from that vantage point (buildings, trees, burms, etc.).
  • Queuing/Stacking Lanes: Be certain there is ample room for stacking of drive-thru/walk-up traffic and convenient egress.
  • Competition: Identify other espresso/food service activities near site.
  • Site Diagram: Prepare diagram identifying above concerns.

DRIVE-THRU DESIGN SERVICE

“Making Your Business Dreams a Reality”

Burgess Enterprises Design Service is the design division of Burgess Enterprises, a world leader in the design and production of modular cart and kiosk systems and drive-thru design. Delighted customers worldwide testify to the reputation that Burgess carts, kiosks and Burgess designed drive-thrus have earned for quality, value and performance.

Phase 1

Floor Plan -Your floor plan is designed to match your concept, menu and space. We will emphasize employee efficiency, logical traffic flow, merchandising and customer service. Our experience will ensure that the design and equipment is selected according to your menu and budget.

Health Department -Our expertise is in helping you determine the impact of local health codes on your project. Input from Burgess Enterprises Design Service will ensure that your plan review is completed on time, with the proper documentation. Burgess will supply you with a preliminary line drawing with elevations for you to submit to your health dept. for approval.

Specifications -The manufacturers' equipment specification sheets have valuable information about the plumbing and electrical needs of your equipment. These may be requested by your health department, contractor or architect.

Quotation -Your equipment quote will give you competitive pricing on the major items you will need to outfit your new operation. This detailed information will fulfill a large part of your budgeting and business planning also.

Phase 2

Construction Plan Blueprints – Once health dept. approval has been granted, the detailed construction plans will be drafted and provided to obtain a building permit. The construction plans can be used by a local contractor or build-it-yourself. They include:

Plot Plan – A bird’s eye view of your location showing property lines, streets, driveway lanes for ingress and egress, drive-thru building, and power, water and drain lines.

Proposed Drive-Thru Building Plan – A detailed layout of your building with all features: (includes floor plan, elevations, sections and details, roof and floor framing and foundation plans).

Plumbing Layout Plan -Your espresso machine, coffee brewer, ice machine and sinks all need plumbing. These plans will ensure the proper installation of water lines, floor drains and filtration. Mistakes will cause unexpected delays and additional expense.

Electrical Layout Plan -A detailed set of plans will also give you the option to accurately bid out your project to several contractors -this could save you hundreds of dollars. Your electrician will be able to see exactly where to put outlets for each piece of equipment, minimizing the risk of an expensive oversight.

Elevations and Sections - Elevations and section views of your counters will help you visualize the locations of cup dispensers, sinks, doors and drawers. The equipment elevations allow you to see in proper scale the space you have above and below the equipment.

Project Services

PROJECT INFORMATION – The customer needs to gather the following information to provide to our design team for discussion and proper design.

Proposed opening dates

Estimated budget for drive-thru building, equipment and fixtures

Lease status

Image projection and concept features

Square footage and overall dimensions of property

Square footage and overall dimensions of building

Commissary access

Access to electrical power

Access to water supply

Access to waste water drain

Access to restroom

Electrical voltage, phase and total amperage of the electrical panel

Exits or entrances

Traffic flow

Parking issues

Review implications of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Zoning requirements review

Proposed menu offerings -food and beverage selections

Menu items to be prepared on site

Foodservice equipment options to support menu items

Local health department codes and requirements.

Project Design Fees

PHASE 1

Computer generated 81/2”x11” drawings. Multiple revisions to the preliminary plan are included as needed by health dept. After approval is granted, customer desired revisions will be billed at $75 per hour.

Price - $1,495

PHASE 2

Computer generated ¼” scale construction plans (34”x44”). After approval is granted, customer desired revisions will be billed at $75 per hour.

Price - $1,495

NOTES

Burgess Enterprises Design Service is not licensed as architects or mechanical engineers. However, Phase 1 and Phase 2 plans can be emailed in AutoCAD format to your architect or contractor, for the purpose of adding detail, getting construction bids or submittal for building permits. The design services provided are not intended to replace any required architectural or engineering plans.

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