Daily Specials

 Fakenham Garden Centre's cafe works hard to get the locals in every day of the week.

Filing Remembered & Recycled

Remember those old filing cabinets; Ozone has pulled one out to hold and present their business cards at the cafe entrance.

Certificate of Excellence

We noticed several cafes in Dublin proudly showing their Tripadvisor rating alongside their menus.  KC Peaches is a wholefoods shop and cafe and is worth visiting.

Hotting Up

The coffee price war continues with Giraffe restaurants offering take-out lattes and cappuccinos at 50p until 10.30am Monday to Friday.

Real Food

Guest Spot

Congratulations to the Real Food Cafe, Tyndrum for their ace fish & chips - They have just been awarded 'Winners of the Best Independent Food Service Outlet' in the National Fish & Chip Awards.  The owner Sarah is also switched on to the benefits of great cakes, publicity and mugs by Moonpig.com.

Happy Hours

POD's £1 latte, cappuccino and flat white promotion from 10-12 and after 3pm is different from the usual filter coffee promotions.

Diets are Sad

Pret's great seasonal visual and message

Eat Me (Literally)

Personalised M&Ms are an edible and fun marketing idea.

Salute The Pigs

Whenever there is a question about naming your cafe - consider THE PIG Rooms and Kitchen Garden Food.  Formerly the Whitley Ridge Hotel, it now sports an unforgettable name and distinct theme.  The only drawback might be a lack of business from those communities who avoid pork.

Paperweight at Reception

The National Trust's Book on Pig Keeping is in every bedroom and is used for the bar menu folder.

Free Cuppa

The Real Food Cafe, Tyndrum is a hugely successful roadside diner (formerly an unloved Little Chef) and they sell their personalised travel mug for £8.50.  Clever idea to include free coffee or tea on every visit.

Drink to David & Des

D&D Restaurants let you know that they are not a faceless corporate entity with this cheery cardboard coaster at their new South Place Hotel.  Not sure of the likeness but with 24 restaurants in London they are faces to be reckoned with.

Flickering Idea at McDonalds

Difficult to see in this photo but look top right of the bean to cup coffee machines and there is a flickering night light candle in the coffee cups to catch your attention.  Simple clever idea and at Mcdonalds.

The Brownie Bar

Konditor & Cook's Brownie Bar is fun - any 3 for £5

Game, Set & Strawberries

Talkington Bates, the business and industry caterer, offers complimentary strawberries and cream with every main meal dish purchased

Ingredients on the Glass

Ingredients listed at the base of Doombar's pint glass and an idea that could be used on specific cake plates or coffee mugs. It reads: Natural Ingredients - Cornish Water, English Malted Barley, Whole Hop Flowers and Sharp's Unique Yeast.  Good beer, great marketing.

Skinny Dip

Skinny Dipping at Pret - all 190 calories and doesn't it sound better than "pea & mint humous with Crudites"

Two Styles of Deal

Dobbies Garden Centre plays 'Soup & Sandwich' straight

Tossed's somewhat more fetching 'Half wrap & mini soup'

Video on the Shelf

Caffe Nero have gone high tech on their multideck chiller shelf with video selling the virtues of panini

Plus the old-fashioned back up - poster on easel

Hot Pot Footfall

Mary Portas is spot on with her comments about the need to drive footfall.  She might not be so happy with how garden centres and farm shops are pulling folk away from the high street.  Guy, Russell and the team at Barton Grange near Preston know how to pull them in - their cafe is offering Hot Pot (with red cabbage and crusty bread) at £2.95 between 5pm and 7.30pm.  At a time when the cafe would otherwise be quiet 480 customers came last Tuesday all buying drinks and items in the garden centre.  Little wonder their business is up 12% on last year.

The 75p Bacon Buttie

BHS wows them in at 75p for a bacon roll provided you buy a hot drink before 11.30am