A customer knows the price of their usual coffee before they reach the counter. Changing that familiar number is a business decision and a communication task.
You cannot guarantee that nobody will object. You can make the change deliberate, accurate and easy to understand, while checking whether it actually improves the economics of the items you sell.
Do not mistake customer goodwill for unlimited tolerance
In Square's 2026 Australian local-business research, 63% of respondents said they would be somewhat or very likely to keep shopping after a price rise when it offered increased value, such as better service or quality. That condition matters. The finding is not blanket support for any increase.
Use customer feedback to understand value, but calculate your own costs before deciding what to charge.
Review the items, not just the percentage
Check the current cost of a representative coffee, a food item and a popular combination. Include the direct costs relevant to each, then consider their contribution towards the rest of the business.
A uniform increase is simple, but you may find the pressure is concentrated in particular ingredients, sizes or preparation steps. Avoid making the menu harder to understand with dozens of small surcharges as a substitute for a clear pricing decision.
Review the effect on regular baskets as well as individual items. A modest change across several products can add up for someone who orders the same breakfast every week.
Understand the break-even calculation
Here is a hypothetical A$ illustration excluding tax. A coffee sells for $5 with $2 in direct variable costs, leaving $3 before fixed costs. At a new price of $5.30, with those costs unchanged, the contribution becomes $3.30.
One hundred cups at the old price contribute $300. To match that at the new price, you need approximately 91 cups: $300 divided by $3.30, rounded up.
That does not mean losing 9% of customers is harmless. Basket changes, future visits, different costs and word of mouth are outside the simple calculation. It only shows why comparing revenue alone can give an incomplete answer.
Explain the change without inventing an improvement
Keep the message factual. State when prices change, what changes and, where helpful, the real reason. Do not claim better ingredients or higher staff pay unless those claims are true.
A sample notice might read:
Our updated coffee prices take effect on 1 November. The new menu will be available at the counter and on our website before then. Thank you for continuing to make us part of your day.
That is example wording, not a prescribed notice period. Add a specific explanation only where it accurately reflects your situation.
Give staff the same information. They should not have to improvise different explanations during the morning rush.
Update every place a customer sees the price
Check the counter menu, website, direct ordering page, active promotions and other channels you maintain. Review prepaid offers or existing commitments separately before changing how they are honoured.
For Australian consumer pricing, the ACCC's price-display guidance explains requirements around clear total prices and applicable charges. Make sure the amount presented and the amount charged are consistent with the rules that apply to the transaction.
A correct till price does not solve an outdated online menu. Test the actual customer journey, not only the administration screen.
Review the change after a full trading cycle
Compare item volumes, average baskets and contribution over equivalent periods. Include notes about weather, holidays, competitor openings or menu changes that could also affect behaviour.
Listen for specific objections. “The price changed without warning” suggests a different problem from “the portion no longer feels worthwhile”. Avoid immediately reversing the whole menu because of one comment, but do not dismiss a repeated pattern either.
Try this next: cost a small set of important items, write the communication, then check every affected menu before the effective date.
Keep your digital menu consistent
Review BizAppMaker’s features if you are considering a branded website and app. Confirm how menu information is maintained and tested; do not assume that separate third-party channels synchronise automatically.
Explore the app for cafes, or try the live app demo.