How to Prepare Your Venue for Mobile Coffee Cart Service

Coffee is an integral part of many social gatherings and events. Rather than serving run-of-the-mill coffee from an urn, consider bringing in a specialty mobile coffee cart to serve fresh, artisanal espresso drinks made with care. 

With the rise in third-wave coffee shops focusing on quality, coffee drinkers are coming to expect a higher caliber cup, even at parties and corporate functions. 

To make the most of a mobile coffee cart service at your event, some preparation of your venue is required. Here are tips on getting your location ready to host a stellar coffee experience.

Why Craft Coffee Carts Are Worth It

Before getting into the preparation, it helps to understand why a mobile coffee cart can be impactful at your event. Serving high-quality craft coffee shows guests you care about the details. 

Craft coffee focuses on qualities like taste, terroir, aroma, and mouthfeel. Drinks served through a cart will taste significantly better than bulk coffee from a Keurig.

Coffee carts offer craft, made-to-order drinks like espressos, lattes, and pour-overs. Having options and personalization makes for happier attendees.

A cart serving fresh espresso is novel, fun, and pure artistry on display. Our baristas are trained and talented. We guarantee that our coffee cart is unlike anything your guests have experienced with hot beverages at other events.

How to Prepare Your Event for a Coffee Cart

Ensure Access to Power

Creating the perfect cup of craft coffee requires power. Coffee carts use electricity to power espresso machines, grinders, and power supply system. 

Ensure you prepare to place the cart in a space that has access to an outlet or generator power. The required wattage can vary based on the size of the cart. So, it’s always best to reach out to your cart vendor to uncover their needs. 

Scout your location ahead of time and identify where power access points are situated. We will come ready with the necessary extension cord. So, be prepared to direct us to the setup location.

We understand that having enough power will let the professional baristas craft coffee drinks unimpeded throughout your event.

Provide a Level Surface

Mobile coffee carts are wheeled in but require flat ground to set up and operate. Survey your venue to find an area with an even, hard surface. Soft ground like grass or sand can sink under the weight of a filled cart. 

Ensure the area can support the weight without cracking or buckling. In order to play your planning safe, ask for cart dimensions beforehand to allow enough space.  

Allow Access for the Cart

To get the coffee cart onsite, you’ll need ample access. Coffee carts are typically 3 to 5 feet wide by 4 to 6 feet long. Doorways should measure at least 36 inches wide to accommodate. 

Ensure there is a clear, smooth path from the parking/drop-off area to the cart station location. Eliminate steps, curbs, or bumps in the pathway that could block or damage the cart. 

Communicate with the baristas ahead of time on the route to determine any access issues.  

Allowing for easy entrance, setup, and takedown makes the experience much smoother for the baristas.

Have a Waste Plan

Have a waste bin on hand to collect grounds that accumulate during coffee production.

Handling the byproducts makes service clean and efficient. Communicate with the baristas on waste accommodations.

Perfecting Your Big Day

Promote the Coffee

Don’t keep the specialty coffee cart a secret! If you’re putting in the effort to serve craft coffee to your guests, spread the word!

Make sure guests know it will be onsite. Promote it on event materials like schedules and programs. Have signage directing people to the coffee area.

If possible, place the cart out near the event entrance so that the aroma starts permeating from the very start. The baristas themselves often engage guests by preparing drinks in front of them. 

Proper promotion gets people excited to experience the mobile coffee service you’ve brought in.

Let the Baristas Manage the Cart

Though you’ll handle the venue preparations, it’s best to let the trained baristas fully run the coffee cart operations.

During the event, guests should order drinks directly through the baristas. Refrain from adding other food or drinks to the cart. Allow the baristas to focus on coffee service while you keep your guests entertained.

Trusting the barista's expertise results in smooth service and an impactful coffee experience for your event. Professional mobile cart companies like Olive Coffee Cart offer the best talent in the biz, so you have nothing to stress about.

Go the Extra Mile for Your Next Event With Olive Coffee Cart

Preparing your venue properly for a specialty coffee cart does take some coordination. But the effort pays off through delighted guests and memorable coffee. The smells, flavors, and craft of high-end coffee create a unique experience. It shows your event prioritizes quality.

Next time you host an event, consider bringing in Olive Coffee Cart. Our mobile craft coffee experience ensures you can treat your guests to the very best coffee in Dallas. They’ll leave buzzing about our amazing drinks that make them feel like coffee royalty.

Does your next event need a professional coffee cart service? Contact us today to learn more about our coffee cart.