15 Coffee Shop Merch Ideas Your Regulars Will Actually Buy
By The Merch Counter team · Updated · 2 min read
The best coffee shop merch is the stuff your regulars already use every day: a mug, a tumbler, a tote for their beans, and a soft tee or sweatshirt with a design that feels like an inside joke. Start with three or four of these, price them in line with other cafés nearby, and put a QR code by the register.
Drinkware
1. The logo mug. The classic, and the one that gets used: two in three American adults had coffee in the past day, per the National Coffee Association, so a mug from their café can be in their hand every morning. A clean logo on a white or black mug. Example: $18, you earn $6.90 †.
2. A "regulars' order" mug. Print your most-ordered drink, or a list of your house drinks, on the back.
3. An insulated tumbler. For customers who bring their own cup. Pair it with a "bring your tumbler" habit at the counter. Example: $34, you earn $13.20 †.
4. A mug with your address or opening year. "Est. 2018 · 412 Elm St." Simple, local, giftable.
Apparel
5. The small-mark tee. A small logo on the left chest. More wearable than a big front print, so it gets worn more. Example: $30, you earn $12 †.
6. The roast list tee. Your roast or blend names as a typographic list on the back.
7. The cozy crewneck. Coffee and sweatshirts belong together. Example: $45, you earn $16 †.
8. The barista apron. The same apron your team wears. Fans love it; home baristas use it. Example: $48, you earn $18.40 †.
9. A "coffee first" line. Short, funny text people relate to — written by you, not borrowed from a meme someone else owns. Some short slogans are registered trademarks.
10. A hat. An embroidered cap with a small mark. Good for summer, and for staff.
Bags and small things
11. The bean tote. A tote bag sized for groceries and a bag of beans. Great for roasters. Example: $26, you earn $9.80 †.
12. Stickers. Your logo, your cup, your mascot. Cheap, giftable, and they end up on laptops all over town.
13. A seasonal design. A fall or holiday version of your logo, available for a limited time.
14. A neighborhood design. Your street, block or neighborhood name with your logo. Visitors love these.
15. A collab. A design with a local illustrator, or a co-branded piece with the bakery that supplies your pastries.
What to start with
Don't launch all fifteen. A strong first range for a café:
- Logo mug
- Small-mark tee or crewneck
- Tote bag
- Tumbler (if regulars bring their own cups)
How to sell it
- QR code by the register and on the pickup counter, where people wait for drinks.
- Baristas wearing the tee or apron.
- A sample mug in use — serve a regular's drink in one.
- An Instagram post of the merch in the café, with a regular wearing it.
- Holiday gifting — "Gifts for the coffee lover" from November.
More: How to Market Your Merch
Related: Merch for coffee shops · Merch Ideas for Every Kind of Local Business
† Worked examples. They use our real 20% fee and suggested 2.5× price on an illustrative cost to make; real costs vary by product, size and print. Bulk-order figures are illustrative too. Today’s numbers for every product are in the profit calculator and in your dashboard before you list anything.