A question a lot of businesses are asking right now, is should we be offering free high quality coffee to our employees?
After all, it’s become one of the most common workplace perks in recent years, especially as companies look for ways to bring people back into the office.
From tech firms to law practices and design studio showrooms, companies have realised that good quality, complimentary coffee is a simple, effective, and affordable way of improving employee morale and making the workplace somewhere people actually want to be.
But not all complimentary coffee is created equal. There’s a big difference between a tin of instant, a cheap filter coffee machine, and a high quality barista-level automatic machine that serves a wide range of freshly ground coffee drinks.
In this article, we're going to discuss the pros and cons of offering free specialty coffee to your employees and guests, how much it costs, and what you need to get started.
The Benefits of Offering Complimentary Coffee As a Perk
The advantages of offering great coffee at work are pretty clear. It boosts morale, brings people together, and helps make the office somewhere people genuinely enjoy being.
A simple perk like this can go a long way towards building a positive culture, and showing your team that you value their day-to-day experience. In short:
- It makes the workplace feel more inviting.
- It keeps staff on site (and saves them money).
- It creates opportunities for connection and collaboration.
- It leaves a great impression on clients and visitors.
- And it subtly reflects the kind of company culture you want to build.
Drawbacks to Consider
Of course, there are a few realities to be aware of before jumping in. The main ones?
- There’s an added cost, both upfront and ongoing.
- Machines need regular cleaning and maintenance.
- Someone will need to keep track of supplies.
- It takes up space, and expectations rise quickly once people get used to good coffee.
None of these are deal-breakers, but they’re worth factoring in if you want the setup to run smoothly and keep standards high.
What Do You Need to Get Started?
If you're not yet serving high quality coffee in your office or workspace, there are two main things you need to invest in. Firstly is a delicious coffee from a high quality roastery, and secondly, a fantastic machine chosen for your needs.
Delicious Beans from a Specialty Roastery
Start with a high-quality coffee that’s going to please as many people as possible. For most workplaces, a crowd-pleasing medium roast works best: something balanced, smooth, and versatile enough for everything from americanos to lattes.
A cheaper, low quality coffee might be more desirable from a commercial perspective, but a bad tasting cup will not bring the positive benefits you were looking for. Instead, invest in a good quality, freshly roasted coffee from a decent roastery in order to make your investment worthwhile.
The Perfect Blend for Your Workplace
Looking to serve a delicious specialty coffee? Try Flourish from our Roots range of coffees: A Rainforest Alliance certified blend of delicious coffees from Brazil and Ethiopia, that donates 10% of profits to Project Waterfall.
If your team leans younger or more trend-focused, you might opt for a lighter roast with brighter, more distinctive flavours. These tend to appeal to coffee enthusiasts who enjoy something a little more adventurous or nuanced in taste.
Whatever you choose, it’s worth sourcing from a reliable roaster who can provide consistent quality and ongoing support when possible.
A High Quality Coffee Machine
Once you have great beans, you also need to be careful about the type of machine you consider investing in. Your choice of machine will depend on the size of your team, how many drinks it will need to serve each day, your available space, how much you want staff to interact with the machine, and the types of drinks you want to be able to serve.
Whatever type of service you have in mind, there are the broad categories available:
Filter Coffee Machine: Simple, Quick, Reliable
Ideal for large batches of black coffee on a budget. Great for meetings and quick refills, but limited to basic drinks without milk options.
Bean-to-Cup: Best All-Round Option
Freshly grinds beans for every cup and serves everything from espresso to hot chocolate. Easy to use, self-cleaning, and perfect for most workplaces.
Super Traditional: Ideal For Large Teams
High-volume, café-quality coffee at the touch of a button. The Eversys Enigma range combines barista-level quality with automation, perfect for large offices or reception areas.
Espresso Machine and Grinder: For the Barista-Crafted Café Experience
For a true café experience, pair a professional espresso machine with a grinder. Ideal for barista-led setups or hospitality spaces aiming for the very best quality.
How Much Might This Cost?
If you're considering complimentary coffee for your employees, you'll want to know how much it's going to cost. To give you an idea, we'll need to make some assumptions.
Let's assume that 100% of your workforce are in the office, every single day of the week, and that each employee has one coffee per day - an easy round number to work from.
Good quality, medium roasted coffees start at around £20 per kilo in this current market. At 16 grams of coffee used per drink in a typical bean-to-cup machine, your coffee beans will cost just over 32p per person each day.
Your machines are an additional cost. In general, affordable bean to cup machines cost around £50 per week and can serve up to 100 people. For larger offices, we typically recommend investing in more than one machine to prevent overcrowding, breakdowns, and to help make the machines more accessible.
We've made some assumptions here, and of course the costs always vary week to week and will depend on a wide number of factors, but to give you an idea:
Office of 50 people ~ £200 per week
Coffee beans: 50 drinks per day = 5.6kg per week. Cost of beans: £112 per week.
Machine: Schaerer Coffee Soul 12: £100 per week.
Office of 200 people ~ £650 per week
Coffee beans: 200 drinks per day = 22.4kg per week. Cost of beans: £448 per week.
Machines: 2x Schaerer Coffee Soul 12: £200 per week.
Office of 1000 people ~ £3,000 /wk
Coffee beans: 1000 drinks per day = 112kg per week. Cost of beans: £2,240 per week.
Machines: 4x Schaerer Coffee Soul 12, plus 2x Eversys Cameo: £700 per week.
The Financial Benefits of Better Coffee at Work
While offering free coffee comes with a cost, it often pays for itself in productivity and staff satisfaction. Better coffee means fewer trips out of the office, less time wasted in queues, and more energy and focus throughout the day.
It also helps attract and retain talent, reducing recruitment costs, and creates a perk that supports wellbeing and office attendance. In short, a well-run coffee program can quickly become one of the most cost-effective employee benefits you’ll ever offer.
Ready to Get Started?
Thinking about introducing complimentary coffee at your workplace? Bridge Coffee Roasters can help you find the right setup, from beans and machines to maintenance and support. Get in touch to start building a coffee experience your team will love.
