You’re working hard.
Your team is showing up.
The customers are coming in.
And yet…
The bank balance doesn’t reflect the effort.
You’re wondering where the profit is going.
Truth is, you might be pouring your heart into the business —
while quietly leaking profit every single day.
It’s not always the big things.
In fact, it’s usually the small ones — the habits, the systems, the blind spots — that slowly bleed a café dry.
Let’s explore the hidden leaks in your profit bucket — and what to do about them.
1. OVER-PORTIONING AND WASTAGE
Is every avocado smash exactly the same size?
Are staff double-dosing espresso because they think “more is more”?
Do milk jugs get poured out too quickly, just in case?
Food and drink wastage is one of the top killers of café profit.
And most of it isn’t sabotage — it’s just a lack of clear systems.
Plug the leak:
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Weigh your shots.
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Standardise recipes and portion sizes.
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Train your team to respect every ingredient.
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Track wastage daily — what gets measured gets managed.
2. DISCOUNTS, FREEBIES, AND ‘MATES RATES’
We all want to be generous.
But casual discounting and freebies, even with good intentions, add up fast.
Whether it’s the “don’t worry about it today” regular or the “staff eat free” culture —
you’re eroding your margin one small gesture at a time.
Plug the leak:
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Have a clear, written policy on discounts and staff meals.
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Teach your team to value what you serve.
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Offer bonuses after a sales milestone — not before.
3. UNDERCHARGING FOR ADD-ONS AND LABOUR-INTENSIVE ITEMS
Extra shot? Alt milk? Gluten-free?
House-made aioli?
That beautiful, messy, 12-step burger your chef crafted?
If you’re not charging accordingly — you’re paying for their preference.
Plug the leak:
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Review your menu pricing.
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Check COGS and labour time.
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Don’t be afraid to charge for value. Customers understand — as long as it’s fair and consistent.
4. UNDER-UTILISED STAFF DURING SLOW PERIODS
Do you have too many staff rostered during your dead zones?
Are you paying people to stand around “just in case it gets busy”?
Idle labour is the most expensive line item on your P&L.
Plug the leak:
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Track your hourly sales and adjust rosters accordingly.
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Cross-train staff so they can jump into prep, cleaning, or upselling tasks.
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Use quiet time to build value — not scroll phones.
5. POOR STOCK CONTROL AND ORDERING HABITS
Over-ordering leads to spoilage.
Under-ordering leads to emergency runs (at higher costs).
Both lead to frustration and profit erosion.
Plug the leak:
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Do weekly stocktakes.
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Use a smart ordering system.
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Know your par levels and adjust based on trends and events.
6. LOST SALES OPPORTUNITIES
Here’s the one most café owners forget:
It’s not just about the money going out —
it’s the money you could’ve made but didn’t.
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Did your barista upsell that croissant?
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Did your front-of-house mention the house special?
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Did your signage, your display, your social media give anyone a reason to spend more?
Plug the leak:
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Train your team in gentle, value-driven upselling.
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Create visually irresistible displays.
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Promote smartly — online and in-store.
CAFÉ PROFIT ISN’T ABOUT CUTTING CORNERS — IT’S ABOUT PAYING ATTENTION
None of this is about being stingy.
It’s about running a smart business, so you can keep doing what you love — without burning out or going backwards.
DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE BUCKET’S EMPTY
Take an hour this week.
Walk your café.
Watch your team.
Check your reports.
Ask yourself:
Where am I leaking profit — and what’s one small plug I can put in place today?