What coffee shops can learn from a 3 Michelin Star restaurant

Recently, a new café in Dubai paid a record price to buy the world’s most expensive coffee. I loved the audacity. What a way to announce your arrival in a very crowded market. It didn’t go unnoticed. It made headlines. Headlines and comments I enjoyed reading. Still do. Watching people reveal their true selves.

But, the reality is, most coffee shops will never have the budget to make that kind of statement. And the truth is, they don’t need to.

Meet Will Guidara.

Who is Will Guidara?

Will Guidara is one of the most respected figures in modern hospitality. He studied at Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration and worked his way through New York’s restaurant world. In 2011, alongside chef Daniel Humm, he took over Eleven Madison Park. Under their leadership, it earned three Michelin stars and was named the best restaurant in the world.

Guidara later co-founded the NoMad restaurants and wrote the bestselling book Unreasonable Hospitality. In it, he explains the philosophy that turned a fine dining restaurant into a global benchmark. For coffee shop owners, his lessons translate directly into building loyalty in a competitive market.

Service vs hospitality explained

Guidara’s career rests on a clear distinction between service and hospitality.

• Service is competence. In cafés this means pulling consistent espresso shots, steaming milk correctly, and handing over drinks quickly.
• Hospitality is the feeling customers have while receiving that service. It could be remembering a name, guiding a first-time visitor through the menu, or adjusting pace for someone in a rush.

Service finishes the transaction. Hospitality builds the relationship.

For coffee shops, that difference is what creates loyalty.

Why hospitality should be a coffee shop strategy

Most cafés focus on beans, machines, and recipes. These are important. But they do not guarantee repeat business. Hospitality should be designed with the same seriousness as brewing systems.

Examples include:

• Greeting every customer warmly.
• Making menus approachable for experts and beginners. Read that again. And beginners.
• Offering water without being asked.
• Fixing mistakes quickly and without friction.

When practices like these are embedded into operations, hospitality becomes part of the brand instead of an occasional gesture.

How coffee shops can go beyond expectations

Guidara describes “unreasonable hospitality” as going further than guests anticipate. In fine dining this sometimes meant elaborate experiences. In coffee shops it can be simple, affordable, and powerful.

• Preparing a regular’s drink before they ask.
• Offering a small taste of a new origin.
• Recommending a drink to a guest who looks unsure.

These actions cost little but create stories people share. Rare beans may make headlines once, but consistent experiences keep people talking every day.

Empowering baristas to act

Owners cannot be the only source of hospitality. It scales when baristas are trusted to act as hosts. Too often they are trained only to take orders. When given freedom, they can transform the customer experience.

That empowerment could look like:

• Remaking a drink without hesitation if something feels off.
• Offering recommendations based on a guest’s taste.
• Adding small touches such as writing a note on a cup or acknowledging a personal moment.

Trusting baristas to take initiative ensures hospitality is delivered consistently across shifts.

Why stories matter more than technical details in cafés

Guests rarely retell technical details. They retell stories.

A friend of mine, Robert, and I (try to) meet once a week for a catch up over coffee. When we recall our visit to Julith, we don’t talk about the interior design (which is spectacular), the pastries (which are delectable) or the specific name of the specific coffee we had as a pourover. We recall meeting the head barista, Cyprain. How he took the time, an uncrushed few minutes, to explain Julith’s coffee to us, and recommend what we should try.

A perfectly timed pour-over may be forgotten. A barista who explained the flavor notes in clear language will be remembered.

Stories build reputation and spread faster than technical details.

How hospitality builds resilience in coffee shops

Coffee shops often face thin margins, rising costs, and heavy competition. Hospitality creates resilience. Guests who feel valued will forgive mistakes, accept higher prices, and continue to return even when new cafés open nearby.

Expensive coffees can create a moment. Experiences create stability.

Key lessons for coffee shops

• Service is about accuracy. Hospitality is about feeling.
• Hospitality can be built into systems.
• Going beyond expectations creates stories customers share.
• Empowered baristas make hospitality consistent.
• Experiences build loyalty that protects cafés during hard times.

Every cup is an opportunity to build connection

Will Guidara turned Eleven Madison Park into the best restaurant in the world by making hospitality central to every decision. Coffee shops can use the same approach. Not every café can afford record-breaking coffees, but every café can create experiences that customers remember.

Every cup is an opportunity to build connection. When guests carry those memories with them, they return, they tell others, and they build the reputation of the café.

That is how small shops can compete with the biggest names.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between service and hospitality in a café?

Service is technical accuracy, like preparing drinks correctly and delivering them quickly. Hospitality is the human side, the way customers feel during that service. Service ends with the transaction. Hospitality lives in memory.

How can coffee shops improve customer loyalty without high costs?

Small gestures create loyalty. Greeting people by name, offering samples of new coffees, fixing mistakes quickly, and writing clear menus all build connection. These actions cost little but increase the chance of customers returning.

What does Unreasonable Hospitality mean for coffee shops?

Unreasonable Hospitality is the practice of going beyond expectations. In cafés this could be preparing a regular’s drink early, recommending a new origin, or adding small personal touches. The goal is to make the experience memorable.

How can baristas practice hospitality every day?

Baristas can practice by paying attention to details. They can remake a drink without hesitation, explain flavor notes in simple language, or recognize small personal moments. These actions transform routine service into experiences.

Why are experiences more important than rare coffees for customer loyalty?

Rare coffees can generate short bursts of attention. Experiences create long-term loyalty. When customers feel valued, they forgive mistakes, accept changes, and share their stories with others. That loyalty sustains a café beyond one-time headlines.