How to Write an Effective Coffee Shop Slogan

If you’re like most Americans, there are certain slogans or jingles that immediately pop to mind when you think of a particular product. For example, if someone were to say to you: “the best part of waking up…,” you’ll probably respond with: “is Folgers in your cup!” That is the power of a great slogan – it can stick in your head and lead to immediate associations between products and a brand.

Slogans aren’t just for massive corporations like Folgers, Maxwell House, or even Starbucks. Even small, independently-owned companies can benefit from having a catchy slogan – including coffee shops. A great slogan is an effective way to build your brand. Ideally, your slogan will tell patrons who you are, what you’re about – and why they should visit your coffee shop.

Ready to get started? Check out our guide for writing an effective coffee shop slogan, then read through our list of 55+ coffee shop slogan examples for inspiration.

You may be wondering why exactly you need a slogan for your coffee shop. Isn’t having a good product, excellent service and a memorable name enough?

For some small businesses, these elements are great. But there is a lot of competition in the coffee world, with 37,189 coffee shops in the United States alone. Doing something to stand out – like coming up with a memorable slogan – can differentiate you from the other shops. And if your business is located near one of the 15,444 Starbucks locations in the U.S., then it is even more important to find a way to stand out.

When done right, a café tagline is a great tool for marketing. It can help to build brand recognition, increase demand for your product, and even help you build better relationships with customers when you deliver what your slogan promises (like hot, fresh coffee…every time).

Of course, it isn’t easy to come up with a slogan for your coffee shop or any other business. Keep reading to learn our best tips for creating a café tagline that works for your brand.

So how exactly do you write a good slogan for your coffee shop? There are 4 basic steps:

1. Consider your audience.
2. Ask for ideas.
3. Keep it unique.
4. Don’t get too complicated.

Below, we break down each of these steps to help you achieve your goal.

Independently-owned coffee shops tend to be unique, and often reflect the personality of their proprietors. It isn’t unusual to find a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop filled with art and relics from the owners’ travels, for example, or with a theme based on a favorite book, band, or even movie. No matter what style of shop you are running, think about who you are aiming to serve – and use that to inform your slogan.

For example, Sey Coffee in Brooklyn takes its brews very seriously. They even host nights for customers to “sniff, slurp, and discuss” their beans. Because they are appealing to what some might call coffee snobs, it isn’t surprising that their slogan is “Drink Beautiful Coffee.”

If you are looking to attract people who mostly just need a quick cup of joe on the way to the office, then your slogan might not need to reflect the fact that your beans are sourced from small organic farms in the Himalayas (for example). Instead, you can develop a slogan that emphasizes that you serve great coffee to help fuel your customers’ mornings.

Along the same lines, younger customers are often into fancy coffee drinks. If you want to get them to patronize your business, you could emphasize your shop’s dedication to the craft of coffee making. In this way, you are tailoring your slogan to achieve the goals of your business.

Even if it sometimes feels like it, you probably aren’t running your coffee shop alone. Other people are invested in your shop, including employees, customers, and even your investors. Talk to them to see if they have any ideas for a good slogan.

Other people may have suggestions for slogans that may have never crossed your mind. For example, if your coffee shop has toys and games for kids, a patron who often brings her little ones to the shop with her might suggest a slogan that emphasizes how family-friendly your business is. 

To get input on slogan ideas, call a staff meeting to ask your employees about ideas. You can also post on social media, or even use the classic coffee shop chalk sign to see if your patrons have any insight into possible slogans.

There are only so many things that you can say about coffee: it’s hot (but sometimes cold), it has caffeine, and it’ll wake you up. That can make it hard to come up with a truly unique slogan for your business.

This is where it’s important to focus on what makes your coffee shop different from other places where people could get a cup of joe. Do you import your beans from somewhere? Grind your own beans? Offer specialty drinks? Have a particularly welcoming environment? Is your shop located somewhere unusual?

Once you have narrowed down what makes your coffee shop different, it is time to start brainstorming. Make a list of any attributes about your shop that are unique, and think about ways that you can incorporate them into your slogan.

It can be easy to get ahead of yourself once you have some really good ideas for things you  want to include in your slogan.  You might even have a whole paragraph written about how great your coffee shop is. And while that is an excellent start…you will probably need to edit it significantly. 

The best slogans are no longer than a sentence – and could be as short as 5 words. Your customers (and potential patrons) are never going to remember two sentences, or even one long sentence about how awesome your coffee is. If you want your slogan to be effective, keep it short, sweet, and to the point.

Knowing that you need a slogan for your coffee shop is just the first step. Coming up with a slogan can be challenging. Below are 55+ examples of slogans that you can use to get your creative juices flowing. Happy brainstorming!

1. A Hot Cup of Happiness
2. Start Your Day Right
3. The Only Shots You Need
4. Better Beans, Better Coffee
5. But First, Coffee
6. Love at First Sip
7. Coffee Makes Everything Possible
8. For People Who Love Coffee
9. Good to the Last Sip
10. A Rare Experience in Taste
11. Heal the World with Coffee
12. I Want My Coffee
13. The Art of Coffee
14. Coffee Makes Dreams Come True
15. A History of Coffee Greatness
16. Connect with Coffee
17. Doing Justice to the Beans
18. Great Ideas Come from Great Coffee
19. Say Hello to Coffee
20. Rise and Sip
21. Coffee Is Always a Good Idea
22. Making Mornings Better
23. Have a Brew-Ti-Ful Day
24. Made Just for You
25. Coffee with Character
26. Live, Love, Coffee
27. Enjoy Life Sip by Sip
28. For the Love of Coffee
29. Creating and Treating Coffee Obsessions
30. Inspired Creativity
31. The Perfect Blend
32. Sip Happens
33. Fueled By Coffee
34. Dark Coffee. Bright Future.
35. Begin Your Good Morning.
36. Wake the Hell Up.
37. We Make It Better.
38. Skillfully Roasted. Artfully Blended.
39. We Do Coffee Right
40. The First Choice for Exceptional Coffee
41. Oooh…Caffeine!
42. Not Your Average Coffee Shop
43. Coffee for Connoisseurs 
44. Deviate from the Norm
45. Relax. Refresh. Recharge.
46. All Coffee Is NOT Created Equal.
47. Hot, Fresh, and Just What You Need.
48. Not Your Average Joe
49. Coffee with an Attitude
50. Bold Brews for a Bold Start
51. Enjoy the Grind
52. Ready. Set. Brew.
53. You’re Never Alone with a Cup of Coffee
54. Taste the Goodness
55. Smart Beans for Coffee Lovers
56. A Better Way to Start Your Day
57. A Cup of Comfort
58. Life Is Hard. Coffee Makes It Better.

Now that you have come up with the perfect café tagline, you can get to work on branding. There are lots of places where you can feature your tagline: on social media, in advertisements, on your website, and even on signs around your coffee shop. But you shouldn’t overlook one of the best ways to get your slogan out in the community and on people’s minds: by putting it on the disposable cups, coffee sleeves, and paper bags that you already use for your business.

Budget Branders is dedicated to helping small and medium-sized businesses succeed. We offer high quality custom-printed disposable products for restaurants, coffee shops, bars, food trucks, and other food service companies. When you order from Budget Branders, you can get the branded products that you need at prices and in quantities that make sense for you.

If you’re interested in learning more or want a quote, we are here to help. Give us a call at 888-373-4880, press the live chat button, or fill out our online contact form.