What you’ll learn in this article:
- How cold brew coffee machines work and why they’re restaurant-friendly
- Creative ways restaurants can use cold brew
- How to serve seasonal, alcohol-free, or infused drinks using one machine
- Operational advantages: speed, consistency, hygiene, and automation
- FAQ: Get quick answers to the most common restaurant questions
Cold brew isn’t just for cafés anymore. As demand for specialty beverages rises, restaurants are discovering that cold brew coffee machines can boost margins, expand menus, and streamline operations — all with a single machine. In the United Kingdom alone, 43% of consumers drink cold brew at least once a month, with its popularity attributed to its lower acidity and stronger flavour compared to hot coffee.
Given this rise in popularity, restaurants and other businesses can position themselves at the forefront of the emerging trend. The global cold brew market grew by over 22% between 2023 and 2024, proving that demand in hospitality settings is likely to rise. This shift not only caters to the growing demand for high-quality coffee but also enhances the overall dining experience.
In this article, we will explore how cold brew coffee machines can be effectively utilised in restaurant settings. To learn more, I spoke to Jake Leonti. He is the Director of Coffee at Gregorys Coffee, a US-based specialty coffee brand, and the founder of F+B Therapy. Read on for his insight into the benefits of cold brew coffee machines for restaurants.
How cold brew coffee machines work and why they’re suitable for restaurants
Modern cold brew coffee machines, such as the Baby Hardtank, streamline the process of making cold brew for businesses. This allows you to produce high-quality drinks in much less time due to their patented recirculation technology.
Using this method, the cold brew coffee machine continuously recirculates water through the extraction basket, meaning the coffee grounds are constantly agitated. Not only does this reduce the steeping time, but it also ensures consistency in each batch as the entire process is automated.
Traditional methods for preparing cold brew coffee require around 24 hours. This severely limits the amount of cold brew a coffee shop, bar, or restaurant can produce and serve each day. By contrast, the Baby Hardtank can produce four litres of cold brew in as little as 45 minutes. It lets you meet changing demand and sell more cold brew without waiting hours between batches.
While cold brew has traditionally been served in specialty coffee shops and bars, it is becoming increasingly popular in restaurants and the wider hospitality industry. Since 2021, its presence on restaurant menus across the United States has increased by 245%. To demonstrate its mainstream appeal, chains such as Denny’s now offer cold brew alongside hot coffee.
In 2022, cold brew servings at quick-service restaurants (QSRs) such as McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Panera Bread increased by 27%, equating to roughly 373 million servings. It proves that consumers aren’t just looking for cold brew in coffee shops – they want it in restaurants, too.
“The key benefits for a restaurant to produce its own cold brew in-house include reducing cost-of-goods, increasing margin, and providing a bespoke product, made on-site,” says Jake. “When done well, this adds credibility and additional storytelling for marketing to customers.”
How cold brew equipment boosts menu innovation & revenue
Incorporating cold brew coffee machines such as the Baby Hardtank into your restaurant can yield significant quantitative benefits. For instance, you can use it to make after-dinner drinks, coffee for desserts such as tiramisu, or even the base of coffee-flavoured ice cream.
Due to the increased speed of making cold brew in a machine, it allows restaurants to diversify what they use it for. Unlike the usual 12-hour steeping time, you can produce cold brew in up to 45 minutes per batch. Therefore, it’s easy to change what you’re using it for on any given day. For example, you may use to prepare affogato or an espresso martini mocktail, and another time for coffee-based rubs for pork or beef.
It gives restaurants freedom – both in what they use the machine for, and in speeding up production times. “You can limit storing excess product while allowing the product you serve to be fresher,” says Jake.
However, the benefits of cold brew coffee machines in restaurants extend beyond fast production times and consumer health trends. Machines such as the Baby Hardtank are versatile enough to produce a range of cold drinks as well. This means you can further diversify your menu and appeal to broader customer tastes.
Depending on the ingredients you add to the filter basket and the features you choose, you can also produce iced teas, infused spirits, and cocktails. As such, restaurants can cater to non-coffee drinkers and health-conscious customers alike, while also meeting rising demand for cold brew.
This versatility means that restaurants can also use a cold brew coffee machines to produce seasonal drinks and limited-time products. For example, in the summer months, you could infuse cold brew with peach or apricot, or cinnamon and ginger in the winter. By constantly diversifying the blends and flavour notes of your seasonal cold brew, you can offer unique drinks all year round.
The cold brew drinks in your restaurant can also include trending sectors such as alcohol-free cocktails. Nearly half of all Americans are planning to drink less alcohol in 2025, demonstrating the demand for flavoursome drinks without alcoholic content. This is an increasingly important consideration for consumers, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, who are willing to pay an average of 30.7% extra for healthy products. Using versatile cold brew coffee machines, you can produce mocktails like a Cold Brew Old Fashioned, Hibiscus Spritz, and Elderflower Sencha Collins. All you have to do is alter the ingredients you put in the extraction basket.
Therefore, cold brew coffee machines give restaurants more control over their menu and production quantities, from regular drinks to new desserts, rubs, and infusions. “Restaurants are always interested in producing their own products from scratch to preserve margins and add value to their customers,” says Jake. “With rising costs, it would make sense to see this grow.”
Operational efficiency & hygiene: Why restaurants love cold brew machines
Alongside diversifying your menu and appealing to consumer trends, restaurants can use cold brew coffee machines to vastly streamline their operations.
First and foremost, using a machine eliminates the hygiene concerns for cold brew coffee. Cold brew is more prone to microbial activity compared to hot coffee, due to its lower extraction temperature and acidity level. Therefore, keeping your cold brew coffee machine clean is essential to comply with food hygiene regulations for restaurants.
Modern equipment such as the Baby Hardtank is entirely self-cleaning, with automatic cleaning and sanitation modes. Combined with the machine’s food-grade stainless steel, it guarantees that your restaurant’s cold brew and other cold beverages are safe for consumption and compliant with regional standards. This can also help businesses stay abreast of changing regulations and requirements.
“Restaurants are under a lot of scrutiny by [health regulators],” says Jake. “They should choose a system that is the most sanitary, easy to use, and easy to clean.”
Similarly, using cold brew coffee machines in restaurants allows you to more efficiently streamline your workflows. Since you don’t need to manually clean the machine or brew the drinks, staff can focus on other tasks while the equipment works. You can also save extraction recipes to eliminate human error during the brewing process, ensuring your drinks are repeatable and high-quality every time.
Therefore, restaurants can see a number of benefits from incorporating cold brew coffee machines. Not only does it enhance your menu’s appeal and the range of drinks on offer, but it also increases operational efficiency.
For businesses in the hospitality industry, the efficiency and versatility of cold brew coffee machines help restaurants maintain a competitive advantage.
To learn more about how your restaurant can benefit from a cold brew coffee machine, learn about our equipment range here or get in touch with the team for a quote.
FAQ
What are the benefits of cold brew coffee machines for restaurants?
Cold brew coffee machines allow restaurants to serve high-quality, on-trend beverages without long prep times. They improve efficiency, reduce labour costs, and let you produce drinks on demand – minimising waste and increasing freshness. They also expand your menu with coffee-based desserts, mocktails, and infused creations.
Can cold brew machines help us offer non-coffee options?
Yes! Modern cold brew machines like the Baby Hardtank are versatile. You can use them to prepare iced teas, fruit- or herb-infused cold drinks, cascara infusions, and even alcohol-free cocktails like espresso martini mocktails or hibiscus spritzers.
How much time and space can cold brew coffee machines save in a restaurant?
Cold brew coffee machines produce a batch of cold brew in just 45 minutes, which is much faster than traditional methods. This saves restaurants a lot of time, storage space, and money because they can prepare cold brew on demand to minimise waste.
Is cleaning and maintenance restaurant-friendly?
Machines like the Baby Hardtank are self-cleaning and meet food hygiene regulations — no manual scrubbing required.
