Cafe Growth Challenges
The Growth Challenges of a Growing Café
Running a café is more than great coffee and tasty brunch—it’s people, systems, and knowing when to pause and reassess. At Dad and the Frog, we’re in that in-between phase that a lot of small, scaling businesses hit:
The seats are filling.
The coffee orders are flowing.
But behind the scenes, we’re stretched.
We’re not quite big enough to hire a whole new team member, but we’re too busy for business-as-usual. So how do we manage it?
Supporting Our Leaders First
Before thinking about adding to the payroll, we’ve looked at whether our current team is being enabled or just expected. Are they trained? Trusted? Given the breathing room to lead?
Empowering our FOH manager and head chef has been a game-changer. When your leaders feel ownership and pride in the experience, the whole team lifts.
Are Our Systems Helping or Hurting?
It’s easy to blame being busy on not having enough hands—but sometimes, it’s about refining the flow.
We asked ourselves:
Can our POS be faster?
Can prep be done more efficiently?
Can we tweak our roster to better match the peaks?
Sometimes the solution isn’t more people—it’s smarter systems.
The Consistency Equation
We’ve worked hard to be known as a consistent, quality cafe in Surry Hills. That doesn’t happen by accident. It’s about checking in daily with:
Standards (food, service, cleanliness)
Team communication
Guest experience
It’s also about having the humility to say, we’re learning too. Growth isn’t linear. There are teething stages. But we’re committed to growing the right way, not just the fast way.
If You’re in the Thick of It Too
To any fellow café owner, manager or team leader out there feeling that stretch—we see you.
Hold your team close. Audit your systems. And trust that taking time now will save time later.
Book your next brunch or lunch with us and see what consistency looks (and tastes) like in action:
👉 https://www.dadandthefrog.com.au/bookatable
Dad and the Frog Café
📍 96 Fitzroy St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
📞 0422809025
🌐 www.dadandthefrog.com.au
Whether you’re popping in for coffee or planning a breakfast meeting—we’re ready. Every day’s a good day to visit.