Questions to Ask Your Coffee Vendor Before You Hire Them
Use this checklist when you talk to a mobile coffee cart vendor. Print it and bring it along, or save it as a PDF — there is room to check off each question and jot down their answers.
1. Can I attend a tasting before I hire you?
2. How long have you been in business?
3. How many events do you do per year?
4. What is the largest event you have done?
5. Where do you source your beans?
6. Are your beans freshly roasted?
7. Is your machine manual or automatic?
8. Do you grind your beans fresh for each drink?
9. Do you use filtered water in your machines?
10. What syrups do you use — house-made or bottled?
11. What milks do you offer?
12. If you serve matcha, is it ceremonial grade?
13. Do you offer cold brew and how is it made?
14. Do your baristas do latte art?
15. Can I see real photos of your cart and setup?
16. Who are your established clients?
17. What drinks are included?
18. Do you carry liability insurance?
19. Do you need power and water on site, or bring your own?
20. How many drinks can you serve per hour?
Want the reasoning behind these questions? Read how to tell if a coffee vendor actually has good coffee and our full guide to questions to ask before hiring.