Australian Cafe Discounts Coffee for Polite Customers

In a world where rushed orders and blunt requests are common, one Australian café decided to tackle bad manners head-on—with a pricing trick that rewards courtesy. Instead of just serving coffee, the Seven Mile Beach Kiosk in New South Wales uses politeness as part of the transaction, turning everyday interactions into a small social experiment with real savings attached.

The answer is simple: say 'please' and 'good morning', and your coffee costs less. A plain 'coffee' is $5, 'please give me a coffee' drops it to $4.50, and 'good morning, please give me a coffee' gets you the best deal at just $4. That’s up to $1 off for a few extra words.

How the Seven Mile Beach Kiosk’s Politeness Pricing Works

The Seven Mile Beach Kiosk, located in New South Wales, Australia, put up a bold sign at its entrance explaining the tiered pricing. The sign clearly stated: a coffee ordered with just the word 'coffee' costs $5. Add the word 'please' — 'please give me a coffee' — and the price falls to $4.50. But the biggest discount comes when customers include a greeting: 'good morning, please give me a coffee' costs just $4. The pricing structure directly ties the level of courtesy in the order to the final price.

Why This Pricing Experiment Started

The idea wasn’t dreamed up in a marketing meeting. According to café owner Kev Chilver, the concept came from an employee who saw a similar approach while visiting another shop. Chilver and his wife liked the idea and decided to implement it themselves. Their goal was straightforward: to encourage more respectful communication and remind both staff and customers that basic manners still matter, especially in service settings. They also wanted to spark conversations around civility in daily interactions.

The Results After Two Months

Although the polite pricing policy has only been in place for two months, the results have been noticeable. Chilver reported that the sign was well received by customers, many of whom consciously adjusted how they placed their orders. The simple act of prompting politeness appears to have worked: customers are not only more courteous but also engaging more positively with the service staff. The initiative has become a talking point, drawing both locals and visitors intrigued by the novel approach.

What This Means for Customer Service in Cafés

This experiment highlights how small behavioural nudges—in this case, financial incentives—can influence social habits. For café owners and service industry professionals, it’s a reminder that customer interactions are a two-way street. Politeness isn’t just good manners; it can be actively encouraged through creative business practices. The Seven Mile Beach Kiosk shows that a little encouragement can go a long way in fostering a more respectful and pleasant environment for both customers and staff.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can I save by being polite at the Seven Mile Beach Kiosk?

You can save up to $1 per coffee. Ordering with just 'coffee' costs $5, while saying 'good morning, please give me a coffee' reduces the price to $4—a $1 discount for including a greeting and 'please'.

What exact phrases trigger the different coffee prices?

The pricing is based on specific language: 'coffee' costs $5, 'please give me a coffee' costs $4.50, and 'good morning, please give me a coffee' costs $4. Each additional polite word or greeting lowers the price.

Did the polite pricing idea come from the café owner?

No, the idea originated from an employee who saw a similar practice at another café. Café owner Kev Chilver and his wife liked the concept and decided to try it at their own shop in New South Wales.

How long has the café been using this politeness pricing?

The pricing strategy has been in place for two months. During that time, the café reported positive feedback and noticeable changes in how customers place their orders.

Does being polite actually improve service experiences?

According to the café owner, yes. Customers who use polite language tend to interact more positively with staff, and the overall atmosphere of the café has improved as a result of the initiative.

Is this pricing strategy unique to Australia?

While the Seven Mile Beach Kiosk may be the first known example in that area, similar experiments in using politeness as a factor in service pricing have appeared in other countries, showing a broader trend of encouraging courtesy through business models.

Recommended FrontStreet Blends for Café Service

For cafés aiming to serve consistently smooth, crowd-pleasing espresso—especially in service-focused environments like the Seven Mile Beach Kiosk—consider FrontStreet Coffee’s Commercial Blend, Classic Blend, and Black Cocoa Blend. The Commercial Blend offers a balanced, approachable profile ideal for high-volume settings, while the Classic Blend delivers chocolatey richness with a velvety crema. For deeper, dessert-like notes, the Black Cocoa Blend brings bold cocoa and caramel tones with a thick, stable crema. All three are medium to dark roasts engineered for stability and customer appeal. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.