NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY

School of Business & Economics

Department of Marketing & International Business

Coffee Date Culture

Consumer Perception Research

We would like to thank our honorable faculty Ms. Ishrat Jahan Synthia Ma’am for her utmost
guidance and helpful instructions. It wouldn’t have been possible for us to complete this
research project without her help and support. We would also like to thank Ma’am for teaching
us various concepts of the MKT 344 Consumer Behavior course. Her lessons did not just help
us complete this project, but we’re sure that it will also help us in our future work lives.
We would also like to thank the 60 survey candidates who thoughtfully participated in our
professional survey. Adding to that, we would also like to thank the 7 students who earnestly
took part in our focused group discussion (FGD). Last but not the least, our utmost thanks go
out to Mr. Kowshik Ahmed Fahim and Ms. Sadia Alam Momo for taking part in our one-on-
one interview sessions and providing us with their insights.

SL. Full Name NSU ID Contribution

NO.
19 Ummul Shaira 1731337030 Organizing the FGD, taking interview of
Mr. Kowshik Ahmed Fahim, Data
Analysis and Representation, Summary
of Data Findings, Editing and compiling
the report
23 Nujhat Maisha 1811792030 Introduction, Research Methodology

24 Sadman Sadel Chowdhury 1812068030 Research Background, taking interview

of Ms. Sadia Alam Momo
25 A B M Sheril Sarwar 1812762630 Executive Summary, Data Analysis and
Representation, Designing Graphs

29 Arshiana Afroza Niha 1821219630 Research Limitation, Recommendation

towards the coffee shop industry

34 Adibur Rahman Shuvo 1831495630 Hypothesis, Conclusion

The coffee date has become a very popular dating culture around the world and it is followed
by numerous people in Bangladesh as well. Coffee dates are generally popular among the youth
population of the country and this factor is one of the reasons for the rising number of coffee
shops in Bangladesh. Major coffee brands such as North End Coffee Roaster, Tabaq Coffee,
Gloria Jean’s Coffees, Crimson Cup, and more have been operating their businesses
successfully in the country. It has been observed that the youth of Bangladesh are not opting
for traditional dating cultures anymore, rather they are adapting to newer or western forms of
dating. Furthermore, the western culture of coffee dates has been influencing the youth here as
well. As such, the hypothesis of our research paper states that the growing coffee date culture
in Bangladesh is heavily inspired by the western coffee date culture. We will also try to find
out how local consumers perceive coffee dates and coffee places in general.
To test out our hypothesis, we have conducted a professional survey among 60 youth
participants, and engaging a focused group discussion (FGD) with 13 members, an interview
with a coffee restaurant employee, and an interview with an experienced youth professional.
The survey candidates were from ages 18 to 25+ and answered questions related to the coffee
date culture in Bangladesh. Various insights were discovered from the survey results as
participants answered questions such as why a coffee date is preferable, why a coffee shop is
preferred by consumers, which coffee place is the most popular, and if western culture has a
strong influence on the coffee date culture of Bangladesh. Cumulatively speaking, the majority
of the survey participants believed that western culture has not only impacted the rising number
of coffee shops in Bangladesh, but it has also paved the way for the rise of coffee date culture
in the country. Furthermore, a vast majority of the interview candidates, survey candidates, and
FGD participants believe that the future of the coffee shop industry of Bangladesh is highly
promising.
Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, all of our data collection procedures took place online.
A notable limitation of our research paper might be the fact that only 60 students participated
in our survey. More students may have led to more accurate data and findings. Nevertheless,
the overwhelming response from our survey and interview participants led us to generate some
recommendations for the coffee shop industry of Bangladesh. Our survey results indicated how
much money consumers are willing to spend towards coffee shops and it is a positive indicator
for existing and a future coffee shop/restaurant entrepreneur. We provided some trend
marketing strategies, campaigns, and content based on the demand of consumers.
Recommendations regarding diversification of menu and digital marketing tactics were
provided in the paper as well. Last but not the least, some useful pricing strategies and
consumer perception feedback were also included to help the coffee industry of the country.
Overall, it is a positive indicator that our initial hypothesis has proven to be correct. The data
generated from this detailed research paper shows that the growing coffee date culture in
Bangladesh is inspired by western coffee date culture.
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Due to globalization, western culture is spreading in Bangladesh and people are paying their
interest in it. Especially the young generations are very much influenced by western culture
(Akter, n.d.). Whenever we watch sitcoms on television or online platforms like Netflix, we
often see a character ask someone out for a coffee date. Generally, a coffee date in western
culture. Influenced by social media, western web series, TV shows, and movies, nowadays
urban youth are into coffee dates as they love and appreciate the simplicity and casual nature
of coffee dates.
For this reason, it has become a booming trend among the youths. Besides, a coffee date is
when two individuals arrange to meet up at a coffee shop to know each other better or to get
into a romantic relationship. In other words, we can say that a coffee date is one kind of social
meeting where two individuals who might be interested in a romantic relationship meet over a
cup of coffee in a nice ambiance.
Moreover, a coffee date does not mean that you have to drink only coffee, you can also have
other non-alcoholic beverages like boba tea, iced chocolate, juice, green tea, coffee, or soft
drinks. Its casual, simple, and stress-free nature make a beautiful combination for coffee dates.
The fascinating thing is that individuals have to invest the minimum in terms of time, money,
planning, and effort (The coffee date, n.d.). Here individuals can observe and notice each
other's behavior, preferences, likes, and dislikes. It can be a classical way in a first date where
individuals can learn about each other over a cup of sweet hot coffee, unlike typical dates
includes movie dates, concerts, restaurant meals, dinner, sports games dates, etc. If they do not
feel optimistic about each other, it is easy to bow out. There is no pressure to go in a serious
relationship or something more intense like other dates as it is more casual, like meeting up
with a friend. One does not have to make a reservation and there is no need to be highly dressed
up, wear heavy jewelry and heels. One can wear something comfortable, casual, and pretty.
Coffee shops are cozy and comfortable places with romantic music where one can start a casual
conversation to break the ice and to keep conversation continue with a cup of coffee and pastry
or brownie. One can have long and deep conversations over a lovely cup of coffee.
In the past few decades dating culture has seen a remarkable change all over the world.
Bangladesh being a conservative country, has somewhat slowed the pace of the acculturation
process of dating. However, nowadays Bangladeshi people are more open to the idea and
concept of casual dating. Moreover, due to technological advancement, Bangladeshi people are
closely imitating western culture. In this day and age, dating has become so easy through social
media and other dating apps that people are literally getting frustrated and experiencing “dating
fatigue”, which is eventually leading people to slow down and take a step back to the relatively
older way of dating through meeting in person and getting to know each other. This “old-
turned-new approach” has become the new trend for dating in western cultures (Rahoumi,
2020).

If we look back in the last decade, we can observe a huge lifestyle change among the
Bangladeshi youth generation. Their lifestyle, thought process, choices, preferences are more
adaptive to new cultures, to be precise western culture. Due to the high usage of social media,
it is easier to connect with western people where Bangladeshi youth can easily imitate the latest
trend western people are following. It also can be observed in the Bangladeshi consumer
perceptions. Surely the vast majority of Bangladeshi consumers are influenced by western
culture. For instance, if we talk about coffee industry advancement in Bangladesh, we can say
the coffee industry has seen rapid growth over the last decade. If we look back just 7 to 8 years,
the idea of going on a coffee date was not so popular at that time. Moreover, due to that lack
of popularity, there were not many coffee shops either. But today’s scenario is completely
different, more people are open to the idea of coffee dates as it is both convenient and easy for
people to get to know each other over a cup of coffee.

A coffee shop is a place of multitasking. Western people go to coffee shops and over a cup of
coffee they do their important work whether it is a business meeting, a presentation preparation,
or it is the first day of knowing a very special person. According to a study by Waxman, a
coffee shop allows a person to be productive and work on their personal growth over a cup of
coffee moreover as it brings a community feeling between the daily visitors of the shop, these
factors play a role to create an attachment between the visitors and the coffee shop (Waxman,
2006). We, Bangladeshi people, are moving to this trend rapidly. The cozy and comfortable
environment of a coffee place brings inner peace and the fresh aroma of coffee refreshes our
minds which lead us to keep up our productivity. Moreover, when we go for a coffee place on
a regular basis, we start feeling connected with the people around us. They unknowingly
become our familiar strangers which helps us to create social bonds. Moreover, many people
choose coffee dates as their first date so that they can easily get to know the person over a cup
of coffee.

In a nation of tea-loving people like Bangladesh, developing a taste for coffee was quite a task
for the pioneers of this industry in our country. A swiss brand, Nestlé initially introduced instant
coffee to the Bangladesh market during the early 2000s ("Nestlé in Bangladesh", n.d.), which
was the turning point for the coffee shop industry. Through countless marketing campaigns
and affordability of their instant coffee, Nestlé was able to grab a huge market share of
Bangladesh. This increasing demand for Nestlé’s instant coffee was the stepping stone for
many emerging coffee shops in our country.

If we look over the last decade, we can see that the very first coffee shop "Coffee World" was
started that journey in the year 2006. After that in 2011 & 2012, North End Coffee Roasters
and Tabaq Coffee started their journey. Right after starting their journey Tabaq Coffee
understood the rapid growth of this market and they expanded their brand in 2013. In 2015,
today's three leading coffee shop brands, Gloria Jean's Coffees, The Coffee Beans & Tea Leaf,
and Crimson Cup, started their journey. After that, in 2016, the Second Cup started its business
in Bangladesh. These are the brands that are still doing their business quite gracefully as there
are fewer competitors in the coffee shop businesses. In 2019, Arabica Coffee started its journey
but due to Covid-19, their business slowed down in 2020. We believe the adaptive culture of
Bangladesh has fully embraced the western coffee culture, yet there is still a huge room for
growth in this industry of Bangladesh.
In our research, we plan to find out about my respondents’ perception about coffee date and
coffee shops in Bangladesh. Our research will address these research questions:
▪ Do you think the dating culture of Bangladesh is changing?
▪ Have you ever been on a coffee date before?
▪ If you selected “Yes" on the previous question, why do you think a coffee date is
preferable?
▪ Do you prefer a coffee date as the first date in a relationship?
▪ “A coffee date can be a great way to get to know a person” - How far do you agree with
this statement? (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree)
▪ Assuming we're living in the pre Covid-19 pandemic period, how many times do you
visit a coffee shop/restaurant every month?
▪ How much are you ready to spend per coffee shop/restaurant visit?
▪ Which coffee shop/restaurant is your most preferred choice for a coffee date?
▪ What do you think is the best time for a coffee date?
▪ What initially inspired you to go on coffee dates? Do you think millennials should be
credited for increasing the coffee date culture in Bangladesh, more specifically in
Dhaka?
▪ "Western culture has impacted the growing number of coffee restaurants or coffee
places in Bangladesh" (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree)
▪ "Western culture has paved the way for the rise of coffee date culture in Bangladesh"
(Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree)
▪ What do you think is the future of coffee shops and coffee dates in Bangladesh? Please
do tell us in a brief manner.
Through our research questions, we will try to shed light on the fact that as a part of an adaptive
culture our youths have been influenced by the western dating culture, to be precise our focus
will be on the western coffee dating culture and how it changed the perspective of our youth
on coffee dates. Moreover, we are planning to find out what aspects of a coffee shop were the
influence factors that attracted them. Then again through an open-ended question we will try
to get the perspective of the Bangladeshi youth about the future of our coffee shop industry as
well.
Thus, our goal of this research is to find out what the changes are in our youth’s perception of
Coffee Dates and how it has been impacted throughout recent years by western culture.
Our research hypothesizes that the growing coffee date culture in Bangladesh is heavily
inspired by the western coffee date culture. We expected to know if people are interested in a
coffee date and if a coffee date is a great way to know a person. We will also take some opinions
about how the dating culture in Bangladesh is changing. We are going to prove that the coffee
date culture in Bangladesh is not only changing the dating culture, it also has some impact on
the society, business, and the economy of the country. We expect to know if people prefer a
coffee date as the first date of a relationship. We assume that this coffee date culture came from
western culture. We will try to find out how this coffee date culture is impacting our young
generation and how they are taking this dating culture. We also expected to get some opinion
from the coffee shop owner about the coffee date and how it is impacting their business.
We used various platforms to gather both primary and secondary data. We conducted an online
survey on the 60 students of North South University and interviewed only two students among
them, ranging age from 18 to 25 years and found out what their viewpoints regarding a coffee
date. According to the survey, most of the students of age between 18 to 25+ are youths who
are generally interested in relationships and dates. In this age group, a coffee date is very
popular.

We got a sample size of 60 people. From our survey, we got 58 % male and 40% female who
preferred coffee date. As our survey represents a healthy ratio of males and females (almost
3:2), our survey results won't be a gender-biased result.

We designed a questionnaire consisting of various open-ended and closed-ended questions to

get valuable data for our report. We also did a focus group discussion which was very fruitful
for gathering in-depth information. From this, we got to know our target group's perceptions,
attitudes, beliefs, opinions, and ideas regarding a coffee date. We got many interesting
information and ideas from the focus group discussion.
Participants of the Focused Group Interview:

• Ishratul Islam Saikat

• Kazi Samiya Anjum
• Tilottama
• Minhajul Suhan
• Maxim Gorky Samya
• Azwa Nardeen
• Tabeena Anbar
• Tafsir Mahmud
The focused group interview consisted of 8 students from North South University. It was a
discussion amongst the participants about their perception of dating culture, how it has changed
over the last few years and what were the factors that changed it. Moreover, there was a
discussion about the coffee date culture and how it got into our youth's dating habit. Then again,
the participants of the interview discussed the growth opportunity of the coffee shop industry
in Bangladesh.
Participants of Individual Interview:
1. Kowshik Ahmed Fahim
Mr. Kowshik Ahmed Fahim, Senior Client Service Executive of Spade Digital, handled
Arabica Coffee shop's marketing from the beginning of their journey. We interviewed him to
know about the coffee craze among the consumer and by using which strategies they grabbed
the market in depth. Moreover, he also shared what kind of steps they are taking to remain
relevant in the market. Furthermore, he also shared his insight about the future of coffee shops
in Bangladesh. At the very end, he shared his opinion about how newcomers can grab the
industry by attending to the different needs of the consumers.
2. Sadia Alam Momo
This individual interview was of a student of North South University, in this interview the
discussion was about the changes she has gone through in her dating habits during the last 7
years, what factors influenced the changes. The discussion was also focused on her view of
coffee dating culture, where she also shared her views about how to improve the industry to
cope up with the pace of western coffee dating culture.
For our secondary research, we used to google resources and did some reading on the topic
through online journals, blogs, articles, and more regarding coffee date culture. As secondary
data resources had easy access, it saved our time, cost, and effort. It helped us make primary
data collection more specific, as secondary data enabled us to assess the additional information
we needed to be collected. Secondary data also helped us to understand the deficiencies and
gaps that were to be filled. The study of secondary information improved our understanding of
the problem and developed insights in our minds from the previous analysis. Moreover, it
justified the collection of data to be collected by us and thus reduced the cost of research.
While conducting our survey among 60 youth participants, we found out various interesting
data and insights. These findings will help us understand the perspective of youth individuals
and how they perceive coffee shops and coffee dates in Bangladesh. So let us take a look at our
main survey questions and how the candidates responded to the questions.
Do you think the dating culture of Bangladesh is changing?

This question was asked early in the survey so that we could get an initial viewpoint of students.
Out of the options, 44 students (73.3%) selected that yes, the dating culture of Bangladesh is
rapidly changing. This response shows that majority of the candidates believe the culture of
dating or “going out” is not just changing, but changing in a very quick manner in Bangladesh.
Furthermore, it has been observed that the rest 16 students (26.7%) believe that the dating
culture is converting in a slower manner. The fact that no respondents selected the option “No”
in this question further proves our aforementioned point of changing dating culture in
Bangladesh. It was actually not surprising to observe these results from this question. In this
age of globalization, it has been proven in multiple countries that traditional cultures are slowly
or rapidly evolving (Rahman, 2014). As such, we can expect that the traditional culture of
dating or going out in relationships will be progressing in a developing region like Bangladesh.

Have you ever been on a coffee date before?

This question was also asked early on in the survey because we wanted to find out how much
percentage our candidates have actually been on coffee dates before. Also, we wanted to align
our questions with the main research topic pretty early in our survey questionnaire. The fact
that an overwhelming majority of 47 students out of 60 went on a coffee date shows that the
majority of the youth of Bangladesh are familiar with concept of coffee dates in coffee shops.
Adding it to that, these 47 students can give us precise answers about questions related to coffee
date experiences.
Although it was a bit dismaying to observe that 13 students did not go to a coffee date before,
it will be interesting to find out what their perception is regarding coffee dates and coffee shops
in Bangladesh.

If you selected “Yes" on the previous question, why do you think a coffee date is preferable?

This question was asked next to understand why coffee dates are preferred among the students
who participated in coffee dates before. It was very encouraging to observe a diverse range of
answers in this question. The different yet insightful answers to this question give credibility
to our survey questions and our research work because it shows that candidates actually
participated seriously in our survey.
Moving forwards, it was interesting to observe that 21 students (35%) found coffee dates
preferable because they think coffee dates pave the path for casual conversations. 17 students
(28.3%) think that a coffee date is a great way to connect with the other person. These two
responses make us understand that coffee dates are popular among the youth because they like
having natural and easy-going conversations with the other person, and also, they want to build
a bond with the other person via coffee dates. Last but not the least, 10% students think that
coffee dates are preferable because it causes less distractions compared to other dates.

Do you prefer a coffee date as the first date in a relationship?

The answers to this question made us understand how the youth perceives coffee dates as the
first steps in a relationship. “Do students want to begin their relationship via a coffee date?” –
The answer to this query could also be observed via this question. We have found out that more
than half of the students (32 to be exact) solemnly agree that coffee dates are preferred as the
first date in a relationship. This means that a coffee shop will be their go-to destination when
they want to take their potential partners out for a first date. It was also insightful to observe
that 22 students may prefer a coffee date as the first date.
The responses to this question also indicate that coffee dates are popular among students
involved in a relationship or students who want to be involved in a relationship. Adding to that,
the responses also align with numerous dating cultures around the world. Many people of
Western culture, especially from countries such USA, UK or Canada, strongly believe that a
coffee date is the best first date option (Stauffer, 2018). This goes to show that western culture
does have an impact on the rising coffee date culture of a South Asian country like Bangladesh.

“A coffee date can be a great way to get to know a person” - How far do you agree with this
statement?
The above question was designed in such a way that it allowed students to select from a range
of strongly agree to strongly disagree (5 to 1). An overwhelming majority of 41 students
strongly agree or agree that a coffee date can be a great way to get know a person. Only 2
people disagreed and 0 people strongly disagreed with the statement. This outcome proves that
our research is showcasing the importance of coffee dates in the relationships of youth students.

The above question was designed in such a way that it allowed students to select from a range
of strongly agree to strongly disagree (5 to 1). An overwhelming majority of 41 students
strongly agree or agree that a coffee date can be a great way to get know a person. Only 2
people disagreed and 0 people strongly disagreed with the statement. This outcome proves that
our research is showcasing the importance of coffee dates in the relationships of youth students.
It’s not just our survey results that show us that coffee dates are an effective approach for
getting to know the other person on a date. Research states that coffee dates show the real side
of a person compared to other dates (Tsintziras, 2019). This real side makes people know each
other quite well and makes them feel connected as well. Hence it was not surprising to find out
the results of this survey question.

Assuming we're living in the pre Covid-19 pandemic period, how many times do you visit a
coffee shop/restaurant every month?
The answers to this question truly showed us a quantifiable measure of the popularity of coffee
shops. Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, a lot of students are not visiting restaurants or
coffee shops due to safety precautionary measures. Hence, it must be noted that we asked our
candidates to assume that it is the pre Covid-19 pandemic period, basically the time when
people could visit coffee shops or restaurants whenever they wanted.
The survey tells us that before the coronavirus situation, 38 students (63.3%) used to visit
coffee shops/restaurant 1 to 3 times every month. It was interesting to see that a significant
number of 10 students visited coffee shops 4 to 6 times every month. 3 people mentioned that
they visited coffee shops more than 6 times every month, making them the most loyal
customers of coffee shops.
Out of 60, only a minor 9 students selected that they did not visit coffee shops or coffee
restaurants every month. Overall, it can be safe to say that a high percentage of the youth
population are adherent to coffee shops or coffee restaurants. Not only they are loyal to their
favorite coffee shops/brands, they are willing to visit their favorite coffee place multiple times
every month. From the start of the 21st century, coffee shops have been growing in popularity
rapidly and consumers seem to be very devoted to their favorite coffee brands (Anderson,
2019).

How much are you ready to spend per coffee shop/restaurant visit?
In this question, 53.3% of my respondents claim that they will be spending 0-500BDT.
Moreover, 40% of my respondents responded to 500 to 1000BDT which indicates the majority
of my respondents willing to spend up to 1000BDT coffee date.

Coffee dates have become a hallmark of low-cost dating. An individual should get to know the
other person and observe them in circumstances that will allow them to determine whether or
not they will create a future together (Perry, 2019). Meeting for coffee is a quick way to meet
in a public setting to learn more about someone or to get some important office or personal
work done. Both of these people are usually looking for cheaper alternatives.
With this information, the coffee shops can modify their menu card according to the customer's
budget. Moreover, for the newcomers in the coffee base restaurant industry, this data will help
to plan their business accordingly.

Which coffee shop/restaurant is your most preferred choice for a coffee date?
In this question, we observed different kinds of coffee shop preferences of our respondents. 3
33.3% of my respondents prefer North End Coffee Roasters for their coffee date. Another 30%
of my respondents prefer Crimson Cup Coffee for their date. 16.7% of respondents prefer
Gloria Jean's Coffee and 13.3% of respondents prefer Tabaq Coffee for their coffee date.

North End has built a reputation for having its exclusive mix of styles. While each of their
locations has its personality, they all strive to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Crimson
Cup's branches share a similar mood kudos to their vibrant red interior. This cafe is the perfect
place to meet up with a whole group of friends ("Caffeine addict's guide to Dhaka's cafes’ -
HiFi Public", 2018). On the other hand, Gloria Jean's Coffees sets a high standard in terms of
service and places a strong emphasis on taste. Tabaq Coffee in Gulshan is without a doubt one
of the best spots in Dhaka to unwind over a cup of coffee. Their interior design is warm and
inviting ("Caffeine addict's guide to Dhaka's cafes - HiFi Public", 2018). That is why most
people prefer these coffee shops most.
With these responses, we can easily observe the competition among these coffee shops.
Moreover, for the newcomers, we can suggest coming up with something new which will grab
the customer's attention from these leading brands.

What do you think is the best time for a Coffee Date?

Here, 66.7% of my respondents prefer to go for a coffee date in the evening. Moreover, 23.3%
of respondents prefer afternoon coffee dates. In the evening intake, coffee is unhealthy,
according to several studies. The most dramatic cortisol peak occurs between 8 and 9 a.m.,
although it isn't the only one. Around 12 then 1 p.m., and again between 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.,
smaller peaks appear. These are the moments that your caffeine consumption would be
essentially lost in terms of energy. That doesn't rule out the possibility of a tasty and satisfying
cup of coffee. It simply ensures that you'll develop a tolerance for so little gain (Oden, n.d.).
As a result, health-conscious individuals will visit the coffee shop in the late morning or early
afternoon.

With these responses, the coffee shop industries can be prepared for a huge crowd in the
evening and afternoon time so that they can give better service than the competitors. Moreover,
they can manage staff, seating arrangements, and coffee machines according to the crowd.

What initially inspired you to go to coffee dates?

In this question, we can see mixed responses from our respondents. The higher percentage of
my respondents, 41.7%, claim that they are inspired to go on coffee dates because of the cozy
environment of a coffee place. Another 30% of my respondents were inspired by the coffee's
taste.
In the world of coffee, the mood of a cafe influences the consumer experience in more ways
than many business owners know. Foot traffic and revenue are often increased by appealing
features such as scent and the overall atmosphere of the establishment. People will notice the
company if it has a good design and layout, which could lead to value creation. Aesthetics will
have a noticeable impact on how consumers consume their drinks in your restaurant, from your
seats to your espresso bar ("The Importance of Coffee Shop Atmospherics", 2021). A
remarkable cup of coffee in a perfect setting will provide consumers with a once-in-a-lifetime
experience that would tempt them to revisit.
So, we think the coffee shops should focus on their cozy environment and the taste of the
coffees as customers are going to coffee shops for these reasons.

Do you think millennials should be credited for increasing the coffee date culture in
Bangladesh, more specifically in Dhaka?
Here, 56.7% of respondents think the millennials should get credit for the increasing coffee
date culture in Bangladesh. Another 41.7% of respondents think the millennials may get credit
for the increasing coffee date culture in Bangladesh.

According to Amatya, Mahin, Sadaaf, and Sarkar (2019) millennials should be credited for
bringing the coffee culture to Bangladesh, and as per the writers’ Millennials have brought
different types of coffee beans and also been visiting frequently cafes.

"Western culture has paved the way for rising of coffee date culture in Bangladesh" (Strongly
Disagree to Strongly Agree)
In this question, 43.3% and 35% of my respondents agreed and strongly agreed that western
culture has paved the way for the rise of coffee date culture in Bangladesh. Although 20% of
respondents were neutral about this fact so we can say a higher percentage of people believe
western culture has influenced the coffee date culture rise in our country. People are more
frequently visiting the coffee shops/cafes for gossiping with friends, for relaxation and even
for work and all these cafe cultures have come from the western culture and people are catering
to these culture (Amatya, Mahin, Sadaaf & Sarkar, 2019: Sifat, 2020)
Cafe culture has largely drawn the interest of a demographic that prefers continental and
western culture as a result of increased globalization. New and energetic faces can be seen
relaxing comfortably on cozy couches in cafes. People communicate, share thoughts, and bring
their heads together to produce the most shivering theme, the most exciting storyline, or an
innovative business plan while sipping their hot drinks and baked snacks (Sifat, 2020).

"Western culture has infected the growing number of coffee restaurants or coffee places in
Bangladesh" (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree)
Here 40% of my respondents strongly agree that the coffee restaurant’s growth has been
infected by the western culture. Another 33.3% of my respondents agreed to the same
statement. Although 26.7% of my respondents were neutral about the statement, the higher
percentage of respondents think western culture has impacted the growing number of coffee
places in Bangladesh.
 According to Sifat (2020), Annadashankar Ray has quoted once that “French civilizations
were cultivated in Cafes, English in Museum”. Looking at the quote it can be understood that
different cultures have different ways of living and Bangladeshi people were more used to the
“Tong” Tea. Currently, people are having tea in different ambiances and enjoying gossiping,
so all this comes from a different western culture in Bangladesh.

What do you think is the future of coffee shops and coffee dates in Bangladesh? Please do
briefly tell us.
In this open-ended question, most of my respondents wrote their thoughts about the growing
number of coffee places and they also showed the reasons behind it. “People nowadays prefer
to go to a coffee shop for office meetings, dating and hanging out with friends and family as
well. So, people tend to Maintain this culture. As a result, the future of coffee shops and coffee
dates in Bangladesh is increasing the scope of earning profit more.”
Moreover, another group of people wrote about their personal opinion about coffee dates.
“Look, nowadays we are watching many coffee shops. It's almost available to every area in
Dhaka especially. Few big brands like crimson cup, North End is opening their many branches
these days. It's a profitable business for them. On the other hand, people or teenagers love
coffee. So, they are also enjoying themselves there. Coffee shops are providing a nice
environment and safe place for couples or dates.”- Maxim Gorky Samya.
Bangladesh is a developing country and with the help of development, we are being able to do
many things which we were not able to do earlier. Bangladesh is being exposed to western
cultures and people are practicing those cultures. Coffee places also came from a foreign
culture, which didn’t exist a few years ago. Now, Coffee places are doing great business and
there are many coffee places in Bangladesh. “Casual dating” concept also came from foreign
countries, which was hardly found in Bangladesh, meaning people were not that open about
their relationship and personal life earlier. Now, People are very much open about dating and
relationships. Coffee places and dating is very much linked to each other in foreign countries
and Bangladeshi people are also visiting coffee places with their special ones and for other
reasons as well.
Coffee places provide a very sophisticated environment to the people where people can work,
talk, brainstorm, etc. and this is why coffee shops are becoming very much popular among
people. In the research findings, people have responded that they frequently visit coffee places
and they feel really good visiting the places. As this place provides a good environment and
great services. There were not many coffee places earlier but we can find many coffee places.
There are some new coffee places which are not that famous among the customers just because
of the service of the shops. So, according to the respondent’s service and environment should
be great with coffee or whatever product they are serving to the customers. People are
continuously visiting the cafes with their special people and work. So, these are the findings
we got from the paper.
In this pandemic situation, it wasn't easy to collect data because our research might not be
100% accurate. Throughout the research, we only analyzed the whole Bangladeshi youth's
perception of coffee date culture with the response of only 60 people, whereas we could have
taken up to 1000- or 2000-people’s insights to get the accuracy of our research. Apart from
this, we could have added a question about the problems the urban youth face during their
coffee dates. The discussion of sharing the worst experience they faced until now might also
be a better way to understand further. It was challenging to collect data because when we took
the interviews and focus group discussions, people were not comfortable discussing their
experiences or thoughts over coffee dating culture. Some talked very frankly, but others were
not much cooperative, and since we had to talk with them online and via video and audio
conferencing, it wasn’t as smooth and transparent as it would have been if we have talked with
them face to face. Another limitation we faced was the time; if we could get more time, we
could have interviewed some bloggers or specialists on this topic.
In Bangladesh, coffee has become the second-largest product market, and the growth rate is
also increasing day by day. Especially the growth of the beverage industry is 40% per year
(Ahmed, n.d.). There are more than 50 cafes along with 4 international chain coffee shops in
our country. The college or university-going students
mainly trigger the café date culture, and it has become
very popular in Bangladesh. Students or youths prefer
going to coffee shops for dating purposes. A coffee date
never requires accurate planning. It needs minimum
effort, time, and money, but there are some areas in which
it doesn’t work as well as the way it is thought it would
be (Girls, n.d.). Though this industry struggles to compete with the international coffee
restaurants, the café owners must adapt their business strategy with the current market
competition and get back to the market by regaining lost market share.
Developing marketing plans for Cafes:
A coffee shop is a place for people to meet in a comfortable, person-meeting environment. The
primary market need is a place where singles can meet their date. Owners of coffee shops will
have to leverage this information to better understanding in the fact that who is served, their
specific needs, and how the Shop can better communicate with them. To get more responses
from the urban youth, the owners have to develop their marketing strategy and advertising tools
for potential customers. Providing fantastic coffee, impeccable service, and a world-class
experience adds a winning marketing strategy to the mix.
Market Needs
Coffee shops are a unique place that is organized to facilitate new friendships or
relationships. Coffee shops have to offer a changing menu of coffee drinks in
combination with a structured conversation system. Coffee shops should seek to fulfill
the following benefits that are important to their customers: selection, customer service,
and competitive price.
Environment and Design:
Coffee shops are trendy nowadays, and for that reason, it remains crowded most of the time,
which creates problems for couples because they may find it hard to hear each other, let alone
find a table. It is not always the most romantic date idea as a coffee shop may be an ideal place
to have dates for some couples, but there is not much place for romance.
Most of the time, coffee shops remain overcrowded with many loud noises, especially if there
is a cappuccino machine. A coffee shop for dating purposes should be cozy with a romantic
atmosphere. The atmosphere should include a soft, not too loud, and relaxing music system.
Coffee shops should be designed as a relaxing and slow-paced environment where couples
could take a sip listening to soothing music.
➢ Finding the best location for coffee shops: As couples go on a coffee date now and
then, the location of coffee shops has to be easy to access, highly noticeable, and which
practices consistent foot traffic, a space that fits urban youths’ vision.

➢ Focus on the exterior and the interior appearance of the building: The first thing
youths pay attention to while choosing a coffee shop is the landscape, exterior design,
and external environment. Some people also decide whether or not to come based on
the exterior décor of the cafe. By designing a unique and sparkling exterior décor,
people will begin to create buzz around our community (Landau, n.d.). Every little
detail put to attract the attention of couples to coffee shops will be served as a marketing
tool.

➢ Payment for coffees can be made right after ordering, so there is no chance of an
“unexpected horrific surprise bill” at the end (Landau, n.d.).
Develop the Menu:
Choosing the right location might be essential to attract customers, but a unique and good
quality beverage menu is also equally important. For this, the owners can talk to the targeted
youths and ask them about their preferences. Taking proper feedback can be an antidote here.
The café owners need to have the right menu for customers.
 ➢ Develop a first-class menu with various coffee blends forestalling based on the couple’s
demand on their date. Limited time and seasonal menu items are usually offered in
cafes.
➢ If one wants to deliver an excellent customer service experience, market penetration
with premium quality coffee is much needed. There is a necessity for an innovative and
good-quality beverage menu. Cafe owners should shift the customer's usual beverage
choice to seasonal beverages. They also should include sweet coffee flavors and also
highly roasted sweet iced coffees.
➢ Cappuccino, Espresso drinks, Cappuccino, brownies, cookies, cupcakes, pastries, and
other blends are hugely popular, particularly for people who want their first date to be
a coffee date. A good coffee experience is often associated with good conversation.

Coffee shops must keep their menu diversified with different flavors of coffees, smoothies, or
other beverages. So, we can say that Quality and taste of the coffees, Quality of services,
Location, Ambience of the café, WIFI system, Music, Length of stay allowed without ordering
are the factors that stimulates the customers in choosing a Café for dating purposes.
Implement digital marketing strategies:
Implement digital marketing strategies for dating café. As we all know, digital marketing is
key to improving current strategy since most of the urban youths of Bangladesh use the internet
when looking for a suitable café for their date with loved ones (Johnston, 2019).
Facebook posts, Facebook live, Videos, Instagram story sharing, and creative
post-sharing capture the attention and encourage couples or people interested in
coffee dates.
Promote new flavors and share the reasons they might like them and why the
café has decided to add them to their menu.
E-mail marketing: Apart from sending typical sales and promotional content,
try thinking about the problems the customers face while having their date-time.
Think about the target market's common problem and ask them via email the
difficulties they face. Share your available resources and give tips on how they
can overcome their problems by answering their questions.
Instagram marketing: Use hashtag, be responsive with the customers by
replying to comments, dm’s. Good quality and unique posts for the couples
should be posted on Instagram feed, stories.

Leverage Interactive and user-generated contents: Interactive contents are

necessary for the urban youths to keep engaged in café dating trends. Tagging
each other, playing quizzes, hosting contests, or even making a poll asking about
customer's favorite drinks for their coffee date, customer's comments, or couple
selfies with coffee. Adopting these cafes can also develop surveys to discover
more about their customers' interest in their date. These will encourage more
customers.
 Host a Giveaway or provide Bogo or discount offers for couples: Hosting
giveaways and providing Bogo offers, discounts increase brand awareness than
previous marketing tactics. When you host a giveaway, people are more excited
and interested, and giving Bogo helps to market your products to youths who
love coffee dates. On special occasions like Valentine's day, Eid, or any other
Festival, café owners must provide some unique and interactive offers for
couples.

Takeaway:
Sometimes couples enjoy going on a long drive with a cup of coffee or two. If there is an option
for a hand-holding coffee takeaway, it would be better for some couples. After getting the
order, couples can leave the café, walk or go on a drive, explore the city, and even sit in a park.
By taking coffees to go, couples can make their date more memorable.

Create Customer loyalty By Budget-friendly pricing:

A coffee date is one of the least expensive options for a date in our country, as coffee is the
solution to a budget-friendly date (O’Hara, 2020).
Premium pricing and customer interest and knowledge while providing more than an additional
room. If the product delivers, it can be assured to have customer loyalty as well as return visits.
Change customer perception of an expensive brand:
As coffee shops are widely used for dating purposes, the target market must be for middle-
income people as students. Cafes of our country should use promotional campaigns to certify
their targeted market and let them know about the budget-friendly and low prices. They also
should add more value to their offerings and try to improve coffee beans.
So, each and every coffee shop should continue adding values and innovations and bringing
new experiences for the youths.
According to the results we got from our survey and project work, it is proven that the dating
culture of Bangladesh is changing. Florien culture is taking the place of our own culture. In
this assignment we tried to get the answers of some questions like how the coffee date culture
is spread in our society and how it is impacting our Bangladeshi culture. We get a result that
most of the young people (20-22 ages) always prefer a coffee date. They always want to go to
a coffee date for their first meeting or casual conversation. So, these dates are getting like a
western culture.
For the past few years this dating culture is gating popular in our country. Most of the people
think we need to learn many things from the out sight of the country and this dating culture is
a perfect example of this practice. Because of this growing coffee date culture many people are
trying to establishes business related this changing culture. The number of coffee shops and
the restaurant industry in particular growing and this is a good indication for the business and
economic. The changes will come it is normal and natural but its need to be in a good way and
it is changing in a good way this change is helping us in our business sight and the economic
as well.
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Survey Link: https://forms.gle/1HRGfTjJMHA1As6Q9
Survey Responses Link:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ofe1gDdAIR7o2_f9x7tDVTTYQc1gxFpZC27yqkK
t2S8/edit?usp=sharing
Interview of Senior Client Service Executive of Spade Digital:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YU_6G9rHeZWcNnPcTWG32MeXY8SGOJp/view?usp=sh
aring
Individual interview of a North South University Student:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zf0F7vD4MbTwM6G9aHTsfCj8PB3sJDlT/view?fbclid=Iw
AR0PeDaNMDV1XCNm371pKEhkQ80L0SmJwVM7JfH3pm9cIEQMRx5gnhTO7SA
Focused Group Discussion of North South University students:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kK-
wbaR1wtay6KVSE0vlxgzZ3Cu3ujsT/view?fbclid=IwAR2IRGR0dw5VNWLG48cJHrz8y8O
NqlC5IVaoBKbgdOeh5LoiXJM6Gin-ZtA