Most restaurants pour a foodservice blend from a distributor, batch brewed into half-gallon pots at about 2 ounces of coffee per pot. That is roughly half the strength the Specialty Coffee Association recommends. A house coffee from a small roaster is the other route: ours works out to an estimated 18 to 20 cents per 8-ounce cup at that diner strength, ordered online with no account.

We are Der Hoffskeller, a family roaster in Cedarburg, Wisconsin, roasting one coffee in cast iron in a barn that has been in the family since 1944. This guide is for anyone choosing the house coffee for a restaurant, diner, supper club or brunch spot.

What goes in a restaurant pot

In most diners the coffee comes from a batch brewer fed with pre-measured packs. A restaurant supply listing for one 2-ounce pack says it yields about 64 ounces, a full half-gallon pot. The Specialty Coffee Association's Golden Cup standard calls for 55 grams of coffee per liter of water, about 3.7 ounces for the same pot.

Diner coffee is brewed light on purpose: cheap per cup and easy to drink all day. Neither strength is wrong; pick one and brew it the same way every time. Our medium-dark roast works in a drip machine without tasting thin or scorched, and at full strength it makes a cup you can serve black.

Batch brewers, airpots and urns

Most dining rooms run on a batch brewer that makes a half gallon at a time, into a decanter on a warmer or straight into an airpot. A few habits help:

• Brew into an airpot when you can. It holds coffee hot without a burner, so the last cup tastes closer to the first.
• Brew smaller batches on slow shifts instead of letting one pot sit.
• Use the same amount every batch, so the morning and night crews brew the same pot.
• Keep the basket and spray head clean. Old coffee oils make fresh coffee taste stale.

For banquets, the same ground coffee works in an urn; see the best coffee for a percolator.

From pots per day to pounds per week

The math: pounds per day = pots per day × ounces of coffee per pot ÷ 16. Every figure below is an estimate that assumes 64-ounce pots and a dining room open seven days a week. Closed one day? Take off a seventh.

Take twelve pots a day at 2 ounces: 1.5 pounds a day, about 10.5 pounds a week, or 21 pounds every two weeks. One 20 lb bag every two weeks falls a pound short, so add a 2 lb Big Hoff Bag. To never run short, round up.

What restaurant coffee costs per cup

These estimates count only the coffee, in 8-ounce cups: about 35 cups per pound at Golden Cup strength and up to about 64 at diner strength. Counts use the brew water; some stays in the grounds, so real cups run slightly fewer.

At the Bulk subscription price, a diner-strength pot costs about $1.44 in coffee and a full-strength pot about $2.64. There is no separate restaurant price: bulk is the discount, and our 20 lb bulk bags are the lowest price per pound. Queen, King and Bulk orders always ship free.

Why one consistent coffee matters

Regulars don't read a coffee menu. They turn the mug over and expect last week's cup. One house coffee means one recipe for staff, the same cup on Tuesday morning and Saturday night, and one item on one schedule.

We make one coffee: 100% Colombian Supremo Arabica (Supremo is the largest bean-size grade), roasted medium-dark in what we call the German Norwegian style, in cast iron on our family farm. We roast to the same finish every time. More in what cast iron roasted coffee is. We are a state licensed coffee roaster, roasting in small batches and shipping close to the roast date.

It suits places where coffee comes with the meal: the diner counter, the brunch spot pouring refills all morning, the Wisconsin supper club where coffee arrives with dessert. Customers describe it as smooth and low in acid; see coffee you can drink black.

What customers say about the cup

Der Hoffskeller is rated 4.95 out of 5 across 263 customer reviews from people who drink it at home, at work and at our barn. Two of them:

“Free bottomless cups of self-serve, deliciously smooth coffee in a cozy converted barn.”
Sory M, Google, February 2026

“Best deal on quality coffee on the Internet.”
Jerry O, Facebook, April 2026

Ground or whole bean for a restaurant?

Most kitchens should order ground. It comes in one medium-fine grind that works for every brew method, espresso included: from the batch brewer to the espresso machine behind the bar. Nobody has to run a grinder in the middle of a rush. If you grind in house, order whole bean. Every bag size costs the same either way. More in whole bean vs. ground.

How to order coffee for your restaurant

Any business can buy, serve and resell our coffee. There is no account, no application, no approval and no minimum. Order, and start serving when the box arrives.

1. Pick a size and the grind. A Bulk 20 lb bag, ground or whole bean, or a King Hoff 7 lb, ground or whole bean.
2. Choose One-time order or a schedule. Subscriptions come weekly, every 2 weeks or monthly, with a two-delivery minimum. You manage deliveries online through a secure emailed link: skip, pause, move a date earlier or change sizes.
3. Check out as a guest with your email and shipping address. There is no company field, so type your business name with your name or on the Apt, suite line. Pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. Your confirmation email lists what you ordered and the total.

We ship by USPS to US addresses only, free on orders of $50 or more. Orders typically go out within a few business days (estimates, not guarantees). Online orders are limited to 60 items; for more, or with any question, use the contact page or call 414-375-5804. Every size and schedule is on our page for wholesale coffee for restaurants.

Want to taste it first? Brew a Little Hoff (1/2 lb, $15) or The Hoff (1 lb, $25) in your own machine, or have a cup on us at the barn, 1040 Sherman Road in Cedarburg, open every day from 9 to 5. Checkout has no pickup option, but you are welcome to visit.

When we are not the right fit

We make one coffee, so we are not the roaster for a menu of single origins, decaf, flavored coffee or a private label. If your guests want decaf, buy it separately. Payment is taken at checkout; we do not send invoices.

Restaurant coffee questions

What kind of coffee do most restaurants use?

Most pour a foodservice blend from a distributor, often in pre-measured packs, batch brewed into half-gallon pots at about 2 ounces per pot. Others choose a house coffee from a small roaster.

How much ground coffee goes in a half-gallon pot?

Diner strength is about 2 ounces per 64-ounce pot, and the SCA Golden Cup standard works out to about 3.7 ounces. Our own rule for a large group is about one pound for every forty to fifty six-ounce cups, then add extra.

Do I need a business account or an application?

No. Any business can buy, serve and resell our coffee with no account, application, approval or minimum. Check out as a guest and type your business name with your name or on the Apt, suite line.

Is there a restaurant price?

No. Bulk is the discount: the 20 lb bag is our lowest price per pound, $12.50 one-time or $11.50 on a subscription, and in one order each extra Big Hoff Bag is $4 off and each extra Queen or King Hoff is $10 off. There is no extra-unit discount on Bulk.

Will your ground coffee work in a batch brewer or an espresso machine?

Yes. Ground comes in one medium-fine grind that works for every brew method, espresso included. If you grind in house, order whole bean.

Pour a house coffee worth a refill

Count your pots, pick a strength, and the table gives you a size and a schedule. Start with a Bulk 20 lb bag of ground or a King Hoff and brew it the same way every shift. Prost from all of us at the barn.