Begins with Second Site on Skegness Pier
Following the opening of his first Café Coast in Blackpool in 2023, David McDonald is continuing to take on the big boys of fast food with the roll-out of his second restaurant in Skegness this summer. With a name like McDonald, you could say he was destined for a career in fast food, but it was with the Colonel (Sanders that is), where David McDonald’s catering career began as a 14-year-old.
The Launch of Café Coast
With a dream to run his own food business and the experience to get it off the ground, David eventually took the plunge and opened Café Coast in Blackpool Amusements, next door to the iconic Blackpool Tower. “I felt there was a gap in the market between the entry and mid-level price range” says David. “Our menu includes the classic selection of breakfast muffins and then we have a wide array of burgers, hot dogs and wraps. With the cost-of-living crisis still hitting many consumers, especially families heading out for day trips, our Coast Supersaver menu, which includes our iconic 99p burger, the £1.99 Double Cheeseburger and BBQ Chicken Burger, has become a big part of our success and helped us to gain a loyal following. The Country Range brand is vital in us being able to provide fantastic, high-quality dishes that offer great value for money. The 99p burgers from our Supersaver menu are Country Range and customers continue to be amazed at the flavour and value for money they provide.”
Due to the incredible success enjoyed since launch just two years ago, David opened his second Café Coast venue on Skegness Pier in June. “We knew the concept was sound and we had streamlined our operations, so it was the right time for a second site. The Skegness site was perfect for our business model and while there are always challenges at launch, it’s amazing to be up and running and the feedback we’ve been generating locally has been amazing.”
The Importance of the Team
Much of Café Coast’s achievements is down to the team David has built up, who are very much involved in the menu decisions made and share his ambitions for the future. “I’m blessed to have a hard working and motivated team, who really buy in to the business. The team all have a chance to create a new burger each month around a certain theme with bonuses up for grabs and the best burgers being rolled out across the menu. It’s great for staff motivation but also ensures our menu evolves, creates excitement and taps into trends.”
“Looking to the future, I think fifty restaurants would be a good number but I’m in no rush. I have seen businesses lose their identity when they try to roll-out too quickly so I’m very much concentrated on getting Skegness embedded into the local community and profitable before we
start looking at number three and further expansions.”
Find out more
Visit the Coast Cafe website for more information.