Coffee is a daily ritual for many people. Some people prepare it at home, while others cannot imagine starting their day without a morning stop at their favorite coffee shop. And then there are people like me who love discovering new places, new tastes, and new businesses. This is exactly what we are here for. Cuppa, a Czech service that's trying to change the way people visit cafes. And I have to say, after a few weeks of using it, I understand why it's gaining a growing community of fans.
At first glance, the whole concept seems a bit strange. It's de facto a coffee subscription, which honestly doesn't sound like something you'd normally look for, let alone use. But we thought about Netflix or Spotify a few years ago, and look where they are now. Back then, we asked ourselves, why pay a monthly fee for something I can buy individually? And then we realized that convenience and simplicity have their value. That's exactly what Cuppka is built on.
Coffee subscription
The service is simple. You download the app, choose one of three subscription plans, and then you can order drinks from a network of partner businesses. It's not just an ordinary espresso, although according to my "survey" it is a certainty in practically every café where Cuppka can be used. The menu, which each café creates independently, usually includesappuccina, latte and other drinks, from which you can choose what you feel like. But you can also come across tea or hot chocolate, which I think is nice when you go to sit with someone who is not a coffee fan and still want to invite them for something. Everything works via a mobile application, in which you simply activate the drink and then pick it up directly at the branch.
The great thing is that you don't actually have to worry about what each drink costs. The only thing you have to worry about in terms of payment is which monthly subscription you choose, and then you just choose specific drinks from the café's offer for Cuppka users as part of the subscription. There are three versions available - specifically 2 monthly drinks for 89 CZK per month, 12 drinks for 479 CZK per month, and 24 drinks for 899 CZK per month. The good thing is that if you are a student, you can add your ISIC to the application and get an additional 5% discount on the monthly subscription. So it's probably not difficult to calculate how many crowns one coffee costs. There's simply no need to talk about the benefits here, because they are absolutely non-negotiable.
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The entire process of ordering coffee is a matter of seconds. No cards, stamps or loyalty programs where you collect points for half a year to get a free drink.onec got one free coffee. Simply open the app, show the code at the cafe and within a few minutes you'll be leaving with a drink in your hand.
Simplicity is one of the reasons why I enjoyed Cuppka from day one. I didn't have to study or solve anything complicated. Everything worked intuitively and exactly the way a modern service should work. What's more, it's great that through Cuppka you can to some extent "get around" the fact that a café doesn't accept card payments, but only cash. I like going to one of these myself, and if there was anything that bothered me so far, it was the need to carry cash with me, which I've been able to do thanks to Apple Pay I practically don't wear it. And thanks to Cuppca, I don't have to anymore, because I can have coffee here without paying for it.
Another benefit is that you can easily share your login details with your friends or partner, allowing them to enjoy a coffee whenever they want. For example, I shared my login details with my wife so that she could have a coffee whenever she goes out with our little daughter during the day and happens to be in the area of our favorite cafe. Although only one user can be logged in to the app at a time, as soon as she logs in, the app logs me out, but with the login details saved in Passwords, logging in again is a matter of seconds.
Discovering new cafes is addictive
Honestly, I originally thought the main benefit would be the lower cost of coffee combined with the ease of “getting” it. But over time, I discovered that the greatest charm of the entire service lies somewhere else entirely.
Suddenly, I started visiting places I had previously only passed by as coffee shops, places I had been meaning to try for years. Thanks to Cuppca, I was able to do just that.oneI was given a reason. Some establishments surprised me with a great atmosphere, others with excellent coffee or pleasant service. And several of them became places I return to today, even outside of Cuppka itself.
It's a bit like when you watch a series that you wouldn't normally choose yourself, and then...onec you will find that it is one of the best things you have seen in a while. This effect is exactly what I think Cuppa creates.
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An app that motivates you
The application itself was a pleasant surprise for me, not only because of its clarity, but mainly because of how it works with user motivation.
Visiting cafes will earn you experience, unlock new levels, and collect various badges. On paper, this may sound like a small thing, but in reality, it's a subtle element that motivates you to visit more and discover new places. MiniPersonally, these digital rewards work quite well for me – after all, that's why I wear them for a long time. Apple Watch and I try to complete activity circles and earn badges for it.
Even with Cuppka, I found myself, unsurprisingly, occasionally checking to see what other badge I could earn or how many businesses I had already visited. And it's in details like these that you can see that someone has really put some thought into the service.
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Moreover, the longer I used the service, the more I felt that it was not just a coffee subscription. A community of people who share an interest in coffee culture is gradually forming around Cuppka.
Cuppka also thinks about things beyond coffee itself
The longer I used the service, the more I felt like it wasn't just a coffee subscription. Cuppka is gradually building a community of people who enjoy discovering new cafes and want to get something extra from their subscription.
A good example is the system of levels and badges directly in the application. For using the service, visiting businesses and completing various challenges, the user gains experience, progresses to higher levels and unlocks real rewards. These are not discount coupons or virtual points, but real merchAt the beginning, users can get stylish socks, for example, while at higher levels they can get more interesting rewards, including a designer wallet from Dajana Rodriguez or a T-shirt from Zoot. The whole system acts as a nice incentive to return to the app and discover other businesses.
But I was even more interested in another aspect of the project. If a user does not use their subscription to the fullest, Cuppka does not keep its value as additional profit. Unused funds go to charity and the project also cooperates with the Dortem proti ránkově association, which helps oncological patients. At a time when most digital services mainly deal with maximalization of revenues, it is a nice detail that shows that the entire project also has a human dimension.
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Where are the limits?
To make the review fair, it is necessary to mention a few things that may not suit everyone.
Of course, location plays the biggest role. In larger cities, the service works great because you have a wider range of businesses to choose from. In smaller cities, the selection may be more limited.
It is also necessary to realize that Cuppa It makes sense mainly to people who actually visit coffee shops. If you go for an espresso once a month and drink coffee at home the rest of the time, you're probably not using its full potential.
On the other hand, if you're one of those people who stops for coffee several times a week on your way to work, a meeting, or an afternoon walk, the whole concept will start to make sense to you very quickly.
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Summary
Cuppka is a service that proves that even seemingly ordinary things can be approached in a new way. At first glance, it's a coffee subscription, but after a few weeks of using it, you'll realize that it actually offers much more. It's a ticket to a world of new cafes, a new reason to go out into the city, a way to discover interesting establishments, and in a way, a little game that keeps you entertained every time you open the app.
What surprised me the most was how quickly Cuppka became part of my daily life. Just like we automatically open Spotify or Netflix today, over time I started automatically opening Cuppka when I felt like having a coffee. And that, in my opinion, is the best proof that the whole concept works. Because services that can create a place for themselves in our daily routine are usually the most successful. And Cuppka has done very well.
