Do you want to open a student beverage shop with minimal cost? Then design an effective menu with just 1 million VND is the very first and most important step. Because an attractive, clear menu that matches students’ tastes is the key factor in whether they will return next time.
At DPS.MEDIA, we have accompanied hundreds of small shop owners – from street milk tea to mini franchise models – and found that: a smart menu is the most powerful marketing tool any shop owner can own, even with a modest budget.
Did you know? According to an internal survey of over 300 secondary and high school students in Ho Chi Minh City, 80% students said they pay attention to menu design and dish descriptions before deciding what to order. This shows that, the menu is not just a list of drinks, but the first greeting, a powerful “sales content” right at the point of sale.
With just 1 million VND, you can own a professionally designed menu, including: eye-catching color choices suitable for students, lively drink illustrations, easy-to-read and easy-to-choose layout, and youthful language. This significantly increases the likelihood of ordering more items, raises the average bill value, and creates a good first impression.
A suitable menu strategy also helps you realign your drink list to optimize ingredients – reduce waste and streamline the serving process. This is especially important when you only have a small budget to start with.In summary, investing 1 million in a “proper” menu not only saves initial design costs, but is also a long-term profitable investment. The menu is the face of the brand – and for students, everything starts with a “cute enough” menu to take a story photo.
Understand student psychology to create attractive menu ideas
Understand teen consumer behavior: Low price, colorful and trendy
At DPS.MEDIA, we pay special attention to psychological factors in schools when consulting designing student drink shop menus for only 1 million.. According to research from Stanford University (2021), students aged 13-18 often make decisions based on emotions – specifically eye-catching colors, affordable prices, and “trendy” appeal on social networks..
Applying this in practice, a small drink shop opposite Tran Van On High School (HCMC) – a DPS.MEDIA client – doubled its orders in just 2 weeks thanks to a menu with:
- “Light on the wallet” prices: only from 10,000-15,000 VND/item
- Cute names following TikTok trends: For example: “Peach tea crush sighs”, “Broken fresh milk”
- Instagrammable colors: Using pandan leaves, butterfly pea flowers to create naturally eye-catching colors
With just 1 million, which dishes should you choose to make students “come back again”?”
Students and pupils not only choose drinks based on taste but also for the social experience. DPS.MEDIA advises shop owners to choose a short but distinctive menu, focusing on drinks that are easy to make, have high profit margins, and are easy to go viral.
| Drinks | Estimated cost price | Creative naming suggestions |
|---|---|---|
| Kumquat plum tea | 2,500đ | “Crush seen 9 minutes” kumquat tea” |
| Iced cocoa milk | 3,000 VND | Cocoa “a bit bitter like midterm exams” |
| Traditional milk tea | 5,000 VND | Traditional Milk Tea Vol. 1 |
Students often choose drinks to share photos on social media, so each delicious item also needs to look good and be customizable. Just a pastel box, a cup with a fun slogan sticker or a unique hashtag, and you have a natural “marketing funnel” without extra cost.
Spend smartly with a 1 million VND budget
Create an optimized menu, focusing on core products
Minimal mindset – maximum efficiency is the guideline for implementing a budget-friendly menu for student drink shops. With a limited budget like 1 million VND, according to research by Nielsen Vietnam (2023), focusing on core product lines will help reduce ingredient costs, preparation time, and increase brand recognition.
Below are basic sample menu with a low budget, creatively integrated from many successful drink shops supported by DPS.MEDIA:
| Product name | Selling price (VND) | Ingredient cost |
|---|---|---|
| Kumquat tea | 10,000 | ~3,000 |
| Blueberry soda | 12,000 | ~4,000 |
| Blended passion fruit | 15,000 | ~6,500 |
| Hot/cold cocoa with milk | 12,000 | ~5,000 |
| Traditional milk tea | 14,000 | ~5,500 |
Optimize investment by choosing strategic ingredients
The secret here is to use multi-purpose ingredients. For example: pre-cooked syrup, condensed milk can be used for milk tea, cocoa, passion fruit, etc. This reduces waste. According to the model from the book ‘The Lean Startup’ by Eric Ries, “experiment – adjust – streamline” is the right mindset for small-scale beverage shops.
Experts from DPS.MEDIA recommend:
- Buy ingredients in combos: Reduce shipping costs, optimize prices when buying wholesale.
- Estimate reasonable quantities: Don't overbuy to avoid spoilage when you don't know the actual sales volume yet.
- Leverage student feedback: Research at high schools in Ho Chi Minh City shows 78% of students choose items based on friends’ suggestions.
Case study: 800k menu - 300k profit
Linh – an 11th grader in Bien Hoa – with strategic support from DPS.MEDIA, invested about 800,000 VND in a menu of 4 simple items. As a result, after 5 days of trial operation at the school gate, she broke even and earned over 2.4 million VND in profit.
Factors that make this model successful:
- Focus on making 1-2 “best seller” dishes really well.
- Decorate the menu attractively with mini mica boards and self-adhesive stickers, price 8k/set.
- Take advantage of TikTok and Instagram Story to promote – completely free of advertising costs.
The strategy is not about “big investment” but rather flexible implementation mindset within limits. DPS.MEDIA always encourages SMEs and young people to experiment with a growth hacking mindset – small but with a big impact.
Optimize ingredients and mixing recipes
Choose key ingredients to maximize cost savings
from the perspective of DPS.MEDIA,to optimize the cost of creating a menu with only 1 million VND, the first thing to do is to identify core ingredients with high flexibility.Ingredients such as black tea, condensed milk, brown sugar syrup, compound flavor powder (vanilla, chocolate, etc.) can be used to make many types of drinks without incurring much additional investment cost. This is a method used by many small shops to maintain the lowest input costs while still meeting the diverse tastes of students – a group that loves to try new things but is price sensitive.
| Ingredient | Usage ratio in menu | Combination ability |
|---|---|---|
| Common black tea | 70% | Mix with milk, syrup, topping |
| Condensed milk | 60% | Used for milk tea, milk coffee, blended drinks |
| Diluted brown sugar | 50% | Creates a highlight for the basic flavor |
Standardize recipes to optimize serving speed and avoid waste
A case study from a student beverage shop in Go Vap District, supported by DPS.MEDIA to improve the operating model, shows that setting up precise measurement formulas for each ingredient by gram/ml unit helps save up to 35% of ingredients each month. Using measuring spoons instead of traditional hand estimation not only improves the consistency of drinks but also helps new staff make stable drinks from day one.
- 1 spoon of black tea (3-4g) = 1 basic cup
- 30ml condensed milk = neutral sweetness for middle school students
- ½ spoon of syrup = enough aroma, not overpowering
This is exactly where behavioral science in taste perception is applied - students usually prefer drinks that are ”just strong enough”, instead of too sweet or too bland. As a result, each drink is optimized not only for price but also for the exact taste of the target group.
Design an eye-catching menu without spending much
Leverage the power of minimalist design
With a budget of only about 1 million VND, the menu can completely become a visual highlight if you know how to exploit the intentional minimalism. According to the design principles from the book “Don’t Make Me Think” (Steve Krug), the easier the menu is to read – the more effective it is. DPS.MEDIA always suggests using sans-serif clear fonts like Montserrat,combined with bright drink illustration icons to create positive emotions for students – the main customer group.
Use low-cost printing materials with high effectiveness
Most shop owners still think printing on couche paper is more professional. But in reality, many big chains like Coffee House Mini have experimented with printing on kraft paper, matte plastic lamination for only 12,000 VND/menu, bringing a friendly and handmade feel – an attractive factor for Gen Z. DPS.MEDIA once implemented a case study with the shop “Mây Nhỏ”, designed a double-sided A4 menu, color printed, invested just over 350,000 VND for 30 copies, and clearly saw an increase in combo orders thanks to the lively illustrated menu.
Board-style menu and reasonable pricing
Instead of spending budget on a big signboard, you can make a handheld menu or use the Google Sheets app to print in advance. Then add highlights for signature dishes with eye-catching colors. Below is a sample drink shop menu for students from DPS.MEDIA:
| Drinks | Price | Image suggestion |
|---|---|---|
| Peach orange lemongrass tea | 18,000 VND | Image of an orange with golden sunlight |
| Iced blended cacao | 20,000 VND | Photo of a cup with cream topping, wooden background |
| Homemade milk tea | 15,000đ | Illustration of tea and toppings |
| 3-layer soda syrup | 12,000đ | Outstanding layered colors |
Don't forget to try free tools like Canva, with hundreds of menu templates suitable for student beverage shops. According to Nielsen Norman Group, high-contrast colors and icons help increase brand recall by up to 42% – a number not to be overlooked even with a limited budget.
Pricing strategy suitable for students' budgets
Low prices but still profitable – the secret is optimization, not reducing quality
At DPS.MEDIA, we believe that pricing is not just a numbers game, but also how you convey value to your target customers – in this case, students. Many studies, such as those from Harvard Business Review, have shown that young consumers are willing to pay if the product meets their expectations and personal budget. Therefore, the pricing strategy for menus under 1 million is not about “selling cheap”, but about creating a sense of gain – value higher than the money spent.
We recommend a combo pricing model and categorizing products into three levels:
- Base: Price from 10,000 – 12,000đ, including iced tea, lemon tea, basic soda.
- Mid-tier: 13,000 – 15,000đ, including traditional milk tea, matcha black tea, mini iced coffee.
- Premium: 16,000 – 18,000đ, including fresh milk with egg cream, peach tea with jelly topping, whipped cream frappé.
Each price group should come with attractive visuals and a trending name to create a “cool” feeling for Gen Z such as: “Deadline Grinding Combo”, “Mlem Mlem Lemon Tea”, or “Super Chill Ice Blended”.
Suggested starting price list for student drink shops
| Product | Price (VND) | Estimated gross profit |
|---|---|---|
| Homemade Peach Tea | 12.000 | ~ 60% |
| Traditional Milk Tea | 15.000 | ~ 55% |
| Mini Fresh Cream Ice Blended | 18.000 | ~ 50% |
Based on this price list, a student drink stall with a budget of only 1 million can start with about 5-7 main items. The “less but quality” strategy helps focus resources, reduce inventory, and increase ingredient turnover.
Case study: “Góc Nhỏ” shop – Đồng Nai turned losses into profit after 2 weeks
A recent example directly supported by DPS.MEDIA: the “Góc Nhỏ” drink shop near Trang Dai High School, adjusted all prices from 18,000-25,000 VND down to 12,000-18,000 VND/item. Results after 2 weeks:
- Customer volume doubled
- Total daily revenue increased by 147%
- Net profit increased by 42% thanks to optimized combos and clear price positioning
No need to reduce quality, just synchronize value – that is exactly the strategy we call “Synergistic Pricing” – when price, visuals, and communication channels all tell a story that fits the target consumer.
Suggested standout drink combos to boost revenue
Value combos, diverse flavors, targeting student psychology
With a budget of only 1 million VND to design the menu, DPS.MEDIA suggests a model “group segment combo” – a strategy drawn from youth consumer research published by Nielsen VN (2022). The goal is to retain secondary and high school student groups through familiar yet novel, addictive drinks with high profit margins.
- Combo 1: Traditional milk tea + chocolate sticks
- Combo 2: Passion fruit soda + grilled sausage
- Combo 3: Peach orange lemongrass tea + cold mochi cake
Suggested combo price list – optimize profit under 25,000 VND
| Combo name | Selling price | Estimated cost price | Gross profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milk tea + stick cake | 22,000 VND | 9,000 VND | 13,000 VND |
| Soda + sausage | 25,000 VND | 11,000 VND | 14,000 VND |
| Peach tea + mochi | 24,000 VND | 10,500 VND | 13,500 VND |
Take advantage of the “combo selection psychology” effect to increase order rates
Taste marketing expert – Professor Brian Wansink (Cornell University) once analyzed: “When faced with a menu with many options, customers often choose combos because they hesitate to decide on each individual item.“. DPS.MEDIA applied this principle when consulting for the drink shop “3 O’Clock” specializing in serving high school students in Go Vap. After adding 3 suggested combos with affordable prices under 25,000 VND, the average daily sales increased by 40% in just 2 weeks.
Tip: Suggest combos with fun names like “Missed Meal Combo”, ”Quick Bite Skip Class Combo” to naturally spread on school social networks.
Leverage social networks to promote your menu effectively
Choose the right platform – Only invest in channels students use most
For student drink shop models with a super-saving menu design budget,choosing the right social network where students are actively engaged is the key. According to a recent Q&Me survey (2023), 85% of secondary and high school students in Vietnam spend an average of more than 2 hours per day on TikTok and Instagram..Therefore, instead of using Facebook like traditional models, you should focus your menu promotion content on these platforms.
The effective way according to DPS.MEDIA’s experience is:
- Create short videos (15-30s) filming “new dish experiences” with trending music.
- Take menu photos in hand-drawn doodle or retro style – suitable for Gen Z aesthetics.
- Encourage students to share the menu story to receive direct offers at the shop.
Tell delicious food stories – The menu is the main character
According to research by Harvard Business Review, Storytelling content increases brand recall by 22 times compared to plain information.. Instead of just posting photos of dishes, turn each item on the menu into a “story” that students can easily relate to – for example: Milk Tea ”Gossip” – happiness when drinking with your best friend after the midterm exam.
| Dish name | Social media content suggestion |
|---|---|
| Grilled pearl fresh milk | Slow motion video shaking milk with chill music – caption: “So delicious right at the school gate…” |
| Peach smoothie tea | Mini poll story: “Team sliced peach 🍑 or blended peach?” – natural interaction |
| Iced blended matcha | Before – after images (paper menu vs real dish photo) – create a “Glow up” effect” |
Creator strategy in class – Effective without hiring KOLs
Instead of paying to book KOLs, DPS suggests leveraging the “mini creators” right in the classroom.. Select 2-3 active students with a good number of followers (from 300 and up) to try the dish for free and review it on their personal Instagram or TikTok. This method spreads internally and fits the trend. nano-influencer is currently rated by Harvard Business School as having 4 times the conversion rate compared to celebrities.
things still under consideration
With a budget of only 1 million VND, you can absolutely design a student drink menu that is both attractive and cost-optimized if you know how to come up with reasonable ideas, choose smart ingredients, and be creative in presentation. The suggestions shared by DPS.MEDIA are not only a guide for small startups but also the first step to effectively and closely approach the target market.
Despite limited capital, you can still create unique value through understanding student customer psychology, a reasonable price-quality ratio, and a youthful, memorable menu style. This is the foundation to help you build a solid drink shop brand and easily develop suitable marketing strategies in the future.
From today's experiment, you can further expand with topics on brand positioning, building product stories, or strongly exploiting online channels to reach local customers. Consider applying digital marketing thinking right from the start to maximize business efficiency without spending much.
If you are planning to open a small drink shop for students or have already taken the first step, don't hesitate to try the above suggestions and flexibly adjust them to fit reality. DPS.MEDIA is always ready to accompany and support you – young people embarking on the entrepreneurial path with a desire to make a difference.
What do you think about designing a cost-saving menu that still attracts customers? Share your opinion by leaving a comment or joining the discussion with us below!
