A Perfect 10 For Capital One Café

You may have seen Capital One Cafés popping up across the country. The banking chain is courting customers with a service reimagination based on comfort, community, and some coffee.

Introduction

The coffeehouse concept came from the Virginia-based Capital One’s purchase of a competitor named ING Direct back in 2012. The latter married approachable and relaxed banking with a coffeehouse as part of its physical store solution.

As of May 2023, Capital One has expanded the Capital One Café concept to more than 50 locations in the United States. The bank partnered with San Francisco-based Peets Coffee to create spaces frequented by millennials looking for a relaxing/co-op workspace environment. Customers who are affiliated with Capital One would receive extra perks and banking services.

The bank states that the design of the coffeehouse is “where banking meets living—where everyone can relax, refuel and unwind, whether they’re Capital One customers or not.”

Locations

Where can I find the Capital One Cafés?
As of May 2023, Capital One Cafés can be found in 44 locations across 15 states. You can find these locations using this link.

These coffeehouses are placed in locations that play an active role in the community providing not just financial well-being but everyday well-being.

Here are ten things you can do at a Capital One Café:

Relax And Recharge

1. A coffeehouse to relax and recharge

Opening the door greets you with a full-service coffee bar featuring Peets Coffee drinks and locally sourced products. Customers can enjoy the new for the season Vanilla Almond Matcha Latte, Lavender Cold Brew Oat Latte, and Lavender Vanilla Almond Latte here.

(Perk 1) Capital One credit and diet cardholders from any country can receive 50% off all handcrafted beverages when using their card. This perk can be used an unlimited number of times.

2. A space to work and meet

Each coffeehouse will have its unique design featuring local motifs and have spaces available for people looking to work for a couple of minutes or a few hours. Smaller meeting rooms are available on a first-come-first-serve basis for one-on-one meetings. Bigger meeting rooms can be booked in advance for groups.

There is high-speed Wi-Fi available for use inside and it is complimentary for all even if you don’t buy a drink/food or are a Capital One customer.

Unique Seating at the Café Miami Beach (Source: Larry Leung)

Banking Needs to be Done At Your Own Pace

3. ATMs

There are at least two automated teller machines (ATMs) available at each location. (Perk) Capital One customers will not incur any service charge to mark withdrawals at these ATMs. The machines also have the capabilities for cash deposits, check deposits, and credit card payments.

Non-Capital One customers will incur a small fee for different features as per their banking contracts.

4. Bank accounts

Capital One Ambassadors (an updated version of a teller and a banking advisor) are available to answer any banking questions about Capital One accounts, share updates on events, and other friendly local inquiries. You can find ambassadors with name tags stationed at designated spots.

Banking products available at the Café (Source: Larry Leung)

5. Credit cards

Capital One Ambassadors are also available to assist customers with credit card inquiries (e.g., checking balances, learning about credit card benefits, applying for new cards, building more credit, comparing different credit card products, etc.)

6. Money & Life Program

As a part of the Money & Life Program, any customer can schedule up to three complimentary one-on-one meetings with a professional Money & Life Mentor to discuss financial goals and plans. There is no pressure to buy any products from these meetings.

Capital One’s Money & Life Program (Source: Larry Leung)

The Money & Life Program also offers group workshops, on-demand content, and self-guided exercises to help you discover how to align your financial behaviors with your life goals without obligations.

7. Financial Health Workshops

Local Café will host complimentary workshops to help attendees build awareness of different financial concepts from budgeting, credit reports, savings goals, etc. In addition, there are pre-recorded content and workshops available for online viewing.

Connect With The Community

8. Community Room

Each Capital One Café has a private community room dedicated to registered nonprofits, alumni groups, and student clubs, which can book the space for free to use for meetings or events. Eligible groups can sign up to reserve the space on your local Café page.

9. Community Events

Capital One Ambassadors typically live and work in the community. They want to build a thriving community and make positive changes. Look out for Café’s events page for updates on different community events.

Digital assets offering different programming inside the Miami Beach Café (Source: Larry Leung)

10. Building Sound Financial Health

Financial health is not something that is always taught in the community. Capital One is committed to using its cafes to strengthen the community’s financial health through direct and online education, networking, and member support.

Jenn Uhen of The Pledgettes brought a series of financial education workshops to the Denver LoDo Café. (Source: Capital One)

Capital One partnering with Peets Coffee creates a “third space” feel that DeAnn Campbell alluded to in an earlier Retail Mashup article. The approachable environment helps foster a better relationship between customers, the coffee chain, and the bank. Per discussion with one of the Ambassadors, Paris, he mentioned that the bank has received really good feedback on the space.

Additionally, he mentioned that the relaxed atmosphere drove more customers to learn more about Capital One’s products and services. There are plans to increase the number of Café to 50 within the next twelve months.

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