The Drinks Corner: Fitness Studios' New Ritual

Updated October 1, 2026

A Pilates or yoga studio lives mainly on its memberships and class packs. It's a solid model, but with a structural limit: the number of slots available per day is finite, and price competition remains strong in most big cities. To grow revenue without multiplying classes, several studios are turning to a lever simpler than it looks: the drink offered at reception or after class.

At Vytal Oya, we regularly talk with studios about this. Here is what we observe, with concrete examples and a simple method to get started.

The finding: drinks, the blind spot of the business model

Most fitness and wellness studios optimise their schedule, their fill rate and their pricing, but often leave aside the few minutes that follow the class. Yet this is a moment when the customer stays on site, relaxed, often alone or in a small group, with real availability for a simple add-on purchase.

In the US fitness world, smoothie corners and juice bars have been well established for several years in the big chains. In France and Switzerland, the movement is more recent, but the first studios to get into it are reaping a real benefit, both financially and in the customer experience.

Why wellness drinks are an interesting margin lever

Unlike a class, which mobilises a coach, a space and a limited slot, a drink prepared at the counter takes little time and little equipment. US players in the juice bar sector report margins that often exceed those of most other in-gym sales lines, with a milk frother or a blender enough to prepare most of the menu.

Beyond direct revenue, the effect on loyalty matters just as much: a studio that offers a real social moment after class gives one more reason to stay on site, chat with the team, and come back. It's also natural content for social media; a colourful drink served in a polished setting is easy to share.

Studios that have already done it

Several Paris Reformer Pilates studios have already adopted this reflex. The New Me, on the Quai des Célestins, built its space around an integrated latte bar, designed from the very conception of the venue to extend the class beyond the mat. Casa Pilates, on Rue Sainte-Hélène, chose a healthy drinks corner within its 230 m² studio. Club Lulu, for its part, offers a real café-bar on site, which turns leaving class into a social moment in its own right.

These are not isolated cases: the trend follows the one observed for several years in American fitness boutiques, where the juice bar or smoothie bar is now an integral part of the experience offered to members, just like the locker rooms or the reception.

Which offer to choose based on your studio's profile

Premium studio, urban and time-pressed clientele. A short menu that's quick to prepare works best: functional latte, cold brew, infused water. The goal is not to hold the person at the counter for more than two minutes.

Neighbourhood studio, friendly atmosphere. A real drinks corner with a few seats encourages conversation after class and strengthens the sense of community, one of the main loyalty factors in this sector.

Performance and recovery-oriented studio. Caffeine-free drinks, rich in fibre or antioxidants, naturally find their place here, alongside a broader recovery offer (stretching, nutrition coaching).

How to integrate it without weighing down the experience

Start with a short menu. Two or three drinks are enough to test members' interest, without complicating stock management or training the team at length.

Reuse existing equipment. A milk frother or a blender is enough to prepare most of a wellness drinks menu, with no heavy investment in dedicated equipment.

Position the offer at the right moment. A visible display at reception and a suggestion made naturally by the coach at the end of class convert better than a simple menu left on the counter.

Train the team in a few minutes. A simple pitch (why this drink, what benefit, how it's prepared) is enough for staff to recommend it with conviction.

How to create a healthy drinks offer in your studio

To create a healthy drinks offer in a studio, start with a menu of two or three drinks prepared with the equipment you already have, keep at least one caffeine-free item for evening classes, train the team on a pitch of a few lines, then measure the effect for a few weeks before expanding the menu.

Step 1: define the role of the drink. A social moment after class, a recovery drink or simple takeaway sales: your studio's profile (see above) decides the format and the space to devote to it.

Step 2: choose two or three drinks. For example a hot drink, a cold drink and a caffeine-free option. A powder that's prepared with hot milk, cold milk or water, like an ube powder, lets you cover several uses with a single product in stock.

Step 3: check the equipment and hygiene requirements. Frother, blender, fridge, glasses or cups: take stock of what you have and find out about the hygiene rules that apply to drinks prepared on site in your country.

Step 4: set the price from the cost of goods. Calculate the cost of each drink (powder, milk, cup, preparation time) and choose a price that leaves a comfortable margin while staying consistent with your studio's positioning.

Step 5: launch, measure, adjust. Display the menu at reception, have the coaches suggest it at the end of class, then track the average ticket and member feedback (see below). To decide whether or not to expand the offer, the article Why Offer Alternative Drinks in Your Venue lays out the approach, and our complete guide to ube will help you talk about it with your members.