"Clearly we're the only coffee shop along this road - and we can see with the government departments moving into the new development across the road and the other facilities nearby.
"Over the past two years I've watched them walk by and come back with their coffee. The one time we did have a coffee truck outside the RSA it was just swamped."
The cafe will be open from 8.30am Monday to Friday, but that could change depending on how things go.
Whanganui is one of the first seven RSAs nationwide to trial the idea, and increased revenue is not the only benefit. The cafe and open day were part of a wider nationwide effort to open the ex-servicemen's club to public.
"Anyone can join the RSA now - we now have more associate members than we do service members," Mr Dalton said.
"The reason being if your grandfather was been killed during the Second World War, his family should be allowed to come in."
At lunchtime yesterday there was a $5 buffet that proved so popular the club ran out of plates at one point.
The downstairs area was open for the day including the full-length rifle range, although the area is generally closed to the public. Mr Dalton said they would be looking at opening up the area for special events.
And yesterday morning the Eric and Zita Lawrence Trust scholarship was awarded to first year university students Tessa Russell and Adam Wadey.
