The Complete Coffee Shop Opening Checklist: How to Start Your Dream Café

Be it rain or sunshine, a coffee shop will always attract people who crave their daily cup of joe. Thinking of opening a café yourself, but don’t know where to start? We’ve got you.

Below, we’ve compiled a coffee shop opening checklist that will walk you through the steps of starting your own café, from choosing the location to marketing the grand opening.

If you’re on the fence about whether a coffee shop is the right type of business for you, check out these advantages of being a coffee shop owner:

• Coffee is in high demand: According to the National Coffee Association, daily coffee consumption is at its highest level in over 20 years, up nearly 40% in 2024. Moreover, 67% of US adults had coffee in the past day, with 57% having had a specialty coffee in the past week.
• You can sell more than coffee: Don’t think that owning a coffee shop limits you to coffee beverages. From pastries to sandwiches, craft sodas, fresh juices, and even ice cream, you can diversify your menu to attract a wider range of customers.
• Coffee shops are a great community hub: If you’re a regular at your local coffee shop, then you know they can be hubs where people get together with their friends to chat or work. By organizing community events and opening up your space to different groups, you will foster lifetime loyalty.

The average profit margin for small, independent coffee shops is about 15%. This would translate to about $450.000 to $500,000 a year.

If you’re wondering, “How much do coffee shop owners make?”, once you take into account taxes, wages, utilities, and so on, the answer is somewhere between $60,000 and $160,000 a year.

All in all, the future looks bright for coffee shops, with the market expected to grow from $54 billion in 2024 to $72 billion in 2028.

Despite its promising future, the coffee shop industry, like any other food and beverage industry, comes with its unique set of challenges. Here are a few issues you might have to contend with:

1. Coming up with unique coffee shop ideas: Since competition is fierce, you need to come up with a winning concept that will differentiate you from the rest. Here are a few examples to kickstart your creativity:

• Cat or animal café
• Drive-thru coffee shop
• Bookstore & coffee shop
• Art gallery & coffee shop
• Board game café
• Coffee roastery
• Co-working café
• Coffee (AM) & wine (PM)

2. Securing customer loyalty: With so many coffee shops on every corner, it’s difficult to convince customers to keep visiting yours. Of course, quality coffee is a first step toward that goal. But you can also delight customers with:

• Coffee tastings
• Live music and other events that gather the community
• Limited-time coffee-based specials
• Exclusive promotions for returning customers

3. Low transaction values: Customers won’t spend as much at a coffee shop as they would at a restaurant. While a cup of coffee is typically cheap, you can increase the average check value by upselling pastries, sandwiches, and other treats that go well with coffee.

Additionally, instead of just relying on your in-store sales, enable customers to order coffee at home to unlock an additional revenue stream.

With GloriaFood, you can do that by tonight. And the best part? It doesn’t cost a thing. All you need to do is add a Menu & Order button on your website.

Depending on the type of coffee shop you want to open, the cost will vary:

• Table service coffee shop: $80,000 – $300,000.
• Coffee shop truck or kiosk: ~ $60,0000.

Keep in mind that while a brick-and-mortar coffee shop costs more to open, it also provides you with a physical location where you can organize events and gather the community.

On the other hand, a coffee shop truck gives you the flexibility to travel around to food and music festivals, but limits you when it comes to space.

A business plan will serve as the blueprint on which you’ll build your coffee shop. It can help you anticipate your needs and prepare you for a successful opening.

Here’s what your coffee shop business plan should include:

• Concept and USP (unique selling point)
• SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats)
• Legal structure and ownership
• Target audience
• Competitor analysis
• Coffee shop cost breakdown
• Financial projections
• Main milestones and timelines for growth
• Menu and pricing
• Staff hiring and training
• Organizational structure
• Workplace policies
• Marketing strategy

The location you choose could make or break your business. That being said, take your time scouting for the perfect location. Here are some factors to keep in mind:

• Higher foot traffic = higher turnover
• Easy accessibility by foot, personal car, and public transportation
• Proximity to your target audience
• Competition in the area
• Growth potential of the area
• Visibility for passers-by and the option to place signage outside to attract more eyes
• Rent affordability
• Insurance requirements
• Space requirements and opportunities for expansion
• Restrictions on redesigning and remodeling
• Distance from your coffee suppliers

Naturally, as a coffee shop, your main focus will be coffee. Consider offering different coffee varieties to satisfy all tastes.

Additionally, besides coffee staples like espresso and latte, brainstorm specialties that will be unique to your café and that customers won’t be able to find anywhere else.

For those people who want to enjoy a hot beverage but are all caffeinated out, add a variety of teas to the menu as well.

If you want your coffee shop to thrive, you should also offer some light food options that go great with coffee. Here are some coffee shop food menu ideas you can try:

• Baked goods
• Sandwiches
• Bagels
• Salads
• Soups

If this seems overwhelming, don’t worry. You don’t need to start with a long menu from the beginning. Focus on a few staples first and then update the menu as you go.

Worried about the cost of reprinting all the menus every time you make a change? We have a better alternative: a QR code menu that you can make unlimited changes to every day.

Using a QR code menu at your coffee shop means customers will be able to order and pay fast, directly at the table. This will lead to:

• Lower wait times
• Faster table turnover
• A better guest experience
• Reduced costs
• Higher revenue

Follow these simple steps to enable on premise ordering at your coffee shop for free:

Next, what licenses do you need to open a coffee shop? The answer may differ depending on where your café is located. However, these basic permits and licenses are generally needed across the board:

• Business license
• Seller’s permit
• Foodservice license
• Food handler’s permit
• Employee Identification Number
• Building permit
• Waste disposal permit
• Insurance

Additionally, based on your specific needs, you may also need a:

• Sign permit
• Live entertainment license
• Music license
• Outdoor seating permit
• Liquor license

If you want your coffee shop to stand out, you need, first and foremost, to sell quality coffee. That is why finding the best suppliers is a crucial step in your coffee shop opening checklist.

Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing coffee suppliers:

• Look for local farmers and suppliers that can help you source fresh and seasonal coffee beans.
• Sample a variety of roasters and taste the coffee first-hand before you find the one for you.
• Visit the supplier’s warehouse to see how the beans are stored and packaged.
• Consider fairtrade coffee that is ethically sourced to cater to the conscious consumer.
• Be transparent with your customers about who your suppliers are.

You have your dream location. Now, it’s time to fill it with the equipment you’ll need:

• Espresso machines
• Drip coffee makers
• French presses
• Coffee grinders
• Coffee roasters
• Fridges
• Freezers
• Blenders
• Ice machine
• Ovens and toasters, if you’re also going to serve food

You’ll also need the following supplies:

• Frothing pitches and thermometers
• Espresso tampers
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Syrup pumps
• Mugs and cups
• Storage containers

Finally, here is a coffee shop inventory checklist containing other consumables besides coffee:

• Milk and milk alternatives
• Creamers
• Sugar and sweeteners
• Flavoring syrups
• Spices
• Tea
• Hot chocolate
• Coffee filters
• Cup sleeves and carriers
• Lids and straws

If you’re wondering how to make a coffee shop profitable, it all starts with innovative technology that will lower costs, streamline operations, and boost profits. Case in point: a coffee shop POS system.

The GloriaFood café POS system contains features designed to help coffee shops thrive, such as:

• Color-coded menu categories and a sales-focused layout that helps servers easily identify and upsell your products for lightning-fast checkout.

• Intuitive hand gestures so you can serve more customers faster.

➡️ Swipe to delete an item from the check

➡️ Click on a menu item to increase the number by 1

➡️ Long click to reset the quantity

• Offline mode designed to help you process payments and take orders even when the internet is down.
• Easy menu inventory so you can keep track of how many items you have left. You can mark items as out-of-stock to avoid customers complaining about ordering something that’s no longer available.

• Access to detailed coffee shop reports and analytics that can help you track your profitability and discover:

➡️ Net sales

➡️ Order types

➡️ Cash payments

➡️ Open check reports

➡️ Most wanted menu items and categories

➡️ and more

And perhaps the best benefit of them all? Our coffee shop POS will be on its way to you in minutes. You can place the order during your coffee break:

1. Create a free account

2. Order your free starter kit hardware and any additional hardware you might need

When hiring personnel for your coffee shop, look for people who are truly passionate about coffee and coffee-making. This will distinguish your coffee shop from the competition because they’ll be able to better answer customers’ questions and provide insight into the types of coffee on offer.

When it comes to training and managing your coffee shop employees, your GloriaFood POS system can come to the rescue.

How? By making it easy to:

• Add or remove employees
• Update employee roles and privileges
• Use the “Training mode” to limit new employees’ access until they’re ready

• Get access to all your employees’ transactions
• Enable employees to quickly log into the POS with the help of the RFID cards included in our starter kit

To make a great first impression, you need to design an exterior that stands out so you can attract first-time customers. Then, get them to keep coming back with a cozy interior, Instagrammable decor, and comfortable seating.

The layout of your coffee shop also matters because it can help you serve customers faster. Ensure there is a short and clear path from the kitchen and counter to the tables.

When decorating your coffee shop, think of your target audience. What do they like? Is it cozy armchairs and hanging plants or industrial decorations and neon lighting?

Additionally, if you have the space, consider outdoor seating or a patio area where customers can soak up the sun while enjoying your delicious beverages. This will also boost daily sales, as you will be able to serve more customers every day.

Want to fill those seats faster? Enable table reservations and pre-orders on your website so customers don’t have to wait to be seated.

Once everything is in place, it’s time to prepare for the grand opening with an airtight marketing strategy. Here are a couple of ideas to ensure everyone hears about your new coffee shop:

• Stick posters around the neighborhood announcing the date and time of the opening, as well as your address and what customers can expect if they decide to join.
• Print and distribute flyers with an online first-order discount code: This will help spread the word about your delivery service. You can easily do that using the GloriaFood flyer generator built into our online ordering system.
• Post about it on your website. That way, customers can get all the information they need directly from the most reputable source: you.

Our sales optimized website comes with a handy announcement section that you can edit to spread the word about your grand opening:

• Tease it on social media. To create anticipation and excitement before the big day, post teasers of your menu, decor, and special offers. Also, let customers know they can order directly on Facebook by clicking the “Start Order” button.

• Promote limited-time offers only available on the day. What better way to draw customers to your coffee shop than with the promise of a discount or freebie? Add a few grand opening specials at the top of your menu so they’re impossible to miss. You can choose from our 13 tried-and-tested templates or create your own promo logic in the GloriaFood Promotions Module.

You’ve arrived at the end of this coffee shop opening checklist, which means you’re ready to open your doors.

If you still have doubts before the big day, organize a soft opening with friends and family first. They can provide you with valuable feedback that will help you iron out any kinks before you open to the public.