Coffee Shop / F&B

1. 1Concept and locationFootfall, neighbourhood and what the street will pay.

   • A concept that fits the street

     Match the offer, the price level and the hours to the people who actually pass.

   • Counting footfall

     Count passers-by at the times you would trade, and estimate how many would come in.

   • Before you sign the lease

     Zoning, use, occupancy and the questions to ask the landlord and the municipality first.

2. 2Capacity and seat turnSeats, hours and how many times a table turns.

   • Seats, hours and the ceiling on sales

     The most customers your space can serve in a day, and why that is a hard limit.

   • How often a table turns

     Estimating turns at breakfast, lunch and evening, and what takeaway adds.

3. 3Menu engineeringFood cost per item, and the mix that sets your average ticket.

   • Costing a recipe

     Every ingredient and consumable, per portion, including the cup and the napkin.

   • Food cost as a share of price

     The number a kitchen is run on, and how to set prices from it.

   • The mix and the average ticket

     Why the average customer spends near your cheapest popular item.

4. 4Suppliers and stockBeans, dairy and consumables: terms, minimums and waste.

   • Choosing suppliers

     Comparing on quality, reliability, terms and minimum orders — not only price.

   • Waste and shelf life

     Ordering for perishables, and pricing the waste you cannot avoid.

5. 5Staffing and the rotaOpening hours against the hours you can afford to staff.

   • From opening hours to staff hours

     How many people you need at each hour, and what that costs a month.

   • Employer steps before hiring

     NSSF and payroll steps to confirm directly with the authority before your first hire.

6. 6Permits and approvalsMinistry of Tourism, the municipality and the order they come in.

   • Ministry of Tourism licensing

     Classification, first-stage approval and the investment licence, and what each needs.

   • Municipal approval

     Occupancy, signage, outdoor seating, waste and hours — confirmed with your municipality.

7. 7Opening controlsCash handling, stock counts and the daily numbers.

   • The daily numbers

     Covers, average ticket, sales against target — checked every day from week one.

   • Cash and stock controls

     Till reconciliation, stock counts and the controls that stop leakage.

Setup questions this course will cover

• Commercial RegisterMinistry of Justice — Commercial Register · The filing and document checklist depend on the form — individual trader, S.A.R.L. or S.A.L. — and are made with the register for your place of business.Commercial RegisterOfficially verified
• VAT positionMinistry of Finance · Standard rate 11%. Registration is mandatory above LBP 5 billion of taxable turnover across one to four consecutive prior quarters, and voluntary above LBP 1 billion. Returns and payment are quarterly, due within 20 days of quarter-end.Law 64/2017; Law 324/2024Officially verified
• Ministry of Tourism licensingMinistry of Tourism · Cafés and restaurants go through classification, a first-stage approval and a second-stage investment licence. The ministry publishes the checklists, but republishes older forms — confirm current fees, stamps and referrals before filing.Ministry of Tourism — restaurantsVerified with qualification
• Municipal approval and premisesYour municipality · The Municipalities Law gives the municipal council approval over cafés and restaurants, and the municipality oversees occupancy, signage and public-space use. No uniform national pack exists — confirm zoning, outdoor seating, waste and hours with your municipality before signing a lease.Decree-Law 118/1977Municipality dependent

Questions