Opening a coffee shop is more than a coffee machine and a nice interior. To sell the first cup by the rules and know a month later how much you earn, prepare a few things in advance. Here is a checklist.
1. Registration and documents
- Register as a sole proprietor (FOP) or a legal entity and choose the tax system together with your accountant.
- Get a qualified electronic signature (KEP) — you will need it for the taxpayer’s electronic cabinet and PRRO registration.
- Sign the lease and check the requirements for a catering business.
2. Coffee equipment
- a coffee machine and a grinder;
- a fridge for milk and desserts;
- cups, and takeaway cups with lids.
3. The POS and everything around it
- A device for the POS — a tablet, smartphone or computer. No separate cash register machine is needed: the Goovii POS runs on Android, iPhone and Windows.
- A receipt printer — Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
- A bank terminal for card payments.
- An uninterruptible power supply for the router and printer, so a blackout does not stop sales.
4. PRRO
Settlements with buyers must go through an RRO or PRRO, otherwise fines apply — see Fines for working without PRRO in Ukraine in 2026. In Goovii PRRO is built in at no extra cost. Register the point of sale, the PRRO and the cashier online — step by step in the article PRRO for sole proprietors: how to register.
5. A menu with recipe cards
Start with a short menu that the barista can handle during the morning rush. Create a recipe card for each drink — how much coffee, milk and syrup goes into a serving — and add size and milk type as modifiers. You will see the cost of every cup right away; how to calculate it — in the article The cost of a cup of coffee.
6. Inventory and suppliers
Add coffee beans, milk, cups and pastries to inventory, and every sale will write off the ingredients by itself. The forecast tells you what and how much to buy before the weekend.
7. Regular guests
A coffee shop lives on regulars. Set up bonuses or discounts, gift certificates and barista tip tracking before you open.
8. The first day
- Install the POS and connect the printer and terminal.
- Make a test sale and check the receipt.
- Open the shift — and sell your first coffee.
Everything a coffee shop needs is on one page — coffee shop software. The first 15 days are free.