Some people dream of opening a quaint independent café while others want to own a coffee shop franchise. We don’t blame them; who doesn’t enjoy the hiss of an espresso machine over the sound of café jazz? But opening a café is no small business venture. Today, we’re breaking down what it actually costs.
Straightforward questions, quickfire answers. Let’s go!
How much does it cost to open a café in the UK?
By the time you’re given the keys, the cost of opening a café can range from £20,000 to £100,000 (Zempler, 2026). Buying equipment racks up the biggest share of the cost, followed closely by the lease deposit and initial rent, which is often three months up front.
How long does it take to open a café from scratch?
According to Sprintlaw (2025), the legal requirements and regulations involved with opening a café can drag the process out to over 14 weeks. Registering your company, applying for a Premises Licence, and securing the required legal certifications are all essential steps in the process.
Do I need hospitality experience to open a café?
Even café owners who wish to be behind-the-scenes should know how to pull an espresso and pour a latte (Start-Up Loans, 2025). Otherwise, you risk a steep, unsupported learning curve in a staffing emergency. But not everyone has a background in hospitality or, if they have, it may have been several years since they served coffee. Barista Masterclasses help café owners brush up on their brewing.
What are the biggest risks of running a café from a fixed location?
You’ve committed to the lengthy lease, splurged on equipment, and applied for legal certifications, but the biggest risk is yet to come: footfall. Cafés are totally dependent on the footfall of one location; if the customers don’t come to you, you’re not paying the bills.
How long is a typical commercial lease, and how much is rent?
Commercial properties in the UK are leased for three to five years on average (Shepherd Commercial, 2023). While prices vary depending on location, Cafe for Rent estimates that rent can cost up to £6,000 per month in major cities, and £1,200 in towns.
What happens if I exit my lease early?
Though you can technically exit early, and only in specific ways set out in the contract, it will cost you (Sprintlaw, 2026). Whether you exercise a break clause or negotiate a surrender (ending the lease by mutual consent with the landlord), you will likely face legal costs, service charges, and repair premiums, among other costs.
How much profit does a café actually earn?
In the UK the average café earns around £57,000 per year in profit (Sage, 2026). Though the industry reports high margins (up to 95% on a single cup of coffee), rent, staff salaries, and equipment costs tell a different story. For context, the average coffee shop manager earns an estimated £38,887 a year.
How long until a café becomes profitable?
Considering the staggering start-up costs, it’s no surprise that new cafés take 12 to 18 months to break even (Huxley & Co, 2026). There are several factors that either increase or reduce that number, like successful marketing or slimmer-than-average margins. Either way, café owners should expect at least a year until their business breaks even, let alone becomes profitable.
What percentage of UK cafés succeed?
Or, what percentage of UK cafés fail in their first year, because that number is bigger: 60% (Cogogo, 2025). That’s 10% above the UK standard business failure rate, despite the coffee market being a multi-billion pound industry. Begs the question, where do customers actually buy coffee?
What’s the real difference between a fixed café and a mobile café franchise?
The biggest difference between a fixed café and a café on wheels is footfall. Whereas coffee shop owners hope that customers walk through their door, coffee van drivers take the product to the customer. If an event or stop has low traffic, then the café can be packed up and driven to a better location, without a single second spent worrying about lease exit clauses.
How much does a Really Awesome Coffee franchise cost, compared to opening a café?
We’ve already covered the cost of opening a café: up to £100,000. Even a café that survives its first year averages around £57,000 in profit. In comparison, for less than £10,000, a new Really Awesome Coffee franchise partner gets the van, equipment, barista-quality training, starter stock, and a supported launch. Our top earners go on to comfortably exceed £60,000 in annual profits, without the eye-watering overheads that café owners pay.
Can I scale up if the franchise route works out?
So, you’re a dreamer, huh? Good news, our business model is designed to be both scalable and successful with a single van. Should you wish to expand your route, take on another van, or buy an entire territory, our team will guide you through the process.
The initial cost of a franchise is less than £10,000, which gets you the van, equipment, barista training, starter stock, and a supported launch.
Nope! The training covers everything you need to run the van and pull a proper espresso. We can get you trained, launched, and earning with a converted Mercedes Vito van.
Yes! The model works with a single van, but if you want to take on a second van or a whole territory, the team supports that expansion too.
