Coffee shop business setup Austria: get a Gastgewerbe trade license and a compliant premises—here’s the fast path: choose a legal form (Einzelunternehmen for speed; GmbH/FlexCo for liability, min share capital €10,000, pay-in at least €5,000), secure your lease with gastronomy zoning, then file your Gastgewerbe in GISA at the district authority and, if you lack a Befähigungsnachweis, appoint a gewerberechtlicher Geschäftsführer. Apply for a Betriebsanlagengenehmigung for the shop fit-out (ventilation, noise, fire safety) with plans, equipment list, extraction specs, and seating; outdoor seating (Schanigarten) needs a separate municipal permit. Register for taxes via FinanzOnline; gastronomy VAT is 10% on food and non‑alcoholic drinks, 20% on alcohol; the small‑business VAT exemption up to €35,000 can be waived to reclaim input VAT. Implement HACCP under EU 852/2004, train staff in hygiene and allergen disclosure (EU 1169/2011), and document fridge temps and cleaning. Before opening, register employees with ÖGK, apply AKM/Austro Mechana music licenses, and comply with the smoking ban indoors. If annual turnover exceeds €15,000 and cash receipts exceed €7,500, install a fiscalized cash register (RKSV) with signature unit and DEP; display prices gross, including any cover charge. Keep contracts for waste separation and used‑oil disposal; keep fire extinguishers serviced and documented.
