To start a coffee shop in the Philippines, validate a location-and-concept fit first: foot traffic, daytime population, and rent-to-sales ratio under 10–12%. Choose a format (kiosk 15–30 sqm or café 60–100 sqm), budget roughly ₱800k–₱1.5M for kiosks and ₱2M–₱5M for cafés, and secure power (5–10 kW, dedicated 20–32A circuit for a 2‑group 220V espresso machine), water line with filtration, and drainage. Register your business name with DTI (sole proprietorship) or SEC (partnership/corporation), then Barangay Clearance, Mayor’s Permit, BIR, BFP Fire Safety Inspection, Sanitary Permit, and Health Certificates for food handlers; FDA LTO is needed only if you manufacture or repack. Lease with at least 3 months fit‑out lead time; negotiate caps on annual rent escalation and exhaust/grease allowances. Source beans from reputable roasters; lock spec sheets and cupping notes. Buy a commercial grinder (64–83 mm burrs), water‑tested TDS 50–150 ppm, and a POS with inventory. Engineer a tight menu (20–35 SKUs), target COGS 28–35% and labor 18–22%, and price to hit a daily break‑even of ₱8k–₱12k (e.g., ₱180 ticket × 60–70 covers). Standardize recipes, calibration, and cleaning logs; train baristas weekly. Launch with a soft opening, collect NPS, enable cashless and GrabFood/Foodpanda, and monitor daily prime costs from day one.
