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Restaurant POS operations
Cafes can be profitable in India when margins exceed 12–18% EBITDA, driven by location rent, sourcing discipline, seating utilization, and menu mix. Metro cafes with ₹8–12 lakh monthly revenue typically break even within twelve to eighteen months if COGS stays below 30% and rent under 10–12% of sales.
Restaurant POS operations
Choosing between a cafe, QSR, and cloud kitchen in India is really a choice between three different cost structures. The best format depends on your CAPEX, labor model, delivery dependence, and tolerance for rent or platform risk, not just what kind of menu you want to sell.
Restaurant POS operations
An FSSAI license is mandatory before any cafe in India serves food. From 1 April 2026, revised thresholds mean cafes under ₹1.5 crore turnover need Basic Registration, ₹1.5–50 crore need a State Licence, and above ₹50 crore need Central. Apply on FoSCoS, upload proof, pay government fees, and display the 14-digit number visibly at your billing counter.
Restaurant POS operations
Opening a cafe in India needs a stack of six to nine licenses: business entity, FSSAI, GST, Shop & Establishment or trade license, fire NOC, city-specific health or police NOC, music (PPL/IPRS), and signage or outdoor-seating permits. Fees vary heavily by city and state — this checklist maps costs, timelines, and how to run applications in parallel before your soft opening.
Restaurant POS operations
GST registration for restaurants in India is legally required once aggregate turnover crosses the notified threshold, but most operators register earlier for aggregator payouts, B2B invoicing, and cleaner books. This guide explains when to register, current rate treatment for restaurant services, the step-by-step gst.gov.in flow, documents, GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B cadence, and the common mistakes cafes should avoid from day one.