Coffee Shop Opening Checklist
Daily coffee shop opening SOP to dial in espresso, test batch brew, stock supplies, and open for the morning rush.
- Estimated time
- 15 min
- Frequency
- daily
- Business type
- coffee shop
- Category
- opening
- Role
- manager
- Role
- barista
- Role
- shift lead
Purpose
Prepare the coffee shop for daily beverage service before the first customer orders.
Run this coffee shop SOP before unlocking the doors. Warm and test all brewing equipment, stock milk and supplies, and confirm POS is ready before the morning rush.
Shop Setup
Prepare the customer-facing area.
-
Unlock coffee shop
-
Seating area clean and ready
-
Open sign on and hours displayed
Coffee Equipment
Warm and test all brewing equipment.
-
Espresso machine warmed and dial-in tested
Pass / Fail
-
Batch brew tested and ready
Pass / Fail
-
Grinders loaded with fresh beans
-
Water filtration system checked
Pass / Fail
-
Equipment notes or maintenance issues (optional)
Note
Milk & Supplies
Stock everything needed for service.
-
Milk and alt-milks stocked and dated
-
Cups, lids, and sleeves stocked
-
Syrups and toppings stocked
POS & Opening
Confirm systems and team readiness.
-
POS system online
Pass / Fail
-
Mobile ordering queue active (optional)
Pass / Fail
-
Opening barista briefing completed
Frequently Asked Questions
- Who should complete the coffee shop opening checklist?
- The opening barista or shift lead completes this checklist. A manager signs off before the shop opens to customers.
- How long does coffee shop opening take?
- Most coffee shops complete this opening SOP in about 15 minutes with a trained opening barista.
- Should batch brew be tested every morning?
- Yes. Pull a test batch, check flavor and temperature, and discard if off before serving customers. This is a core step in any coffee shop SOP.
- What if my shop uses mobile ordering?
- Enable the mobile order check if you use app-based ordering. Confirm the queue is active and tickets print correctly before opening.
- How is this different from a cafe opening checklist?
- This coffee shop SOP is streamlined for beverage-focused operations: espresso dial-in, batch brew, and cup supply, without full kitchen prep steps.