Coffee Shop Monthly Budget Template

By FranchiseFeast Editorial

A printable, fill-in-your-own monthly budget for a coffee shop, with sourced benchmark percentages for COGS, labor, rent, and fees, so you can see how your own plan compares to industry medians.

A monthly budget is where a coffee shop plan meets reality. This template gives you the standard revenue and cost categories to fill in with your own numbers, and it shows each expense group as a share of your sales as you type, so you can compare your plan against the benchmark ranges beside each section. The benchmarks come from sourced data where it exists, chiefly the National Restaurant Association's 2024 cost medians, and from clearly labeled coffee-business rules of thumb where no third-party number does. It adds no figures of its own. A note on 2026: green coffee and dairy costs and minimum wages have all moved this year, so treat every benchmark as a directional band, not a fixed target. This is educational, not financial advice.

Email me a copy + the kit

Monthly sales (revenue)

Enter your own expected or actual monthly sales. Every figure in this template is yours to fill in; it supplies none of its own.

In-store sales

Drinks, food and pastry, and retail bags or merchandise sold in the shop.

Catering, wholesale, or bulk beans

Recurring accounts, event catering, and wholesale bean sales.

Other sales

Delivery-app orders (net of their commission) and any other revenue.

Total monthly sales$0

Cost of goods sold (COGS)

A common coffee rule of thumb is to keep COGS at roughly 30 percent or less of sales, but that is industry guidance, not third-party data. For reference, the National Restaurant Association's 2024 median food and non-alcohol beverage cost was 32.4 percent of sales for limited-service restaurants. Your live share is shown on the right.

Coffee (green or roasted beans)

Your largest single COGS line for most shops.

Milk, dairy, and alternative milks

Whole and non-dairy milks; oat and other alternatives carry their own price swings.

Food, pastry, and bakery

Made in house or bought wholesale.

Cups, lids, sleeves, and packaging

To-go packaging and serviceware.

COGS subtotal$0

Labor

Coffee-business guides commonly target roughly 20 to 30 percent of sales for labor, a rule of thumb that runs below the National Restaurant Association's 2024 limited-service median of 31.7 percent (full-service was 36.5 percent), and some operators report running higher. Treat 20 to 35 percent as a directional band and watch your own number.

Hourly wages (baristas, shift leads)

Your front-line crew, the bulk of most labor budgets.

Manager or salaried pay

Owner or manager salary if you draw one through payroll.

Payroll taxes

Employer FICA plus federal and state unemployment.

Benefits and workers' comp

Any health, paid time off, and workers' compensation insurance.

Labor subtotal$0

Occupancy

Coffee-shop rent is often cited around 6 to 10 percent of sales; add CAM, property tax, and insurance for full occupancy cost. This line varies most with your local rent market.

Base rent

Your monthly lease payment.

CAM or triple-net charges

Common-area maintenance, property tax, and insurance passed through by the landlord.

Property or building insurance

If billed separately from your lease.

Occupancy subtotal$0

Utilities

Restaurant utilities commonly run about 2 to 5 percent of sales; a cafe with heavy espresso and refrigeration loads trends to the higher end.

Electricity

Usually the largest utility for an espresso-and-refrigeration shop.

Water and sewer

Brewing, cleaning, and restrooms.

Gas

If used for heating or any cooking equipment.

Internet, phone, and POS connectivity

Your always-on connection for payments and back office.

Utilities subtotal$0

Franchise fees (franchise operators only)

Skip this section if you are independent. Coffee and dessert franchises commonly charge a royalty around 5 to 7 percent of gross sales plus a brand or ad-fund contribution around 1 to 4 percent. Confirm the exact figures in the brand's FDD Item 6.

Royalty

A percentage of gross sales paid to the franchisor.

Benchmark: about 5 to 7% of sales

Brand or ad-fund contribution

The shared marketing fund, usually a percentage of sales.

Benchmark: about 1 to 4% of sales

Local marketing co-op

Any separately required local or regional advertising spend.

Franchise fee subtotal$0

Marketing and other operating costs

Marketing for an established restaurant is often about 3 to 6 percent of sales, and higher in the opening year. Card processing is a fairly stable 2.5 to 3.5 percent of card sales; repairs and the remaining lines vary widely, so treat those as directional and track your own.

Marketing and advertising

Digital ads, local promotion, loyalty, print, and signage.

Benchmark: about 3 to 6% of sales

Card and payment processing fees

A low average ticket makes flat per-swipe fees bite harder at a cafe.

Benchmark: about 2.5 to 3.5% of card sales

Repairs and maintenance

Espresso machines, grinders, refrigeration, and the space itself.

Benchmark: roughly 2 to 6% of sales (varies widely)

Operating supplies

Cleaning chemicals, paper goods, gloves, and janitorial supplies.

Software and subscriptions

POS, loyalty or CRM, accounting, and scheduling tools.

Professional fees

Bookkeeping or accounting, payroll service, and legal.

Miscellaneous and contingency

A buffer for one-off and unbudgeted costs.

Marketing and operating subtotal$0

Total monthly operating expenses

Planned sales minus expenses

Your own planning figures. This is sales minus operating expenses, before owner pay, debt service, and taxes. It is not a projection of results or profit.

Use this every month. Put your planned figures in first, then come back and enter what actually happened, so you can watch where your real COGS, labor, and rent land against the benchmark ranges. The benchmark percentages are sourced medians and industry rules of thumb, not numbers you have to hit, and they shift with your format, your region, and your rent. Nothing here is a projection of results or financial advice.

Email yourself this template

We will email you a copy to save and fill in, plus the free Franchise Due-Diligence Kit. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

The kit is educational only, not legal or financial advice. By subscribing you agree to ourterms and privacy policy. How we're paid, including referral fees:affiliate & referral disclosure.

Related tools

Coffee Shop Startup Cost Calculator

Coffee Shop Menu Pricing Calculator

Coffee Shop Staffing Calculator

Keep going

Equipment

What Is a Good Labor Cost Percentage for a Coffee Shop?

What is a good labor cost percentage for a coffee shop: the formula, the sourced benchmark, what it includes, and the levers to hit your target, with 2026 data.

Equipment

Coffee Stand vs Coffee Shop: Which Is More Profitable?

Coffee stand vs coffee shop profitability by cost structure: startup cost, rent, labor, throughput, and the margin drivers of each format, not a promise of earnings.

Coffee Franchises

What Coffee Shop Owners Actually Make: The Honest Math

Real Item 19 revenue disclosures from three coffee brands, published cost-structure percentages, and a break-even framework you build with your own numbers.

Before you sign anything

This resource is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, financial, or tax advice. Franchise laws, the FDD, and franchise agreements vary by state and by brand. Review the full FDD and franchise agreement with a franchise attorney licensed in your state and a qualified accountant before you sign anything or pay any money.

Sources