Who it’s for · Cafés and coffee shops

An AI business advisor for café owners

From finding premises and registering as a food business to opening week and your first regulars, Wren helps you plan, budget and decide what to do next.

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Then from $19 a month
Cancel before it ends and pay nothing
Sign up with Google or email

Questions founders like you ask Wren

Wren answers with your business, where you’re based and your numbers in mind, and ends each answer with a next step you can add to your plan.

“How much does it cost to open a café?”
“Which licences do I need to sell food and drink?”
“How do I turn first visits into regulars?”

Your first 12 weeks

A typical starting plan. Yours is built from your answers in setup, so the steps, order and providers change with your stage, location, time and budget.

Week 1
Prove people will pay Strategy
Count foot traffic outside shortlisted sites at 8am, 12pm and 5pm on weekdays and weekends.
Week 1
Write a one-page plan Strategy
Budget fit-out, equipment, deposit, licences and 6 months of operating costs. Underestimating opening costs is the most common reason cafés and restaurants fail.
Week 1
Check your name and protect your brand Legal & setup
Search the trademark register and company register for conflicts before you print anything.
Week 1
Choose a structure and register the business Legal & setup
Choose between sole proprietorship (simplest) and a limited company (protects personal assets and is what investors expect).
Week 1
Find and secure your premises Space
Shortlist 3 sites and compare rent as a share of projected sales (aim for under 10%).
Week 2
Register for taxes Legal & setup
Register with your tax authority for a business tax ID.
Week 2
Open a business bank account Money
Pick a bank with nearby branches or cash deposit options; you will handle cash every day.
Week 2
Licences, permits and checks Legal & setup
Register your food business with the local authority or health department (in the UK, at least 28 days before opening).
Week 2
Create your brand basics Brand & web
Signage, menu boards, cups, bags and uniforms are your biggest brand surfaces. Brief a designer on these specifically.
Week 3
Set up bookkeeping Money
Connect your POS and bank feed to accounting software.
Week 3
Get contracts and policies in place Legal & setup
Have a solicitor or attorney review the lease: rent-free fit-out period, break clause, permitted use and any personal guarantee.
Week 3
Get the right insurance Legal & setup
You will need general/public liability, contents and equipment, product liability, and employer’s liability or workers’ comp once you hire.
Week 3
Launch your website Brand & web
Menu, hours, location, photos and an online ordering or reservation link. Keep the menu as text, not a PDF.
Week 3
Hire and train your opening team Hiring & team
Hire for attitude and train for skill. Run a paid working-interview shift.
Week 4
Set up how you get paid Money
Choose a POS built for hospitality: menu modifiers, tipping, kitchen display and online ordering.
Week 4
Equipment, fit-out and suppliers Operations
Partner with a local roaster: many offer training, equipment deals or lease programmes for wholesale customers.
Week 4
Claim startup credits and perks Money
Before paying for email, accounting, website, booking or marketing tools, check a deals marketplace for a discount or free months.
Week 4
Payroll, contracts and employer compliance Hiring & team
Register as an employer before the first payday.
Week 5
Pick 3 numbers to track every week Strategy
Track daily sales, average ticket, and prime cost (food plus labour as a share of sales; aim under 60–65%).
Week 5
Get found locally Getting customers
Claim and complete your Google Business Profile: categories, hours, photos, menu or services and a booking link.
Week 5
Pick two social channels and a posting rhythm Socials
Use Instagram and TikTok: behind-the-counter video, new menu items, regulars and staff.
Week 6
Plan your launch Getting customers
Run a soft opening for friends, family and neighbours 1–2 weeks before launch to train the team.
Week 6
Find a mentor and a peer group Programs
Book a free session with a business mentor or advice centre near you.
Week 7
Land your first 10 customers Getting customers
Visit nearby offices with free samples and an opening offer.
Week 8
Start an email list Getting customers
Use your POS’s built-in marketing to collect emails at checkout.
Week 8
Add delivery, ordering and reservations Getting customers
List on 1–2 delivery apps, but price the delivery menu 15–25% higher to cover commission.
Week 10
Work out what it costs to win a customer Getting customers
Divide what you spend on promotions, ads and launch events by the first-time guests they bring in. Use a code or ask new guests how they heard about you.
Week 10
Launch a loyalty programme Getting customers
Start simple: buy 9, get the 10th free.
Week 10
Review your pricing Strategy
Use menu engineering: put your best-selling, highest-margin items where eyes land first.
Week 11
Collect reviews and testimonials Getting customers
Put a review QR code at the counter and on receipts.

Licences and rules

Food businesses must register with the local authority and meet food hygiene rules.

Wren flags when a step needs a licence, registration or a qualified professional, and says who to check with where you’re based. It gives general guidance, not legal advice.

Numbers to watch

Track daily sales, average ticket, and prime cost (food plus labour as a share of sales; aim under 60–65%).
Divide what you spend on promotions, ads and launch events by the first-time guests they bring in. Use a code or ask new guests how they heard about you.
Track the share of guests who come back within a month, using your loyalty app or card payments.
Customer value over time: average monthly spend × gross margin × average number of months a customer stays.

Log your main number (weekly sales) in each weekly check-in, and Wren tells you what it means and what to do next.

Providers Wren may suggest

For each step, Wren picks the three best fits for your business and location from a directory of 300+ providers. Some that often come up, depending on where you’re based:

The Kitchen DoorOffice, coworking & premises
ServSafeLicences, permits & checks
PoachedRecruiting
SquarePayments & POS
ToastPayments & POS
CloverPayments & POS
WebstaurantStoreEquipment & sourcing
HomebasePayroll & HR
7shiftsPayroll & HR
DeputyPayroll & HR
Yelp for BusinessLocal listings & reviews
ezCaterDelivery & reservations

Listings aren’t endorsements. Providers can’t pay to be recommended.

Questions

Which licences does a café need?

Food businesses must register with the local authority and meet food hygiene rules, and you may need more for alcohol, music or outdoor seating. Wren lists what usually applies where you’re based and who to confirm it with.

What numbers should a café track?

Daily sales, average spend per customer, and food plus staff costs as a share of sales (many cafés aim for under 60–65%). Wren checks these in your weekly check-in.

How does the free trial work?

Answer the setup questions, choose Starter or Pro and add your card. Nothing is charged for 14 days. We email you 3 days before your trial ends, and you can cancel any time before then in one click so you’re never charged.

Other businesses Wren helps

Every plan is built for the kind of business you run.

Start your plan this week

Start your 14-day free trial

Then from $19 a month
Cancel before it ends and pay nothing
Sign up with Google or email