The 7 Most Common Mistakes New Coffee Shops Make (and How to Avoid Them)
Opening a coffee shop is exciting - there’s nothing quite like watching your vision come to life in the form of freshly pulled espresso shots, warm pastries, and customers who start becoming regulars. But running a coffee shop is about more than creating a cozy atmosphere and a great menu.
Many new owners stumble in the early months, not because they lack passion, but because they underestimate how much structure and consistency it takes to run a thriving café.
Here are seven of the most common mistakes new coffee shop owners make - and how you can avoid them.
1. Over-Ordering (or Under-Ordering) Inventory
It’s tempting to order in bulk to save money, but too much milk, pastries, or produce can quickly turn into waste. On the other hand, not ordering enough leads to frustrating “sorry, we’re out” moments with customers.
How to avoid it: Track your sales closely and let data guide your ordering. Build par levels (the standard amount of stock you should always have on hand) and adjust weekly.
2. Inconsistent Recipes
If one barista’s latte tastes different from another’s, your customers will notice. Consistency is what creates trust and repeat visits.
How to avoid it: Standardize recipes across your menu. Write them down, train your team on them, and make sure they’re easy to reference during a shift.
3. Neglecting Staff Training
Many owners teach the basics, how to pull espresso, steam milk, but skip deeper training in hospitality, workflow, or problem-solving. This leads to stress during rushes and uneven service.
How to avoid it: Invest time into training not just on the how but the why. A strong team culture, paired with clear expectations, creates confident employees and happy customers.
4. Not Knowing Your Numbers
Passion for coffee can only take you so far. If you’re not checking your profit and loss (P&L), labor percentage, or cost of goods sold, you’re flying blind.
How to avoid it: Schedule regular time each week to review numbers. Even 30 minutes looking at labor, sales, and waste can reveal where you’re losing money and where you can save.
5. Forgetting About Marketing
A new coffee shop may get a burst of customers at the start, but relying on word-of-mouth alone is risky. Customers have more options than ever.
How to avoid it: Keep your marketing simple but consistent. Post regularly on social media, highlight specials, and build relationships with local businesses and community groups.
6. Ignoring Workflow Design
It doesn’t matter how good your drinks are if your bar setup makes baristas cross each other constantly or hunt for supplies. Inefficient workflow leads to longer wait times and frustrated staff.
How to avoid it: Before opening (or while evaluating your current space), walk through a mock rush. Pay attention to where bottlenecks happen and adjust your layout, labeling, and prep stations.
7. Trying to Do It All Alone
Owners often wear every hat: barista, bookkeeper, marketer, repair tech. That works for a little while, but it quickly leads to burnout.
How to avoid it: Build a support system. Train your leads or managers to handle ordering, scheduling, or closing reports. Create systems that don’t rely on you being there every hour of the day.
Final Thoughts
Every coffee shop owner makes mistakes - it’s part of the process. The key is to learn quickly, put systems in place, and stay consistent.
That’s why I started A Quiet Sidekick: to help coffee shop owners create clarity and structure without reinventing the wheel. From ordering checklists to training guides, I’ve built templates designed to keep you (and your team) consistent, so you can spend less time firefighting and more time focusing on what you love — great coffee and great people.