Who we help · Cafés and restaurants
Opening a café or restaurant.
Kitchens use a lot of energy, tills and card machines have to work from the first customer, and food waste has its own rules. Here is a typical setup and the order we would tackle it.
Your typical setup
What most cafés and restaurants need, and which BizUp360 service area covers it. Use one service or all of them.
| What you’ll need | Where we help | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Business bank account and company registration | Business setup | Apply for the bank account early: checks can take weeks. |
| Card machines, including pay-at-table | Payments: card machines | Portable terminals help tables turn faster. |
| EPOS with kitchen printing or screens | Payments: EPOS | Check it links to your card machines and online orders. |
| Electricity and gas contracts | Utilities: energy | Cooking, refrigeration and heating make energy one of your biggest bills. |
| Water | Utilities | Kitchens and washrooms use more water than most shops. |
| Waste, recycling, food waste and cooking oil | Utilities: waste | Food waste must be separated; oil needs a registered collector. |
| Broadband and phones | Telecoms | Tills, card machines and online orders all depend on it. |
| Public and employers’ liability, contents and stock cover | Insurance | Through an FCA-authorised broker. |
| Online ordering and table booking | Hospitality extras | Choose tools your EPOS can connect to. |
| Payroll, pensions and accounting software | Business management | Set up before your first payday. |
What to sort first
Some things take weeks, so do them in roughly this order.
Register your food business
Register with your local council at least 28 days before you start trading. Ask about any premises licence you need for alcohol or late-night hot food.
Energy and gas on the day you get the keys
Tell the supplier your move-in date and take meter readings. Without a contract you’ll be on deemed rates, which usually cost more.
Book broadband early
Installs can take several weeks. Your tills and card machines need it on day one.
Card machines and EPOS
Order in time to load your menu, train staff and test real payments before opening.
Waste and cooking oil collections
Arrange collections for general waste, recycling, glass and food waste, and a registered collector for used oil.
Insurance before staff start
Employers’ liability is compulsory once you employ people. Your landlord may also require cover.
Good to know
- Food waste and recycling must be kept separate under Simpler Recycling in England.
- Gas appliances must be installed and checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Playing music to customers usually needs a music licence.
- Kitchen extraction and refrigeration often run around the clock: tell us your opening hours so energy is matched to your real load.
General information, not legal advice. Check with your local council or an adviser for your situation.
Make it a checklist
Our new-business setup checklist puts every step in order, and you can print it. Stuck on a term? Try the glossary.
Want the essentials in one enquiry? See the Setup Pack, or look at other business types.
Opening a café or restaurant?
Tell us your opening date and what you need. We’ll get back to you within one working day.