Café & Hospitality

Tax, structure & advisory for Sydney cafés

Most café owners know their daily take. Almost none know their real margin by product line. That is the number that decides whether you survive year three.

Where most businesses leave money on the table

These are the strategic gaps we close — the ones that cost real money when they are ignored.

Margin analysis by product line

Coffee, food, catering, delivery — each has a different margin. Without breaking them out, you are flying blind on pricing and menu decisions.

Multi-site expansion planning

Opening a second location is not doubling. It is a different structure, different risk, and different cash flow model. We build the feasibility before you sign the lease.

FBT on staff meals and perks

Staff meals, Christmas parties, and gift cards all have fringe benefits tax implications. Most café owners do not know this until they get an assessment.

What we deliver

Every deliverable is principal-signed. Not delegated, not templated — built for your situation.

  • Entity structuring for single and multi-site operations
  • Product line margin analysis and pricing strategy
  • Tax return preparation with hospitality-specific deductions
  • FBT compliance for staff meals and benefits
  • Cash flow modelling for expansion or fit-out financing
  • Lease negotiation financial support and feasibility modelling

The result

You know your margins by line. Your structure is built for the next location, not just this one. And your tax is honest, defensible, and not leaving money on the table.

They showed me my catering line was running at 38% margin while dine-in was at 4%. That one report changed how we run the business.

Hospitality operator, Surry Hills

Common questions from café & hospitalitys

Do I need to charge GST on takeaway coffee?

Yes. Unlike some food items, hot beverages are not GST-free regardless of whether they are consumed on premises or taken away. All hot food and drinks are subject to GST. We ensure your POS is configured correctly so GST is calculated right at the point of sale.

How do I handle Uber Eats and DoorDash payments in my books?

Third-party delivery platforms settle weekly or fortnightly, net of their commission. We reconcile the gross sale, the commission expense, and the net settlement separately — so your revenue is not understated and your real delivery cost is visible.

Can I claim the café fit-out as a tax deduction?

Fit-out costs are generally depreciable over the effective life of each asset — not immediately deductible in full. However, some items qualify for instant asset write-off if they are under the threshold. Leasehold improvements have their own rules. We build a depreciation schedule that maximises your claim within the law.

Need bookkeeping handled too?

Done-for-you bookkeeping so the numbers are clean before the strategy starts.

Ready to talk?

15 minutes. No obligation. We assess whether our specialisations match your situation. If they don't, we'll tell you straight.