# Starting a café or pop-up café: what you need

https://vaivatta.fi/en/guides/kahvilan-perustaminen

When a café, pop-up or food truck starts to become real, the to-do list grows fast. We put the notifications to make before opening and the equipment the counter needs on one page. For official matters we always link to the original guidance.

## 1\. Food premises notification

According to the Finnish Food Authority (Ruokavirasto), a food premises is notified to the municipal food control at least four weeks before operations start. The notification can also be made online in the Ilppa service. You do not need to wait for a reply or an inspection before opening. A written own-check plan is also needed before you start.

Source: Ruokavirasto, [Starting a restaurant, part 1](https://www.ruokavirasto.fi/globalassets/yritykset/elintarvikeala/toiminnan-aloittaminen/pk/ravintolan-perustaminen/osa_1_perustaminen_ravintolat.pdf) (in Finnish).

## 2\. Food truck or mobile kiosk

A food truck, cart or tent is a mobile food premises, and it too is notified to food control. Check your municipality's guidance, for example [Tampere's guidance on mobile food premises](https://www.tampere.fi/sites/default/files/2022-10/Tiedottaminen%20elintarviketoiminnasta%20liikkuvassa%20elintarvikehuoneistossa2022.pdf) (in Finnish).

## 3\. Serving alcohol

If you plan to sell alcohol, you need a licence to serve it. From the start of 2026 licensing is handled by the Finnish Licensing and Supervision Agency (Lupa- ja valvontavirasto); its website has the current application guidance.

## 4\. Till and payments

A simple till is a phone, a card terminal and a mobile printer. In a fixed café a tablet on a stand, a receipt printer and a cash drawer are a common setup. If orders go to a kitchen, you need a POS system that prints a ticket in the kitchen. We compared three setups in our POS system guide, and the devices that work with SumUp and Zettle have their own guide (links at the end of this page).

## Till equipment

- [Epson TM-P20II Mobile Receipt Printer, 203 dpi, USB-C, Bluetooth](https://vaivatta.fi/en/epson-tm-p20ii-8-dotsmm-203-dpi-usb-c-bt-kit-usb-epsp202bt)
- [Epson TM-m30III receipt printer, USB-C and Ethernet, black](https://vaivatta.fi/en/epson-tm-m30iii-8-dotsmm-203-dpi-cutter-usb-usb-c-et-epstmm30-6)
- [StarTech.com ARMTBLTUGN gooseneck tablet holder, desk clamp, 7-11", black](https://vaivatta.fi/en/startech-gooseneck-tablet-holder-bendable-tablet-arm-des-4672635)
- [APG ECD330 Cash Drawer, 5 Notes / 8 Coins, RJ11, Black](https://vaivatta.fi/en/apg-ecd-series-black-apg330b)
- [Heipa Receipt Roll 80 × 80 mm, 20 Rolls, 80 m, BPA-free (80 mm receipt printers)](https://vaivatta.fi/en/receipt-rolls-heipa-thermal-paper-80-mm-80-mm-127-mm-rotherm80maf20)

## 5\. A POS system when there is a kitchen

Sentiami is our own POS and ordering system for restaurants and cafés. It runs in the browser and routes kitchen tickets to the right stations, and QR table orders and Wolt land in the same list.

## POS system

- [Sentiami POS & Orders](https://vaivatta.fi/en/sentiami-pos-orders)

## 6\. Website and being found

Customers look up opening hours and location online before they come. We run a WordPress site for you, so you do not have to look after updates.

## Website

- [WordPress Care Hosting](https://vaivatta.fi/en/managed-wordpress-hosting)

## Checklist before opening

- Food premises notification: At least 4 weeks before opening
- Own-check plan: Ready before you start
- Alcohol licence (if serving alcohol): Before alcohol is sold
- Till, printer and card terminal: Tested before the first trading day

## Frequently asked questions

### What do I need to start a café?

For the authorities, a food premises notification and an own-check plan, and a licence if you serve alcohol. For the counter, a till, a card terminal, a receipt printer and a cash drawer if you take cash. And a website where customers find your opening hours.

### Do I have to wait for an inspection before opening?

According to Ruokavirasto, no: once the notification is made in time, you can start without waiting for a reply or an inspection.

### How can I start a pop-up on a small budget?

A phone, a card terminal and a mobile printer are enough to start. You can add a fixed till later.