Coffee shop calculator
Coffee Cost Per Cup Calculator for Coffee Shops
A 12 oz cup of drip coffee costs a coffee shop about 60 to 80 cents in coffee, and a 12 oz latte about 95 cents in coffee, milk and cup. Pick a drink below to see your real cost, profit and margin per cup, and how much coffee you'll go through each month.
Tapestry wholesale coffee runs $10.50 to $14 per pound.
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Cost breakdown
- Coffee–
- Milk–
- Cup, lid & sleeve–
- Syrup & extras–
- Total cost per drink–
Per month (30 days)
- Gross profit on this drink–
- Coffee used–
- Coffee cost at $10.50–$14/lb–
Estimates for ingredients and packaging only, before labor, rent and waste. Brewed coffee assumes about 2 g of water absorbed per gram of grounds; milk drinks assume typical steamed milk amounts for the cup size.
Serving great coffee is the best way to protect your margin. Taste ours on your own equipment.
What Common Coffee Drinks Cost to Make
Typical ingredient and cup costs at $12.25 per pound of coffee and $4.50 per gallon of milk, with a 1:16 ratio for brewed coffee and a double shot for espresso drinks:
| Drink | Coffee | Milk | Total cost | Typical price | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 oz drip | $0.68 | – | $0.83 | $3.00 | 72% |
| 16 oz drip | $0.91 | – | $1.06 | $3.50 | 70% |
| 12 oz pour over | $0.68 | – | $0.83 | $4.50 | 81% |
| 12 oz Americano | $0.49 | – | $0.64 | $3.75 | 83% |
| 12 oz latte | $0.49 | $0.30 | $0.93 | $5.00 | 81% |
| 16 oz latte | $0.49 | $0.42 | $1.05 | $5.50 | 81% |
| 8 oz cappuccino | $0.49 | $0.13 | $0.76 | $4.50 | 83% |
| 16 oz iced latte | $0.49 | $0.27 | $0.91 | $5.50 | 84% |
| 16 oz cold brew | $1.60 | – | $1.75 | $4.75 | 63% |
Totals include about $0.15 for the cup, lid and sleeve. Prices and margins vary by market, milk choice and portion size.
How to Lower Your Cost Per Cup Without Cutting Quality
- Dial in your recipes and weigh doses. An extra 2 g per shot or a heavy scoop on batch brew adds up to pounds of coffee a month.
- Cut waste. Brew batch coffee in smaller amounts more often, and dump less at the end of the day. Hold coffee in airpots, not on a hot plate.
- Steam only the milk you need. Mark pitchers for each cup size so baristas don't pour extra milk down the drain.
- Price your menu from real costs. Most specialty coffee shops aim for a drink cost of about 15 to 30% of the menu price.
- Buy fresh coffee direct from the roaster. Cheaper coffee saves pennies per cup but costs you customers. Roasted-to-order coffee tastes better, so drinks sell better.
Opening a new shop? See our guide to opening a coffee shop in Minnesota. Already open and looking for a better coffee partner? See our wholesale coffee for coffee shops, with barista training included and Friday delivery across the Twin Cities.
Quick Answers
How much does a cup of coffee cost a coffee shop to make?
About 60 to 80 cents in coffee for a 12 oz drip at $10.50 to $14 per pound, plus about 15 cents for the cup and lid. That's roughly 75 to 95 cents total.
How much does a latte cost to make?
About 95 cents for a 12 oz latte: roughly 50 cents of espresso, 30 cents of milk (at $4.50 a gallon) and 15 cents for the cup, lid and sleeve. Oat milk or flavor syrup adds 20 to 50 cents.
What is a good profit margin on coffee drinks?
Most coffee shops see about 70 to 85% gross margin on coffee drinks, or a drink cost of 15 to 30% of the menu price. That's before labor, rent and other overhead.
How many cups of coffee are in a pound for a coffee shop?
About 18 twelve-ounce drip coffees or about 25 double-shot espresso drinks per pound at typical coffee shop recipes.
How much coffee does a coffee shop use per month?
A shop selling 100 drip coffees a day uses about 170 lbs a month at a 1:16 ratio. A shop selling 100 lattes a day uses about 120 lbs a month for double shots.
Does cheaper coffee save money?
A little. Dropping from $14 to $10 per pound saves about 20 cents on a 12 oz drip. Better coffee usually earns that back in repeat customers and higher prices.