Pop-up cosplay café at events and venues

Fans at conventions and markets, and groups who come to themed pop-up days. Venues may also pay or share revenue if you bring in customers.

Sales from a short menu, with ticketed or pre-booked sessions for some pop-ups. Costs are lower because you pay site fees or a revenue share instead of a full lease.

• Basic food prep and service
• Event organising
• Social media promotion
• Costume making or styling

• Food registration or temporary food premises notification, which varies by council and state. Check before your first event
• Using copyrighted or trademarked characters in your branding or menu can cause legal problems. Check intellectual property rules or use original themes
• Public liability insurance, and event organisers often ask for proof of cover
• Site fees and weather can eat into takings, so work out your break-even first
• Check the rules for any helpers you pay, including workers compensation and award pay
• Equipment such as fridges, urns and coffee machines may need electrical safety checks and power access

Startup costs are typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your equipment, stock, costumes and event site fees. These are estimates, so work out your break-even for each event before booking.

Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $8,000, depending on how many events you attend, site fees, weather and crowd size. Site fees can eat into takings, so check the numbers for each booking.

Check food registration or temporary food premises notification with the council and state before your first event. Also check intellectual property rules for characters, insurance proof for organisers, rules for paid helpers, and electrical safety for equipment.