Austin, Texas
Running a boba shop in Austin? Check what each cup really costs you.
Free. No sign-up.
Everything on the plate or in the cup
Many cafes and restaurants aim for 25–35%
Leave empty for a new item
Your price should be
$12.75
$8.95 left per sale after ingredients
Your food cost today
33%
$7.70 left per sale at $11.50
To hit 30%, raise it by $1.25. Or keep the price and bring the plate cost down to $3.45.
Do this for every dish. The free back office shows which items make you money.
Try it freeFood cost here is the ingredients only. Wages, rent and packaging are not in it, which is why the target is a third of the price and not most of it.
What you type stays in your browser unless you press Email me this result.
The free fix
The free fix, from KANJIN (kanjin.app), a digital stamp card and back office for small shops: Free profit by item.
See which drinks earn, then bring those customers back
In the free back office, open Money, then Profit by item. Type each drink's price and cost, and how many you sell. A chart shows which drinks leave you money. Pair it with the free stamp card: each visit counts toward a free drink, and customers join with their phone number. There is no app.
Free plan, no time limit. No card needed.
Short answer
How do I price a cup of boba in Austin so it still earns money?
Add up everything that leaves in the cup, from the tea and milk to the pearls, lid and straw. Then set the price so those costs are the share of it you can live with.
The cup is more than the drink
Tea, milk and pearls are the easy part. The cup, the sealing film, the straw and the syrup go out the door too.
Price one cup of each drink on your menu, with all of it counted. Type that cost into the calculator, and it gives you a menu price.
Sales tax is on top of the price on your menu
Texas charges a 6.25 percent state sales tax. Cities and other local bodies can add up to 2 percent, so the most a customer can pay is 8.25 percent.
Show the price your customer sees with tax in mind. Your own cost and your own cut come from the price before tax.
Two Austin rules to know before you set a price
Austin Public Health requires at least one Certified Food Manager on site during all hours you operate.
Your operating permit also runs for one year. Plan its renewal into the year's costs, so it does not arrive as a surprise.
Some drinks keep you busy and leave little
A drink that sells every hour can still earn less than one that sells twice a day.
The profit chart shows each drink by what it leaves and how often it sells. Push the ones that earn, and fix the price or the cost on the rest.
How to price a cup of boba
- List everything in one cup.
Tea, milk, pearls, syrup, ice, the cup, the film and the straw.
- Add up the cost.
Use what you paid on your last order, not an old price.
- Pick the share you aim for.
That is how much of the price the cup may cost you.
- Read the menu price.
The calculator divides your cost by that share and rounds up.
The local numbers, with sources
- Texas state sales tax
- 6.25 percent on most retail sales; local bodies can add up to 2 percent, for a combined maximum of 8.25 percent
- Source: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, Sales and use tax, checked 2026-11-13.
- Austin Certified Food Manager
- At least one Certified Food Manager per food enterprise on site during all hours of operation
- Source: Austin Public Health, Fixed food establishments, checked 2026-11-13.
- Austin food permit length
- Permits expire one year from the date issued
- Source: Austin Public Health, Fixed food establishments, checked 2026-11-13.
- Austin pre-opening inspection fee
- $178 for City of Austin locations
- Source: Austin Public Health, Fixed food establishments, checked 2026-11-13.
Common questions
What is the sales tax rate in Texas?
The state rate is 6.25 percent. Local bodies can add up to 2 percent, for a maximum combined rate of 8.25 percent.
Does an Austin food business need a certified manager?
Yes. Austin Public Health requires at least one Certified Food Manager per food enterprise on site during all hours of operation.
How long does an Austin food permit last?
One year from the date it is issued. It needs renewing each year.
Does the free back office cost anything?
No. Profit by item and the stamp card are free in KANJIN. Customers join the card with a phone number, with no app to install.
Do it for your own shop, free
Put in what each item costs and sells for, and see which ones earn you the most.
Set your daily target once. Each day’s sales show whether you made it.