FOR CAFÉS & COFFEE SHOPS

Open right, close right — every day.

Sideworks is simple operations software for cafés and coffee shops, sized for small teams. Opening and closing checklists with photo proof, food-safety and machine-cleaning logs, and easy scheduling — without the bloat of enterprise software. Start free with just the checklists you need and add the rest when you want it. Your baristas pick it up on shift one.

Built for small teams

Big-operation discipline, café-sized simplicity.

A café doesn't need a 40-screen platform. It needs the open to be right when the first customer walks in, the machines cleaned so the coffee stays good, and a schedule that works around a small, part-time crew. That's it. That's what Sideworks does — for free to start.

5 min

To set up

No install, no IT, no training manual. Pick a template, invite your crew, run your first open.

Sideworks
$0

To start

The free tier covers checklists and one location — plenty for a single café. No credit card.

Sideworks
79.6%

Food-service turnover

With a rotating, part-time crew, documented routines keep the open consistent no matter who's on.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024
What you get

Just what a café actually needs.

Open & close checklists

Brew setup, machine cleaning, pastry case, and lockup — recurring lists with photo proof.

RecurringPhoto proof

Food-safety logs

Temperature and sanitation checks with timestamps so you have a record when the inspector asks.

Temp logsSanitation

Simple scheduling

A clean weekly schedule with labor cost, plus swaps and time-off by magic link for part-timers.

Weekly gridSwaps

Public links for staff

Part-time baristas complete the open by link — photo proof, no account, no extra seat.

No loginPhoto proof

Growing into something bigger? See the complete platform.

Getting started

From sign-up to first open in minutes.

01

Grab a template

Start from a free open/close checklist or build your own in a couple of minutes.

2 minutesSign up free
02

Invite your crew

Add baristas or just share the checklist by link. No accounts needed for part-timers.

Same day
03

Run a clean open

See the open was done right — with photos — before you even walk in the door.

Tomorrow morning
Common questions

Café software, answered.

Is Sideworks too much software for a small café?

No — that is exactly who it is built for. Start with just opening and closing checklists on the free tier and add scheduling or food-safety logs only when you want them. Setup takes minutes, there is nothing to install, and your baristas pick it up on their first shift.

What can I track in a café?

Opening and closing routines, brew and machine cleaning, food-safety and temperature checks, pastry case and prep lists — each as a recurring checklist with optional photo proof so you can verify the open was done right before you even arrive.

Does it help with scheduling a small team?

Yes. Build a simple weekly schedule, see estimated labor cost, and let baristas request time off or swap shifts from a magic link — no accounts to manage for part-time staff.

Do my part-time baristas need accounts?

Not for checklists. Share any checklist by public link so staff complete tasks with photo proof — no account or extra seat. Great for a rotating, part-time crew.

Is it really free?

Yes. The free tier includes digital checklists and one location with no credit card — plenty for a single café. Paid plans add scheduling, surveys, and multi-location support if you grow.

Ready?

A cleaner open, starting tomorrow.

Open and close checklists with photo proof, food-safety logs, and simple scheduling — free to start.

Free tier · No card required · 5 minutes to set up