Opening a PS5 and PC gaming lounge: a practical checklist

A console lounge and a PC gaming cafe attract different customers. Console lounges tend to get groups of friends who play FIFA, Tekken or Mortal Kombat together on one big screen and stay for a few hours. PC venues get more solo players and small teams who want a high refresh rate and a good headset.

Plenty of venues do both. Decide on the mix early, because it changes everything from the seating to the price list.

Think in stations rather than consoles. A station is whatever you rent out as one unit: a couch with a big TV, a PS5 and four controllers, or a single PC desk.

• Group stations: a sofa, a large TV, one console, four controllers. Good for friends and birthdays.
• Solo or duo stations: a desk or gaming chair, a monitor, one console or PC.
• Premium stations: racing seats, VR, the newest hardware. These can carry a higher hourly rate.

Leave room between stations for people to walk behind players without blocking the screen, and plan where the cables go before the furniture arrives. Number every station clearly. When a customer says 'we're on 4', staff need to know exactly which one that is.

Each console needs its own account and, for most online multiplayer, its own subscription. Budget for these per console, every year. Buy the games you'll actually be asked for and keep a list at the counter.

Commercial use rules differ between platforms, game publishers and countries. Before you open, check the terms for the platforms and games you plan to offer, and get local advice on any business licence or entertainment permit you need. This is one of the easiest things to skip and one of the most painful to fix later.

Controllers wear out fast in a lounge. Sticks drift, buttons stick, batteries die mid-match. Keep spares charged behind the counter so a dead controller means a 30-second swap, not a 10-minute argument.

When something does break mid-session, pause the timer while you fix it. Customers notice when you do that, and they come back.

Most lounges charge per station, per hour. Some charge per player. Per station is simpler at the counter and fairer for groups. Whatever you pick, keep the price list short enough to fit on one sign.

• A rate for each kind of station. A four-player couch can cost more than a solo desk.
• Cheaper weekday daytime rates to fill quiet hours.
• A minimum charge, often 30 minutes, so short sessions still cover turnover.
• Billing for the exact minutes played after the minimum, so nobody argues about rounding.

If a group starts at 4:30 and the evening rate starts at 6, each part should be billed at its own rate. Working that out by hand at the counter is exactly where mistakes happen, so let the till do it.

Food and drink often earn more margin than the stations. But a long menu means a big kitchen, more stock and slower service. Start with things that are quick to make and easy to eat with a controller in one hand: wings, fries, nachos, milkshakes, energy drinks.

Every order should go on the station's bill, not a separate tab. When a group of five comes to pay after three hours, you want one total, not a pile of receipts to add up.

A prepaid wallet is good for both sides. Regulars top up once and stop worrying about cash. You get the money up front and less cash going through the counter. Offer it from week one, and keep a clear record of every top-up and every payment so there's no confusion about balances.

For people you know and trust, a pay-later credit limit can work too. Set a limit and stick to it.

Walk through these before opening day, with the staff who'll be doing it:

• A walk-in asks for a station. How fast can you see which ones are free and start a timer?
• A group of five wants three stations together. Can they all go on one bill?
• One friend has to leave early. Can they pay their share and go while the others keep playing?
• The group wants to split the bill five ways at the end. How long does that take?
• Someone booked station 3 for 7pm. Will staff see that before giving it to a walk-in at 6:45?

If any of those takes more than a minute, fix the process before you're doing it with a queue at the counter.

Weekend evenings and birthdays are worth booking ahead. Weekday walk-ins usually aren't. Keep bookings and walk-ins on the same calendar, so a booked station can't be handed to someone who just walked in.

Decide what happens when a booking doesn't show up. Hold the station for 15 minutes, then release it. Keep a record of who doesn't turn up.

Start every shift with the same float. Record every bit of cash that goes in or out that isn't a sale, like the money taken out to buy ice. Count the drawer at the end of each shift and write down why if it doesn't match. It's dull, but it's the difference between a $5 mystery and a $500 one. Our guide to cashing up at the end of the night goes through it step by step.

• Utilisation by station and by hour: which stations are full, and when
• Average spend per visit: time and food together
• How many customers come back within a month

These tell you where to add stations, when to run a cheaper rate, and whether people like the place enough to return.

playdesk is front desk software for this kind of venue. Each PS5, Xbox or PC setup is a station with its own rate and timer. Food orders go to a kitchen queue and onto the station's bill. Groups share a tab, bills split equally, by amount, by percentage or by shares, and anyone can check out early. Regulars keep a wallet or a credit limit, and cash is tracked by till and by shift.

One thing to know if you run PCs: playdesk doesn't lock or unlock gaming PCs. It handles the timing and billing at the desk, which covers consoles completely. For PC lock screens you'd run a separate tool alongside it.