Corner stores that do everything
Many Chicago package stores also sell snacks, mixers and ice. One catalogue holds them all; age prompts apply only to the restricted categories.
Illinois · USA
Chicago corner stores to two-store chains, one register.
Chicago package goods stores juggle state, county and city taxes, late-night lines and staff who switch between English, Spanish and Polish. Bottle Shop POS keeps the age check on, the case prices right and the end of day quick.
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Illinois
Chicago
- Combined Chicago sales tax
- 10.25%
- Liquor taxes
- State, Cook County and Chicago per-gallon taxes are built into wholesale cost
- Bottle deposit law
- None in Illinois
Local facts the register needs to know
Licensing: Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC) and the City of Chicago. Official site
Prices on this page: $69 per store per month on the Fifth plan, Prices exclude sales tax, which is added at checkout where it applies.
Rules and rates checked 18 October 2026. They change; confirm them with the authority and your accountant.
What is different about running a store in Chicago?
Taxes already in the cost
Per-gallon liquor taxes are paid upstream and arrive in your wholesale cost. Receive at invoice cost and the profit report stays honest.
Staff in more than one language
Switch the interface language per user: one cashier in Spanish, the owner in English, a manager in Arabic or Urdu.
Setting up a Chicago store
- Set the 10.25% combined rate on the store
- Receive deliveries at the invoice cost so county and city taxes are in your margins
- Flag liquor, wine and beer for the age prompt
- Choose each cashier’s interface language
Languages at the counter
Languages commonly spoken by staff and customers in Chicago:
- English
- Spanish
- Polish
- Korean
- Arabic
- Urdu
The interface ships in English, Spanish, Arabic, Urdu and Korean; others can be added as custom translations. How languages work.
How customers pay
- Cards through your processor
- Cash (still a large share at corner stores)
- EBT is not used for alcohol
FAQ
Chicago questions
No. 01Does Bottle Shop POS handle Chicago sales tax?
Yes. Set the 10.25% combined rate on your Chicago store. Different rates can apply to different products if you set up tax groups.
No. 02How do Chicago and Cook County liquor taxes show up?
They are generally paid upstream and included in your wholesale cost. Receive purchases at the invoice cost and your profit reports reflect them.
No. 03Does Illinois have a bottle deposit?
No. Illinois has no container-deposit law, so you do not need deposit lines.
No. 04Can the register run in Spanish and Polish?
Spanish ships with the software. Polish can be added as a custom translation of the interface.
No. 05Can I run a store with snacks and ice too?
Yes. All products live in one catalogue and only the restricted categories trigger the age check.
No. 06What about a second store in the suburbs?
Add it as a location on the Handle plan, with its own tax rate, stock and staff.
Open the register in Chicago.
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