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How to open a fast food. What do you need to open a fast food restaurant? How to open a fast food outlet yourself

Fast food has occupied a significant share of the restaurant market for several decades. The economic crisis forced the owners of prestigious fine dining establishments to significantly reduce their prices or close their doors altogether. While fast food businesses continued to operate and earn a stable income. Today, opening establishments of this format is an attractive option for beginning restaurateurs.

The popularity of the fast food business is due to:

low opening costs,
simple principles of organization,
quick payback.

This is a business with a high return on investment. The owners set affordable prices for dishes, thereby expanding the circle of potential customers. Profit increases due to demand, and not mark-ups on products. Financial indicators suit business owners, regardless of the number of points of sale.

Let's take a closer look at how to open a profitable fast food establishment?

Business plan and competitor analysis

The main thing is to make a plan correctly. A well-thought-out and clearly outlined business plan gives you a better chance of success. Business planning includes several points. And the first thing a businessman must decide for himself is to choose a product that he will offer to clients. It is necessary to understand who needs this and why? What is required for implementation? The business plan reflects economic calculations and projected profit figures. It is necessary to distribute the amount of investment, evaluate possible risks and the return on investment of the project.

Analyzing the work of competitors will help you avoid mistakes. Research the location, customer requests, menus and pricing of other businesses.

Choosing a format

In the fast food segment, there are two ways to organize a business:

street,
stationary.

The first option is retail outlets on the streets: vans, mobile counters and carts, kiosks and pavilions. The advantage of this format is that opening it will require a minimum of investments. Requires transport, compact equipment, a salesperson and a cook. Takeaway dishes are prepared in front of customers.

Stationary fast food establishments: bistros, pizzerias, pie shops, snack bars, dumpling shops and pancake houses are somewhat more trusted. But to organize an establishment with an expanded menu and seating, you will need a larger amount of financial investments, staff and comprehensive equipment.

Fast food has already become quite firmly entrenched in the lives of many people, becoming familiar and even fashionable to some extent. The vast majority of busy business people (students, office workers, drivers, etc.) prefer it as a snack. About 10 years ago, such food was considered something strange and unusual. It was possible to try such a “curiosity” only in big cities. Nowadays there are fast food outlets even in very small towns.

– excellent idea for business if you do not have a very large start-up capital. At the same time, the minimum investment will pay off quite soon, since this is a product that is in stable demand and has not lost popularity for many years in a row. Considering the fact that the pace of life (especially in the capital) regularly picks up speed, we can predict that the popularity of fast food will only increase. The main thing is to draw up a competent, high-quality business plan. How to do this and why it is so important will be discussed below.

The advantages of such a business

Fast food(Fast Food - “fast food”) - it’s inexpensive, tasty, satisfying, and fast. It was these criteria that contributed to the popularization of this product. In addition, food is a basic necessity, something that will always be needed. Each of us chooses what to eat based on individual preferences and capabilities, but does not refuse food completely. Consequently, food such as fast food will also find its consumer.

Where to start organizing a fast food business

Market analysis. Find out how many potential competitors there are in your locality, and how they are doing with selling their products. This will allow you to understand how profitable such a business can be. Of course, it is worth considering in what format this or that establishment operates, what it offers, at what price, which of the offered products is in greatest demand, etc. All this will show how to act and who to focus on. In addition, if you see that you can offer something original, something that no one has yet offered to consumers in your city (for example, vegetarian burgers), be sure to include it in the menu of your establishment. The menu is what plays the most important role in this type of business. Especially in conditions of fierce competition. “Getting” the consumer will be achieved through the taste and non-standard nature of the product.

Concept and format. Fast food can be sold in two formats: stationary (cafe, restaurant) or on the street (variations of the “on wheels” format). In our article we dwell in more detail on the first option.

Drawing up a business plan. Any experienced entrepreneur knows well how important it is, before taking any specific steps (registering a business), to draw up a detailed plan, describing in it all the features of the future enterprise, items of initial and permanent expenses, as well as estimated income and payback period.

How much does it cost to open a fast food restaurant?

It’s worth mentioning right away that in advance we can only name approximate, averaged figures for all main expense items.

Business registration. It is simply impossible to start any commercial activity without formalizing it legally; it is illegal. An entrepreneur who decides to open a fast food restaurant can choose one of the forms - an individual entrepreneur (IP) or a limited liability company (LLC). The choice depends on the format of the establishment. For a stationary location (cafe, restaurant), you need to register as an LLC. An operating license is not required, but permission from the sanitary and fire services is required. They must approve the premises, equipment, and raw materials for their compliance with norms and standards. Sorting out all the nuances with government services will cost 10-15 thousand rubles.

Rental and maintenance of premises. To open a fast food restaurant you need a large, spacious room. Renting a premises suitable for a fast food restaurant usually costs an average of 50 thousand rubles. per month. Repair and design is another 50 thousand rubles, but this is a one-time fee. The design should be simple, modern, not overloaded, but at the same time attractive. It’s good if it has its own “zest”, a special character.

Equipment, kitchen utensils, furniture. The quantity and features of the equipment will depend on how wide your menu assortment will be, but on average, this expense item subtracts 75-100 thousand rubles from the total budget.

Products. It will take from 100 thousand rubles to purchase the minimum amount of products required for the first time.

Salary. How much you are willing to pay your employees is a purely individual question that you decide for yourself. You will need several people in the kitchen and several cashiers in the hall.

Advertising. Your potential consumer should definitely know about you. Distributing leaflets in crowded places, several billboards around the city, advertising on the Internet - this is quite enough. Such a small advertising campaign will cost 30-40 thousand rubles.

Fast food has become widespread in our country. Every day, millions of citizens buy fast food, so the owners of street outlets receive a good income. This type of business does not require large investments, so anyone who wants to open their own business can engage in entrepreneurial activity in this area.

To work in a fast food cafe you do not need to have special education or hire highly qualified personnel. You can learn how to cook such food in just a few days.

However, before opening a fast food restaurant and starting work, it is necessary to conduct a thorough market research, as well as calculate all the risks and future profits. On our website you can download a business plan with calculations for free, which will be a good help for you in organizing your own business in this area.

Main points:

Project description and performance indicators;
Sales plan and market analysis;
Investments;
General costs;
Personnel and wages;
Financial calculations;
Profitability;
Conclusions.

Our resource offers beginners ready-made business plans for small businesses that can be used to develop a strategy for a future enterprise. In order for them to correspond to market conditions in your region, it is enough to make small adjustments and perform the necessary calculations.

Catering, and especially quick service, is a very profitable business. Indeed, with the modern rhythm, eating out has long become the norm. Fast food means providing the population with delicious food with prompt service.

With the right approach, a fast food cafe will be a good way to invest money. Despite the lengthy process of registering a business, lengthy preparation for opening, high competition, opening a cafe of this type can be called a very profitable business.

Market analysis

Before starting, you need to analyze the market and identify the target audience. The more accurately potential clients are identified, competitors are analyzed and a development strategy for the establishment is developed, the faster the business will begin to generate income.

You can monitor competitors yourself by simply visiting their cafe and studying the range of dishes and prices. Make a comparative table with evaluation parameters (advantages and disadvantages of the cafe, what is missing).

Another option is to conduct a survey of the target audience. This can be done on the street or via the Internet, on various forums and groups.

The target audience of the cafe-bistro is young people 17-25 years old, students, office employees, taxi drivers, couriers. If the client likes the food and service, then the next day you can count on a whole group of his friends, colleagues, classmates who came on recommendation.

Based on the analysis, you need to prepare a list of criteria for choosing a cafe. The main advantages of this type of establishment are:

close location to work or school;
speed of service;
assortment of dishes;
acceptable cost.

Basic operating principles

Cafe-bistro is a small establishment with a wide selection of dishes at low prices and very fast service. The initial capital for a bistro is needed much less than for other cafes. It will also take little time to prepare the establishment for opening, and the first income can be received within 2-3 months after the start.

For the fastest possible payback, the cafe must work actively from the first day and serve as many visitors as possible. Success in this business depends precisely on high turnover.

The bistro must meet the following requirements:

Varied dishes. It is important to develop the right menu with a variety of dishes and drinks.
Prompt service. Employees must quickly serve the visitor, provide assistance in choosing dishes if necessary, place an order and receive payment.
Delicious, prepared in compliance with all the rules. “Fast food” is no longer considered an eatery. To obtain maximum profits, customers need to offer only high-quality food.
Low cost of food. Savings do not come from using low-quality and cheap products. In such cafes there are no waiters or extra staff.

Where to begin?

First you need to resolve the issue with the format of the institution. It could be:

Franchising, that is, purchasing an already well-known brand with established technologies for opening a business and rules for preparing dishes.
Your own business idea.

Both options have their merits. When purchasing a well-known brand, you do not need to spend time and money on developing a unique menu, corporate style and promotion. The brand is recognizable and trusted. Creativity is excluded here; you must strictly follow the rules developed by the franchise owners.

Your own business idea is already a creative approach. The owner himself creates the menu, develops a corporate style, but he will also have to promote the establishment on his own. Only time will tell how profitable the new idea will be and it will be possible to sum it up only in a year.

Perhaps starting a business from scratch will take a lot of time, but in the end you will be able to make much more profit than with a franchise, because you won’t have to share it with anyone.

Legalization of business

Different café formats will require different registration forms. For a small establishment, you need to prepare documents, submit them to the local branch of the tax authority and in a few days receive the status of an individual entrepreneur. Next you need to register the cash register and you can start working.

The following points are worth considering:

Individual entrepreneurs do not have the right to sell strong alcohol, only beer, cider, poire, and mead. A license for stronger alcoholic drinks is issued only to legal entities.
Registering is easier and cheaper. An individual entrepreneur can use the patent taxation system, provided that the cafe premises are no more than 50 square meters. m and the staff employs no more than 15 people. This system eliminates the need to file a tax return, making it easier to do business.

To get started, an entrepreneur must have:

rental agreement for the premises where the cafe will be located;
approval of the cafe project by government authorities.

Business Features

Every business has its own advantages and disadvantages, which should always be followed. This will allow you to understand whether this activity option is suitable or whether you need to focus on something else.

Among the advantages of the bistro cafe are:

high profitability;
quick payback;
constant demand among residents.

There are also disadvantages:

high competition;
significant initial investment;
human factor;
high costs for renting and purchasing equipment.

Room

The premises where the cafe will be located should have a kitchen and a hall. Depending on the task at hand, this can be either a small pavilion with an area of 30 sq.m., or a room of about 150 sq.m. A room with an area of about 40 sq.m., located in a shopping center, is suitable.

The premises must meet certain conditions:

the cafe should have several zones (warehouse, kitchen, hall, utility room);
the entrance to the food preparation area is located separately from the main one;
There are emergency exits in case of fire.

The interior should be simple with a view to the mass visitor, but comfortable and cozy. The color scheme should increase appetite.

The furniture chosen is simple, but beautiful and modern. Don't buy cheap plastic furniture. Attractive posters and menu boards line the walls.

Cafe assortment

Customers are offered delicious and inexpensive food. Main dishes include light salads, hot sandwiches, pastries, and drinks. The establishment is designed for a wide audience, the main visitors are the middle class.

The menu may include Russian and European cuisine, as well as several popular oriental dishes (noodles, sushi):

Kitchen equipment

For a fast food outlet, high-quality professional equipment is important. The kitchen should have all the necessary appliances and devices for operational work. The equipment is selected depending on the dishes offered in the cafe. It is advisable to purchase the following devices:

electric stove - 55 thousand rubles;
refrigeration chamber - 40 thousand rubles;
deep fryer - 5 thousand rubles;
refrigerated display case - 5 thousand rubles;
dishwasher - 7 thousand rubles;
device for cutting vegetables - 3 thousand rubles;
potato peeler - 2.5 thousand rubles;
washing - 3 thousand rubles;
scales - 2.5 thousand rubles;
water filter - 1.5 thousand rubles;
electric kettle - 1.5 thousand rubles;
Microwave oven - 3.5 thousand rubles;

TOTAL 130 thousand rubles

Thus, the purchase of equipment for a medium-sized cafe will require 130,000 rubles. The estimate should also include the cost of dishes, trays, packaging for dishes that clients will take with them, furniture and textiles. This will still cost about 100,000 rubles.

Depending on the menu, the kitchen can be equipped with a pancake maker, waffle iron, and juicer. You will also need detergents and disposable gloves. To prepare drinks, it will not be superfluous to buy a coffee machine, a juice cooler, or a thermopot. You need to install a cash register in the sales area. Investments in the purchase of equipment for a cafe will average 230 thousand rubles.

Employees

A small cafe will not require many employees. 5 people will be enough:

manager;
auxiliary worker;
cook;
salesperson-cashier;
cleaning woman.

To account for expenses, salary indicators will be required. Let's take the average salaries for the regions.

The staff will have 9 workers with a shift schedule. Salary expenses will be 80 thousand per month. Additional expenses will include the cost of legalizing the business, rent, menu development, purchasing products, and paying for designer services. On average, the cost of this will be 250,000 rubles.

The final total amount of initial capital for opening a cafe-bistro is 500,000 rubles. and 89,000 rub. to pay employees for the first month. These investments should pay off within 2-3 months.

Video. How to open a fast food cafe

Let's sum it up

The main tasks facing the future cafe owner are to organize the preparation of tasty, varied, inexpensive food and prompt service to visitors. The clients of this type of catering are schoolchildren, office workers, and students. It is advisable to locate the cafe in a shopping center with good traffic or on college campuses.

To advertise the establishment, you can use a budget method - hand out leaflets next to the cafe. The most important thing is to attract a large number of visitors, fast and high-quality service, and high-quality delicious dishes. If you manage to leave a good impression, clients will come back more than once.