* Calculations use average data for Russia

How can a mini-cafe bring in a maxi-income? In this article, we understand all the intricacies restaurant business, plan a budget and share secrets on how to earn more than 200 thousand rubles a month.

A cozy, authentic cafe can become a favorite meeting and leisure place for many people. Despite the abundance of such establishments, not all of them find regular customers and forced to close. This is due to poor planning, management errors and ignorance of the nuances of the business. To avoid such mistakes, we have prepared detailed guide to open a cafe from scratch.

Market analysis and idea development

culture every year Catering is developing more and more. The demand for eating out is growing, and behind it the number of establishments, the variety of offers. As a result, an active and very capacious public catering market is being formed, which is not afraid of even the financial crisis. Statistics note that during a period of economic instability, Russians, although they save on food outside the home, do not refuse it at all. From which the conclusion follows: the sphere of public catering is very relevant and promising.

The prospect of high and stable profits brings many players to the market who have to work in a highly competitive environment. Nevertheless, participants in the restaurant business find their customers, because everyone has different gastronomic preferences. Restaurants of national cuisines, bars, pizzerias, burgers, dumplings - choose what you like.

Today we have chosen a mini-cafe and will tell you how to turn 100 sq.m. to a source of income.

Earn up to
200 000 rub. a month, having fun!

2019 trend. Intelligent entertainment business. Minimum investment. No additional deductions or payments. Turnkey training.

The zero stage of opening a mini-cafe should be the definition of the concept. When the market offers many different establishments, only those who offer an interesting concept and are ready to surprise can stand out and attract their customers.

RBC statistics will help determine the direction, which reflects the structure of the domestic catering market. From this information it is clear that the competition in the field of cafes with national cuisine will be much higher than, for example, dumplings. If you are new to business, we recommend choosing a niche that is more open. Although in the presence interesting idea, which will definitely “shoot”, it is possible to gain a foothold in the popular direction.

Figure 1 - The structure of the public catering market in the context of the concepts of the institution (data from RBC)

Development of the concept of the institution

Let's start by choosing a cafe concept. When solving this issue, one should clearly understand what kind of institution its owner wants to have and for whom he wants to open it. These positions are key and determine the future of the institution. It will depend on them:

• definition of the target audience;
• choice of premises;
• menu;
• form of customer service;
• territorial location;
• competitive advantages.

The scope for imagination is truly limitless. You can focus on the original cuisine or create a cozy, creative environment. You can choose a specific theme of the institution, come up with original way serving or serving dishes, serving guests.

The main thing to remember is that any idea must be well thought out and calculated.
The concept of the restaurant includes all components of the enterprise's activities: the choice of the format of the institution, the target audience, location, promotion, menu, type of service, necessary equipment, technology production processes etc.

For example, if you plan to open a family cafe, then it is better to locate it in a residential area and develop a children's menu. If the selected location is near office center or a public establishment, a cafe should have a sufficient number of seats and a wide selection of snacks, while the design does not play an important role. And if it is planned to open a thematic institution, for example, a cafe based on the film, then significant investments in the design of the premises will be required.

Therefore, the concept of the institution is a single whole, the foundation on which the entire business is built.

Search suitable place, renovation planning

For any catering establishment, the right location plays an important role. The search for a room for a mini-cafe is determined by a number of important nuances. One of the most common options is non-residential premises, equipped on the ground floor of a multi-storey building. Its location itself is not so important, although it must meet certain requirements. On the one hand, good traffic will attract the attention of new visitors. On the other hand, at competent organization the location of the institution itself can be somewhat neglected and save on the cost of rent. The main condition for the location of the cafe is the convenience and safety of the entrance or approach to the establishment.

But for the premises of the future cafe there are more requirements, it should be selected especially carefully. Each premises intended for a catering establishment undergoes a thorough inspection by government agencies- sanitary and epidemiological station, Rospotrebnadzor, fire inspection. Strict requirements are imposed on the arrangement of the kitchen and ventilation, compliance with the standards of the working area, finishing materials, organization of food storage, etc. In addition, one should evaluate functionality premises - the possibility of redevelopment, the availability of all communications (water supply and sewerage, electricity, gas), which will ensure the smooth operation of the institution. Particular attention should be paid to the power of electricity, since food equipment consumes a lot of electricity.

Ready-made ideas for your business

Another frequently asked question is whether to buy a room or rent it out. As practice shows, initial stage buying a building is unreasonable. It is better to direct the initial investments into the acquisition of good equipment, the creation of an attractive interior, and the promotion of the institution. However, when drawing up a lease agreement, it is recommended to immediately stipulate the possible purchase of real estate in the future. Also pay attention to the length of the rental period. It will be unprofitable for you to move to another place in a year or two: firstly, you will have to spend a significant amount on moving; secondly, the loss of a "promoted" place can deprive the establishment of a share of the clientele. Therefore, it is worth discussing in detail with the tenant all the nuances of the contract.

The area of ​​the room depends on how compactly the clients will be accommodated and on the total capacity. We agreed that the mini-cafe will fit on 100 sq.m. From this area, you need to subtract 35 sq.m., which will be occupied by the kitchen, 10 sq.m. – utility rooms, 3 sq.m. - bathroom. That is, we will have 52 sq.m. for the hall for visitors. What can be placed in this area? A cozy coffee shop or a pastry shop, a themed restaurant with a beautiful interior, a self-service snack bar like dumplings or pancakes.

Depending on the layout and method of arranging furniture, from 20 to 40 people can freely accommodate in such a room.

Ready-made ideas for your business

The average rent for a normal room for a mini-cafe is about 50-70 thousand rubles, depending on the location and features of the room.

It advises to pay attention to the premises in which catering establishments used to be. This will avoid unnecessary expenses and speed up the process of opening a cafe. Now you can find many options for suitable premises, in which the space is divided into zones, the kitchen is equipped with ventilation and hoods, and the hall is equipped with an air conditioning system. Renting such premises may cost a little more, but the benefits will be greater. It's easier than starting everything from scratch.

Also, when choosing a room, you should be guided by how the interior of the cafe is supposed to be. Different concepts will require different planning solutions.

In the process of repair, you need to focus, first of all, on the convenience and comfort for visitors. After all, a cafe is a place to relax and have a good time. And the atmosphere should be appropriate, so you should pay attention to the interior of the institution. It is desirable that each table be in relative isolation from each other, because the privacy of the company is also a kind of comfort.

Ready-made ideas for your business

The interior of the institution plays not only an aesthetic role, but also allows you to create "chips" of the institution, a memorable corporate identity. This makes the interior an effective tool in promoting a catering establishment. It is better to entrust the creation of the interior to a professional designer. Then it will be possible to create a unique space in the bar where people want to spend time and where they want to return.

Renovation costs can be completely different: it all depends on the idea, the materials used and whether you use the services of a designer or not. That is why it is quite difficult to name the exact amount of repair costs. The average cost of repair and decoration of the premises is about 200 thousand rubles.

For any catering establishment, especially small cafes, a properly selected room plays an important role. The cafe should be located in a crowded place: markets, parks, near shopping and entertainment complexes or within them, near business centers, office buildings and educational institutions, on the main streets.

When choosing a location, you should also take into account the presence of competitors nearby. When studying the competitive environment, you need to pay attention to prices, services offered, quality of service and menu.

Here is a classic list of requirements for an ideal cafe location that every restaurateur should know:

Entrance from the street. The line of houses from the highway is the first.

Close to pedestrian or car traffic.

Crossroad location. Purpose: the windows of the cafe immediately face TWO streets, which is what advertises the establishment. Ideally, if at the same time from each street you also build your own separate entrance.

Proximity to transport stops.

Beautiful design of WIDE windows. The more convenient it is for a person sitting in a cafe to look at the street from the window, the more popular the cafe.

Avoid "mazes" indoors. This puts an unpleasant psychological pressure - discomfort. The hall should be a simple and uncomplicated rectangle, or better, a square.

Avoid rooms with low ceilings. The ceiling must be at least 3 meters. Other options (minus the height of the ceiling) will attract an exclusively marginal audience to you.

Beautiful view from the window.

First floor.

Collection of necessary documentation

Having decided on the premises for the future cafe, you need to start collecting all the necessary documentation. This process is quite laborious and includes several directions. For convenience, we will consider each separately.

Organization registration. You can issue an individual entrepreneur or LLC - there are no special nuances here. As a type of activity, according to the new OKVED classification, one should choose 56.10.1 Activities of restaurants and cafes with full restaurant service, cafeterias, restaurants fast food and self-service

Preparation of documents for the premises

registration cash register and its registration with the tax authorities.

Obtaining permits from the SES and the fire service.

Registration of all necessary documentation in the sanitary and epidemiological station, which is required to start the work of a public catering establishment.

If the cafe does not plan to sell alcoholic beverages, you do not need to purchase a license. If the menu includes alcohol, then you will have to issue an appropriate permit. Many cafes refuse to sell strong alcohol, because the license is not cheap.

Purchase of equipment

The specific list of equipment depends on the concept of the institution and the menu. For example, for a sushi bar, you should purchase a special sushi table, for a pizzeria - expensive ovens, etc. Therefore, it is impossible to provide an exhaustive list of equipment. However, Table 1 contains the main items that can be useful in the kitchen of any catering.

Table 1 - Indicative list mini cafe equipment

Name	Cost, rub.
Thermal equipment:
combi steamer
Electric stove with oven
Refrigeration equipment:
Refrigeration cabinet
Freezer cabinet
Refrigerated table
ice maker
Auxiliary equipment:
Meat grinder
vegetable cutter
Juicer
coffee machine
Equipment for cleanliness and order:
2 washing baths
Production wall and island tables
2 racks
Waste collection island table
Crockery and kitchenware:
Kitchen tools
Dishes for visitors

To save on equipment, you can purchase it "from hand". However, you should be careful with this, because there is a risk of running into unscrupulous sellers and buying equipment that will quickly fail. Nevertheless, you can often find offers on the market when an entrepreneur who closes an unprofitable business sells high-quality equipment as a set at the lowest price.

In addition, you will need to purchase furniture. The cost of furniture and decor of the mini-cafe will be about 150 thousand rubles.

Menu planning, sourcing

At this stage, you should determine the composition of the menu, the list of dishes, their cost and selling price. To calculate the cost of a dish, you will need a technological map, which is also necessary to obtain permission from the SES. The technological map indicates the consumption of products per serving and the volume of this portion.

When the menu is ready, you should decide on suppliers and establish supply channels. What can be the categories of suppliers for cafes:

supplier of meat, poultry, fish;

supplier of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs;

tea/coffee/beverage vendors

grocery supplier.

It should be noted that when signing partnership agreements, you can count on additional bonuses for the company - for example, beverage suppliers usually provide the establishment with branded utensils and inventory.

When negotiating cooperation with suppliers, you must familiarize yourself with all the conditions specified in the contract. Usually, fare for the supply of ingredients fall on your production. To reduce this cost item, you need to choose suppliers that are closer to your establishment.

The required amount of raw materials is determined based on the menu, technological map preparation of products and the expected sales volume. It is important that the recipes of the dishes comply with GOSTs or separately adopted specifications.

Since in restaurant practice there is often a supply agreement with deferred payment terms, the initial investment in working capital should not exceed 30% of the total cost of dishes of the first billing month. You can learn more about the organization of supply and work with suppliers of cafes and restaurants from this article.

We are planning a promotion

The advertisement is engine of the trade. Advertising for cafes is a supplier of customers. Therefore, it is worth paying special attention to the development of a marketing strategy. It will be formed depending on the concept of the institution, target audience and budget.

What should a marketing strategy include? Development of the name of the institution, its logo and corporate identity; organization advertising campaign(promotions, promotion tools).

A bright and memorable name will allow you to distinguish the institution from the many offers on the catering market. Services for the development of the corporate identity of the institution will cost an average of 10,000 rubles. A catchy, eye-catching sign, including its installation, or window dressing, will cost about 30,000 rubles.

To promote a cafe, you can use various marketing tools: promotional videos in the cinema; promotion in the network; sponsorship participation in mass cultural projects; installation of billboards and signs; distribution of business cards, flyers or booklets with menus; event marketing; advertising in the media; radio advertising; participation in food exhibitions and fairs; loyalty programs, promotions and so on.

Also an effective method is advertising on social networks targeted at young people. As part of social networks you can hold a "happy repost" campaign, "competition contest", etc. This tool is aimed at attracting an additional audience. You can also provide for a "happy hour" promotion - the time during which the institution offers discounts, a special menu, etc. The use of this promotional tool should be subject to the following recommendations:

action planning for weekdays;

increasing the price of the most popular menu items to cover the difference in costs;

a short and understandable slogan for the action;

one group of drinks or food participating in the promotion;

tracking stock performance.

The use of one or another tool depends on the target audience of the institution and the budget of the project.

On average, about 50 thousand rubles should be pledged for promotion in order to quickly gain an audience.

Determination of the format of service and recruitment

Before determining the required number of working staff, you should choose the format of service in your institution. This may be the principle of a cafe with a menu and waiters, self-service with cashiers, or a prototype of a traditional canteen. Everything again rests on the concept of the institution.

For a mini-cafe for 30-40 seats, you will need to hire:

4 waiters (shift work);

4 cooks (shift work);

2 cleaners-dishwashers (shift work);

administrator;

accountant-cashier (outsourcing).

Chefs coordinate the work of the kitchen, develop recipes for dishes and menus, control food costs, are responsible for preparing dishes, storing food, and work at one or more kitchen stations, depending on the distribution of duties.

Waiters take orders in the hall, provide customer service, monitor the cleanliness of the hall, set the table, accept payment for the order, are well versed in the menu and can give recommendations to visitors.

Dishwashers are responsible for the use and maintenance of dishwashing equipment, keeping dishes, kitchen and hall clean.

The accountant keeps financial records of all transactions and works remotely.

The administrator organizes the workflow, hires and manages staff, is responsible for marketing policy, monitors the ratio of profit and loss, accepts and schedules reservations and pre-orders, and controls the work of staff. The owner of the establishment himself can act as an administrator in order to reduce costs. When things go smoothly at the cafe, you can delegate these powers to a hired employee.
Please note that the cafe is open seven days a week, so you need to provide employees shift work work.

Requirements for the staff of a public institution:

all employees must have sanitary books with appropriate marks;

chefs must have professional education and work experience;

all employees before admission to workplace must be instructed, study the safety instructions for operating the equipment.

The size of the payroll with such a state will be about 220 thousand rubles.

Calculation of income and expenses

At this stage, we answer the most important question - how much does it cost to open a mini-cafe from scratch? To get an accurate calculation, it is recommended to develop a business plan that will take into account all costs in terms of current prices for a particular region and a particular idea.

Table 2 presents the initial costs of the project. Thus, to open a mini-cafe, you will need about 850 thousand rubles.

Table 2. Initial investment for opening a mini-cafe

In addition to the initial costs, the project has monthly costs that should also be planned. Monthly costs are divided into variable and fixed costs. Variable costs consist of the costs of the ingredients used in the preparation of dishes, as well as the payment for the capacities consumed in the production process (water, gas, electricity, sewerage). To simplify financial settlements variable costs can be calculated based on the amount of the average check (1000 rubles) and a fixed trade margin of 250%.

Fixed costs are made up of rent, utility bills, fund wages, advertising expenses, taxes and depreciation charges. The amount of depreciation is determined by the straight-line method, based on the useful life of fixed assets in 5 years.

Table 3. Fixed costs

Now let's calculate how much a mini-cafe can earn? With a capacity of 30-40 people and a hall occupancy of 70% per month, visitors can be expected. With an average check of 800 rubles per person, the monthly revenue will be 672,000 rubles, and net profit- approximately 200,000 rubles. With this level of profit initial investment payback in six months. In this case, the profitability will be 43%. For catering establishments, the maximum payback period is 2-2.5 years. Therefore, the prospect of recouping the business within the first year is quite optimistic.

Risk accounting

Every type of business has inherent risks. What difficulties can you face when opening your own institution? Mini-cafes can have serious problems, so you should predict them in advance and develop measures to eliminate them.

poor choice of location and bar premises. Visit traffic may be overestimated or underestimated competitive environment. When choosing a room, some nuances that will appear during work may be missed. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully analyze outlet and take into account various factors;

increase in prices for raw materials, unscrupulous suppliers, low-quality raw materials. In the first case, there is a risk of increasing costs and, as a result, selling price which could negatively affect demand. In the second case, the risk is associated with interruptions in production. It is possible to reduce the likelihood of these threats with a competent choice of suppliers and the inclusion in the contract of all necessary conditions which provide liability supplier in case of their violation;

competitor reaction. Since the catering market is quite saturated and the competition is high, the behavior of competitors can have a strong influence. To minimize it, it is necessary to form your own client base, constantly monitor the market, have a customer loyalty program, competitive advantage and unique offers

Refusal to provide rental premises or increase the cost of rent. To reduce this risk, it is necessary to conclude a long-term lease and carefully choose the landlord;

falling effective demand. This risk can be mitigated by developing effective loyalty programs that include discounts, happy hours, etc.;

problems with personnel, which means low qualification, staff turnover, lack of motivation of employees. This may lead to a decrease in sales efficiency, a reduction in revenue, and the formation of a negative image of the institution. The easiest way to reduce this risk is at the stage of recruitment, hiring employees who meet all the requirements. It is also necessary to provide for a system of bonuses for personnel;

equipment failure and production downtime. To mitigate the risk will allow regular maintenance of equipment in order to maintain its performance;

food spoilage due to low demand, breakdown of storage equipment, improper storage, errors in planning. For the restaurant business, this risk is a high degree probabilities. Food surpluses can arise for two reasons: firstly, due to the low level of sales and the unpopularity of certain dishes; and secondly, due to errors in sales forecasting. It is possible to reduce this risk through competent planning and forecasting, reviewing the assortment, and excluding unprofitable dishes from the menu. Food storage errors, breakdown of refrigeration equipment can lead to food spoilage. It is possible to avoid this threat by training personnel and monitoring their work, as well as regular maintenance equipment;

a decrease in the institution's reputation among the target audience due to errors in management or a decrease in the quality of services. It is possible to level the risk with constant monitoring of product quality, obtaining feedback from the customers of the establishment and taking corrective actions.

Compiling detailed business plan By competently organizing the work at each stage of the project and foreseeing the main risks, you can build a profitable and promising business in the field of catering.

Like any business, a mini-cafe has its advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage is the increased demand for eating out, the establishment of a culture of catering and a high margin on products, which provides significant profitability. The negative point is the high competition in the market, large start-up capital, difficulties in paperwork, the need for constant participation of the owner in business processes.

However, the growth in popularity of small, authentic establishments and the fashion for cozy spaces with beautiful interiors leave room for businessmen to realize their potential: not only entrepreneurial, but also creative. The key to success is to come up with an original concept that will distinguish your institution from competitors. However, one idea is not enough. The implementation must also be at a decent level so that customers want to come back to you.

If you manage to win your consumer, then a mini-cafe can start profitable work in 3-4 months after opening, and the initial investment will pay off within a year. Mini-cafe is able to earn more than 1 million rubles a year.

Get up-to-date calculations for a business plan

The catering industry is always in demand and relevant. That is why most beginners and advanced businessmen often think about starting a business in this area. It should be noted that the competition in this niche is very high. At the same time, the profitability of a successful cafe is very high.

Is it profitable to open a cafe?

Despite the fact that the offer in this area is huge, the demand continues to grow. This applies not only to inexpensive cafes with fast food, but also to expensive elite restaurants.

The financial situation of the population is quite stable and is gradually growing. And with it, the demand for catering is growing.

Is it profitable to open a cafe? Obviously yes. The Western model of behavior is becoming more and more firmly established in the life of Russians, Demand for restaurant services is growing steadily. According to experts' forecasts, this market will grow for the next 7-10 years.

It is important not only to open a cafe, but also to focus on the quality of service and specific target audience. It is impossible to cover everything and everyone, but you can quickly open a cafe, for example, for students. The payback will come pretty soon.

What do you need to open?

Before you start writing a business plan, you need to answer three questions:

• Who will be target audience?
• What is the format of the cafe?
• Where to open it?

At the same time, the key question is locations.

Depending on where you plan to place your cafe, you need to decide what will be the format and who will be the target audience. After that, you need to deal with the equipment and the costs of everything. Not to mention documentation.

Choice of location and premises

You can choose any place for your cafe:

• city ​​center;
• suburb;
• roadbed;

At the same time, it should be clearly understood that cafe should have good traffic to make a profit.

The most successful here are the mall and the city center. Although with a decent organization, a cafe in the suburbs will be a success among the residents of the city.

Keep in mind that the place is not everything, the room plays a huge role. First of all, according to the requirements of sanitary and epidemiological requirements one seat must have at least two square meters. And, therefore, the larger the landing in your cafe, the larger the area it should occupy.

Utility rooms must also comply with all norms and requirements. According to the norms, the ratio of the kitchen and utility rooms in relation to the hall should be 1:2. But, more and more often the acceptable value is 1:4.

Before arranging multiple seating arrangements, consider how your cafe is presented.

So, a solid institution with more than fifty seats is already beginning to acquire the status of an ordinary cafe. But the format of fast food allows you to land in 100 seats.

Registration and documents

Naturally, when a clear plan for a future project has already matured in my head, it is necessary to start implementing it precisely from the execution of all documents. For businessmen in this area it is required:

• register as legal entity( , AO);
• choose the method of paying taxes (simplified or general taxation system).

After the premises are selected, it also needs to be formalized: buy, build or rent.

Only after that you can start collecting a package of documents from various authorities:

The latter includes:

• conformity of products and raw materials to use;
• availability of medical records for staff.

The chief physician of the SES issues a work permit for the institution within ten days after examining the institution and documents for it. That is, you first need to hire staff, find suppliers, and only then go to the sanitary and epidemiological station to obtain permission.

Kitchen equipment

Particular attention should be paid to the choice of kitchen equipment. It is worth immediately including several cutting tables in the estimate, because, according to the norms of the SES, meat, fish and vegetable products are cut separately. In addition, you will need:

Depending on the scale of the cafe, it is necessary to choose a sufficient amount of equipment so that you can ensure the smooth operation of the facility. In addition, you will need:

• dishes (constantly replenished sets);
• cutlery;
• kitchen utensils for cooking.

Cafe interior design and planning

The design of your cafe is limited only by your imagination and the size of your wallet. But it is not so. The interior should attract some specific audience. By creating appearance cafe, always mentally imagine visitors: what age, status, financial situation they are.

The target audience will be permanent if you take into account their needs. The cafe should be cozy and pleasant not only for you, but also for your guests. Moreover, one must not forget that stylistic affiliation of the cafe should be traced in everything: from design to dishes.

Space planning must be well thought out. So, the guest area includes not only seats, but also restrooms, a wardrobe, a hall.

Utility rooms and the kitchen should be securely hidden from the eyes of visitors. Naturally, they should be located as conveniently as possible for employees. The speed and quality of work depends on this, which in turn affects profits.

Staff

It would seem that recruiting staff is not difficult, but everything is not so simple. First of all, the number of staff depends on the size of the institution. In addition, the format of the cafe determines which specific workers are needed.

Fast food cafes require:

• cooks;
• cook assistants;
• order takers;
• cleaners.

In a cafe where the visitor simply orders from the place, additional waiters are also required. If the institution has a bar, then the presence of a bartender is simply necessary.

The number of employees also depends on operating mode institutions. It usually requires a two-person shift of chefs and a couple of kitchen assistants. If the cafe is elite, then you may also need to hire security guards.

Franchise pros and cons

A franchise is an opportunity to work under the name of an already promoted brand, paying it a certain percentage of the profits. Benefits of a cafe franchise:

Of course, it was not without drawbacks:

• you must comply with the requirements of the brand owner;
• you cannot influence advertising, change the image of the cafe, change the menu (unless agreed in the contract);
• sometimes suppliers recommended by the franchisor charge more money than their competitors.

Franchising or not is a purely personal matter. It is important to correctly draw up a contract and study all the nuances of the issue before opening a cafe.

The material covers the issues of choosing a concept, registration, taxation, obtaining permits and the necessary documents and necessary equipment, also contains an approximate calculation of how much it costs to open a cafe.

Catering business(cafes, restaurants, eateries, bars, etc.), subject to proper organization has always been and remains profitable. However, if the creation of a restaurant is a large-scale, extremely costly and complex project (and sometimes unprofitable), then opening a small cafe will require much less investment, time and effort, and is also characterized by fewer risks.

How to open a cafe, where to start

What is a cafe, how does it differ from other catering establishments? The answer to this question is given by GOST R 50762-2007.

This is an enterprise that organizes catering and recreation for visitors and provides them with a limited range of products, as well as selling specialties, soft drinks and alcoholic drinks.

Thus, the purchase of basic equipment for a small cafe will cost about 200 thousand rubles. In addition, you will need air conditioning, kitchen utensils, dishes, textiles, furniture, office equipment, the purchase costs of which will be ~ 100 thousand rubles.

Total investment in equipment ~ 300,000 rubles.

Staff

The choice of personnel is a very responsible task for opening a successful cafe. Taking into account shift work, a small establishment will need a chef, 2 cooks, 4 waiters, an administrator, a dishwasher, and a cleaner. The number of employees depends on the concept and size of the cafe, but at first, too much staff can be detrimental to the business. All staff must have medical books.

About the franchise

A cafe franchise is a variant of opening a catering business owned by well-known chain brands. Such a business has both its pros and cons. Today you can buy a franchise of companies such as Subway, Chocolate Girl, 33 Penguin, Baskin Robbins etc.

On the one hand, the franchise allows you to purchase a perfectly calculated model finished cafe business in this case will be guaranteed to be successful. On the other hand, these are additional cash costs in the form of one-time contributions, regular royalties, deductions to funds, etc., as well as the lack of opportunities to make changes to the business to your liking and discretion. Therefore, before you open your franchise cafe, you should carefully evaluate all the possible consequences.

December 2015 update:

Moneymaker Factory, we offer you to familiarize yourself with the terms of the franchise "Pizza Time", an interesting option for opening a catering business in 2016.

About 2 years ago, a client came to our company. Of course, there is nothing unusual in this situation, they come to us all the time. His request was unusual - "How to open a cafe and where to start?".

We are periodically ordered various tests, marketing research etc. But this is the first time we have encountered such a request. And, to be honest, even a little scared.

And not even because they had not dealt with such projects before, but because in his request there was a note “Do whatever you want, there is money, and even the premises have already been bought.”

Where to begin

Experienced restaurateurs have already realized that the whole failure was in the words “the premises have already been bought”. Because it initially kills the whole strategy of a successful cafe in the bud.

True, at that time we did not yet understand this (now we are not ashamed to admit it) and gladly set to work. Looking ahead, I will say that even despite our inexperience, at that moment the project turned out to be quite successful.

Something will seem simple and obvious to you, something will become a revelation, but, at least for a person who plans to open a cafe, this article will be very, very useful.

Let's figure out what steps you need to take so that after saying the phrase: “How to open a profitable cafe and where to start?” you got it and it was successful.

And since we haven’t had cases for a long time, I’ll tell you how we followed this plan and what we implemented in the cafe.

WE ARE ALREADY MORE THAN 29,000 people.
TURN ON

Choice of concept

Yes, the opening of any cafe, coffee shop or restaurant begins with the choice of a concept. And yes, I will buzz your ears once again, but you will have to think about your target audience.

Why? Well, at least, because the room will depend on it, where it will be located geographically, what the menu will be and, of course, who will be your visitors.

And in this matter, experienced restaurateurs will support me with both hands. Here everything should be taken into account from the name, location to pricing policy and menu.

How we did it: We came up with the concept of the establishment after hearing a song somewhere, for which we then found suitable images of clothing stores.

As a result, the idea was born what it was: it was supposed to be a youth cafe with trendy music, inexpensive food, coffee to go. Waiters and bartenders in trendy plaid shirts. And completely non-alcoholic.

Design Example

Room search

Another important point. Even if not the most important. More than half of the success of the future institution will depend on the place where it will be located.

Availability of parking, whether it is as close as possible to your potential client, is it easy to get to him.

Do you think I'm so picky because I'm so smart? I think you all know McDonald's. Here is a great example of how to approach the search for premises (in their case, land), because the places they choose are not at all random.

Previously, they used helicopters to assess cheap land and the region's development prospects.

And since 1980, they have developed their own Quintillion program, which suggested potential places for restaurants using satellite imagery, demographic data of the region and a lot of other data for analysis.

Not surprisingly, they are currently largest network fast food in the world. Because they think through everything to the smallest detail and think ahead.

How we did it: Here we are both lucky and unlucky at the same time. The owner already owned the premises, so we came up with the concept, design and interior based on it.

By the way, here is an example of a bar counter that we created jointly with the project designers, based on the concept that we defined above.

bar layout

Opening of pitfalls

You already have a cafe concept. You have found a room. Start ordering a design. Stop! It's time to check if you have taken into account all the pitfalls!

A simple example. You came up with a cafe with hookahs, you have already practically developed a project, you have found a room, and then it turns out that it is impossible to make an exhaust hood in this room, as it is necessary in the project.

Or even more real life example. Cafe with alcohol. You have almost decided to open, it remains only to obtain a license for alcohol.

And then it turns out that next to you is a licensed medical institution and no one will give you a license for alcohol even under pain of death.

Do you think the examples are stupid and an experienced businessman will not do this? I took examples not from my head, but from real life and experience of your friends. So draw conclusions and analysis 😉

How we did it: We faced the problem that in our kitchen there was less space for cooking than it was necessary according to sanitary and epidemiological standards.

I had to solve this in the most favorite way in Russia, “closing the eyes of the inspection bodies for gratitude.” I hope you don't tell anyone about this ;-)

Menu creation

And in your cafe will be fed? What will be the prices for food? Can your audience afford such expensive food? Great amount questions and so few answers 😉 Here's what you need to pay attention to when creating a menu and setting up a kitchen:

The kitchen must be designed according to SanPiN 2.3.6.1079-01 (this is, of course, a requirement for the premises, but also an important issue);

If you want your cafe to be distinguished by the fact that you have delicious food, then I will disappoint you - this is not the primary criterion for choosing an institution. Coming to any cafe, I expect that it will be delicious.

Therefore, food should be a priori tasty and boast of it, you don’t need to rely on it. It just doesn't work.

However, do not act like the same McDonald's. In case you didn't already know, my favorite chef, Jamie Oliver, recently won a lawsuit against them by proving that their hamburgers were not to be eaten.

Because it's not food, as they just soak beef tallow in ammonium hydroxide and add a drop of meat to it.

That is, they actually poison a person. McDonald's is actively trying to hush up this trial, but we'll see how it ends.

If you decide to focus mainly on selling food, then let me remind you that the markup for food is 400 percent, and for tea / coffee it reaches 1000%!

Ouch! I have just uncovered the most main secret all establishments! Therefore, think about what you will still earn money on.

How we did it: In the cafe, we have focused on takeaway coffee, and we are actively promoting this direction. Over the past 2 months, the number of such checks has increased by 50%

Alcohol! 60-70% of the income of any bar comes from alcohol. Just think about it!

The menu should be colorful, with mouth-watering pictures that induce appetite. So you will increase your sales by simply using your subconscious.

Menu

How we did it: Yes, we had to hire a specially trained photographer, allocate time for the chef and so on, but believe me, it's worth it.

Scientists from the University of Illinois found that a colorful menu (with a photo and a vivid description) increases the sales of an establishment by 27%.

And here comes the next point. Everything that is photographed in the menu must be brought in the same form. Otherwise, the reputation of the institution will be significantly tarnished.

Last thing. Don't forget to analyze the menu. Remove slow-moving positions, slightly raise prices for the most popular dishes and periodically introduce new items. The recommended frequency is once every three months.

Personnel search

The stumbling block. Someone thinks that it is better to hire experienced staff. Someone thinks that it will be cheaper and faster to teach.

It's up to you to decide, but at least you need chefs and bartenders with experience. And remember the concept! You will also select the staff for it. Even their appearance can become a selection criterion.

Marketing and Advertising

The topic of a separate article. Truth! We have tried so much in food service marketing that we could write an entire article. But here's what exactly works:

1. Flyer. Works, tested;
2. Social networks (in particular Vkontakte and Instagram);
3. Articles on news portals;
4. Website;