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If you decide to take the path of opening a catering point, most likely you have a lot of questions, including how to open a cafe, and what is needed for this. First of all, you should structure the fundamental points, which will help to get a complete picture of the actions.

Many people dream of a thriving restaurant or a comfortable and warm cafe. Becoming a good restaurateur is not easy, but real. In the article, I will offer information that will help you open a cafe and make your business prosperous.

Executives, managers, and even students prefer to eat daily at cafes rather than carrying bags of sandwiches with them.

To open an institution from scratch, you will need capital, premises and a package of documents.

1. Select a market segment, analyze the market and draw up a business plan.
2. Think over the concept of the institution. For example, it can be arranged in the form of a gallery or on wheels.
3. Choose the organizational and legal form of the enterprise and the taxation system.
4. Choose a location. If a youth institution opens, great places are in the university area. A family cafe is opened in residential areas, and a themed one is in the city center.
5. Based on the estimated number of customers, a menu is compiled. An excellent set - five hot dishes, twice as many salads and snacks, a dozen and a half drinks.
6. The list of the main components that leave an impression about the institution is presented: staff, cozy atmosphere and a certain feature.
7. It is better to entrust the selection of personnel to a competent recruiting agency.
8. Before starting repairs, obtain permission to place the establishment. This document is an official consent to the opening of a cafe in a certain room. You can get it from Rospotrebnadzor.

Permission to open will be issued by the head physician of the sanitary and epidemiological station ten days in advance. You will need the following package of documents:

1. IP registration certificate
2. Premises lease agreement
3. The results of the medical examination of employees
4. Product Conclusion.

You will also need to obtain the following permits:

1. Trade License
2. License to sell cigarettes and alcoholic beverages
3. A patent for conducting commercial activities.

Many people make mistakes in the preparation of these documents. A professional lawyer will help to avoid such a fate.

Detailed video instruction

Now let's talk about the cost of opening. It's hard to say how much money you'll need if you don't have a business plan handy. It all depends on the location, city, equipment, menu, etc.

You will have to spend a lot on:

1. room
2. Equipment
3. salary
4. Advertising.

Do not rush and think carefully about all the steps, because the future of the institution and profit depend on it. It only remains for me to wish you good luck in creating a business.

Where to start - action plan

I will try to help you understand the peculiarities of the restaurant business by offering a detailed step-by-step plan for opening a cafe and some important tips.

Institution format

You need to decide on the format of the institution. For example: dining room, restaurant, coffee shop, bar or cafe. Beginners are advised to start by opening a regular cafe with minimal capital investment.

1. Bar. Represents an establishment that has a stand with alcoholic beverages and a hall designed for an average of 30 visitors. You can't order a hot meal at the bar. It offers a fine selection of spirits, snacks and various salads.
2. coffee house. People come here to sit in a cozy atmosphere, have a cup of tea or coffee and a little snack. The coffee house is perfect for small companies who want to relax a little and forget about the fuss for a moment.
3. Cafe. Universal facility. Here you can drink, eat, dance, chat or celebrate a holiday. The menu includes hot dishes, salads, cold appetizers, desserts and drinks.

Location and design

Choice of location. The establishment must be located in a passable and crowded place. Choose a design that is comfortable, interesting and original. The interior of the premises must correspond to the concept and name of the institution. Waiters must wear stylish cafe uniforms.

Staff

1. Waiters are required to look beautiful and be quick-witted. Unforeseen situations often arise, and the waiter must be able to calmly and quickly solve them. They must know the names of dishes, composition and cost.
2. The bartender must know the names of the drinks that are available, their cost, and be well versed in the varieties of beer and wine.
3. The chef is the invisible flagship of the establishment. Whether the client will return to the cafe depends on his skill. The most important role is played by the quality of food.

Purchasing Products

A very important process in which the leader must also participate. Chefs try to take food in reserve. Undoubtedly, this approach is correct, but in an institution that is just opening, no one knows what kind of dishes customers will order. At first, you need to buy a little of everything.

I will give a few words to the atmosphere of the institution. It is necessary to try to create a cozy, warm and benevolent atmosphere so that the visitor has a feeling of care and love.

What to do if there is no money?

Many aspiring entrepreneurs are interested in how to open a business without investment. I will give a brief instruction that will help you understand how to open a cafe without money.

1. You need to draw up a business plan. In the document, lay down the amount required at the initial stage and make an estimate, which includes staff salaries, utilities, advertising, the cost of products and the rental of premises. Be sure to include planned income
2. Go with a business plan to the bank for a loan. Provide information correctly and truthfully.
3. Discuss opening a cafe with relatives and old friends. Perhaps they will lend the necessary amount. It is better to pay interest to a loved one than to a banking organization.
4. If you have a wealthy friend, offer him a partnership.
5. If you managed to get funds, immediately start thinking how to make money and become a millionaire. Initially, this is problematic, since the cafe will be little visited. Advertising or a promoted network portal will come to the rescue.
6. You can start a page on the Internet about a cafe, launch an advertising campaign on third-party portals. Use social media actively for promotional purposes.

Be persistent and confidently go to achieve your goal.

12 steps to open a fast food cafe

The concept of "fast food" appeared recently, but fast food establishments instantly gained popularity. This market segment is attractive to start-up entrepreneurs. It does not require large expenses to open such an institution.

Fast food cafe - an institution where you can quickly and inexpensively eat. The service time does not exceed 5 minutes, and the duration of the client's stay is on average 30 minutes. Success directly depends on the high turnover of seats.

1. Choose a place. It should be distinguished by high traffic, meet the requirements of the fire inspection and SES.
2. Decide on the type of establishment. Often, fast food cafes use ready-made semi-finished products that are reheated or finished after the visitor's order. Suppliers prepare semi-finished products.
3. If you want to make semi-finished products yourself, for example, tacos, you will need to equip an additional room for processing vegetables, cutting fish and meat.
4. There are several types of fast food. It is necessary to determine the variety. This depends on the technology. Places like McDonald's. Cafe of a certain national cuisine. Establishments that put the product concept at the forefront - dumplings, pizzerias or pancakes.
5. Having solved the issue of renting a room, equip the interior. Most often, fast food cafes cannot boast of exquisite design and artsy atmosphere. Not surprising, because they are not focused on a long pastime.
6. The main feature of "fast food" is the strictest standardization. It is exposed to utensils, equipment, assortment and even the interior. This is due to the wide development of networks of such establishments. If you decide to open a fast food cafe, be sure to find out if it is more profitable to organize a franchise business.
7. Such establishments provide self-service, waiters are not required. However, you can't do without a cleaning lady, dishwashers, assistants and cooks.
8. Hire only sociable, agile and stress-resistant workers. They must know the regulatory documents in the field of trade and public catering.

How to open a cafe on the highway

I often have to drive a car for long distances. After sitting behind the wheel for several hours in a row, there is a desire to make a stop, look into a cozy cafe and relax a bit.

At the same time, many people are not satisfied with the salary level, and they begin to think about opening their own business - a cafe on the highway. This type of restaurant business deserves special attention.

1. Get a place for a fast food outlet. Visit the road construction department, where you can find out which area the land belongs to.
2. After that, go to the district administration and write an application for the provision of a plot for rent or property.
3. Be sure to register an individual entrepreneur or legal entity. For a small cafe, IP is enough. If the plans include opening a network of fast food outlets, registration of a legal entity is indispensable.
4. Make a project and business plan. With these documents, go to the administration for approval. After that, you will receive permission to open a cafe.
5. Once you have received the land, contact a licensed architect. Draw up a sketch and project of the building, resolve issues related to communications.
6. Take the project and sketch of the cafe to the urban planning department. Here you will receive an agreement. Together with him go to the SES, fire protection, administration.
7. After completing the construction of the building, invite a special commission that will carefully examine the structure and make a final verdict.
8. Before opening, invite SES employees. They will inspect the cafe and issue a conclusion. The building must have sewerage, water supply and a bathroom.
9. The last point will be put by experts of fire protection.

You can start the restaurant business only after obtaining all the necessary permits. Then it remains to hire qualified personnel and get to work.

Finally, I will add, if you intend to open such an institution, do not rush to show off among friends. It is better to let them know after the doors of the cafe open to visitors. There are envious people who seek to destroy the enthusiasm of a person who decides to open a business. They say that nothing will work, there is a crisis in the country, all the money will be spent in vain.

* Calculations use average data for Russia

How can a mini-cafe bring in a maxi-income? In this article, we understand all the intricacies of the 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 are 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 a detailed guide to opening a cafe from scratch.

Market analysis and idea development

Every year the culture of public catering develops more and more actively. 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 if you have an interesting idea that 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 an original way of 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 a 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, production process technology, 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 chosen location is located near an office center or a public institution, the 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.

Finding a suitable location, planning renovations

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, with the competent organization of the institution itself, the location 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 room intended for a catering establishment undergoes a thorough check by state bodies - a sanitary and epidemiological station, Rospotrebnadzor, and a fire inspectorate. 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, the functionality of the premises should be assessed - the possibility of redevelopment, the availability of all communications (water supply and sewerage, electricity, gas) that 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, at the initial stage it is not advisable to buy a building. 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. A cafe should be located in a crowded place: markets, parks, near shopping and entertainment complexes or inside 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.

Nice 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 classification of OKVED, you should select 56.10.1 Activities of restaurants and cafes with full restaurant service, cafeterias, fast food and self-service restaurants

Preparation of documents for the premises

Registration of the 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, then the purchase of a license is not required. 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 - An approximate list of equipment for a mini-cafe

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 kitchen utensils:
Kitchen tools
Dishes for visitors

To save on equipment, you can purchase it "from hand". However, you should be careful with this, since 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. As a rule, the transport costs for the supply of ingredients are borne by 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, the technological map of the 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 of an 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 the 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. Within the framework of social networks, you can hold a “happy repost” campaign, a “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:

planning an action 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 cleaner-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 responsibilities.

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 supervises 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 with a shift work schedule.

Requirements for the staff of a public institution:

all employees must have sanitary books with appropriate marks;

cooks must have professional education and work experience;

all employees must be instructed before being admitted to the workplace, 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 calculations, variable costs can be calculated based on the amount of the average check (1000 rubles) and a fixed trade margin of 250%.

Fixed expenses consist of rent, utilities, payroll, advertising, taxes, and depreciation. 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 the net profit will be approximately 200,000 rubles. With this level of profit, the initial investment can pay off 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 the competitive environment underestimated. When choosing a room, some nuances that will appear during work may be missed. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully approach the analysis of the 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, the selling price, which may 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 that provide for the liability of the 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, create competitive advantages 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 mitigate this risk is at the recruitment stage, by 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, planning errors. For the restaurant business, this risk is highly probable. 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 of 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 mitigate the risk with constant monitoring of product quality, receiving feedback from the institution's customers and taking corrective measures.

By drawing up a detailed business plan, competently organizing work at each stage of the project implementation 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 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-café 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

How to create your own coffee business and at the same time, at the very least, not “stagnate”, but as a maximum, not burn out, says the real owner of his own coffee shop. From his story, you will learn how to come up with a name for your future success, how to develop a menu, how to work with suppliers and many more "secrets" of a profitable and, at the same time, very interesting business.

Opening a coffee shop from scratch. Step by step instructions from a real entrepreneur

Hello, my name is Alexander Nikiforov, I'm from Tver. Today I own a small, but very comfortable, which is in demand among local residents and guests of the city.

Even before starting the business, I had a clear idea of ​​the future costs. Initially, I planned to invest in 300 thousand rubles, but it turned out even cheaper - 270-280 thousand.

He played an important role, thanks to which it was possible to realize what was planned without additional costs. Of course, small adjustments had to be made, but they were few.

And further: I think the most important, of all the main factors for the development of a coffee shop, is a good location. I recommend searching for premises for a cafe on the Roomfi.Ru website ( https://roomfi.ru/).

Against the background of the already existing experience, I can say with confidence that the coffee business from scratch is real and inexpensive.

What do you need to open a coffee shop in the first place?

I love coffee, so I often came to various coffee shops, studied their range, menu and organization of the process. Communication with the barista gave information about visitors, business organization features, cooperation with suppliers.

I analyzed the prices of competitors and studied the assortment. At the initial stage, it was decided to open an inexpensive establishment with prices slightly lower than those of competitors. Special attention was paid to the menu and decoration of the room.

Pedestrian traffic was the main selection criterion. I wanted to speed up the payback of the coffee shop and quickly recoup the costs due to greater attendance.

As a result, I chose a place in a small building with access to a footpath. Proximity to large shopping centers and educational institutions guaranteed a decent flow of customers.

At first, I was advised to open a business at a car or railway station, but I abandoned this idea. Practice has shown that people passing by are not ready to spend 120-150 rubles for a cup of coffee.

The size of the room of twenty square meters was enough for me to place a bar counter and put several tables with sofas for each.

There was an option to buy coffee houses, but I went the other way and decided to make out on my own, from scratch. There were no problems with documents. Here you will need to register as an LLC or IP.

The first option is suitable if you are running a business with other people. Since I am the only investor, preference was given to individual entrepreneurs.

As for taxation, the best option is UTII. Its advantage is convenience, because there is no need to report on other types of taxes, for example, on property tax.

Generally speaking, the whole process of discovery took place in several stages. First, I registered a legal entity, became registered with the tax office and submitted an application for application.

The next step was to select a place for rent and sign an agreement with the landlord. Then I resolved the issue with suppliers, thought over the design and made repairs. Most of the time went to the selection and purchase of equipment, and mapping.

I’ll make a reservation right away, it is important to carefully approach the choice of a barista who is the face of a coffee shop. I also hired one waiter, but a lot depends on your requests and the size of the room.

Take your time with the choice of suppliers for the coffee shop. Remember that this is about long-term cooperation and customer experience. It is desirable to order milk with a fat content of 3.2% (an important point). The rest choose from a position of price and quality.

How much does it cost to open a coffee shop?

What attracted me to this business was the minimum investment requirements. From my friend's experience, I knew how to open a coffee shop in a small town.

At the same time, before drawing up a business plan, he did not clearly understand the level of costs for starting a business in a large settlement. In general, there is where to roam.

I have already spoken about my initial investments (270-280 thousand rubles). But there are no upper limits here. Buying just one coffee machine can cost a million rubles, so each entrepreneur makes his own decision.

By the way, my friend invested in an even smaller amount (100 thousand rubles). It was limited to a small room and light cosmetic repairs. Three months later, he bought new equipment and made adjustments to the design of the premises.

Thus, the total investment increased to 300-400 thousand rubles. Perhaps, at the initial stage, this approach is the most optimal, because this way you can understand whether the business will “burn out” or not.

Actually, I also did not show off and went to reduce costs wherever possible - I found a room with an inexpensive fee, rented the most expensive one and did not go to excess in terms of design.

Over time, I corrected the situation and today in my coffee shop there is only new and expensive equipment.

How to open a coffee shop from scratch. Business plan for coffee to go.

Menu example

When organizing a business, pay attention to the menu, make it special and different from what competitors offer. In other words, you need some kind of "zest" that will make you fall in love with your institution.

Be sure to include in the menu latte, espresso, cappuccino, mocha and other coffee drinks that are most in demand among visitors.

To increase coffee shops, add buns and cakes to the assortment. Personally, it helped me to increase the profit of the institution, and attract additional customers.

As for more serious dishes, their number should be limited (no more than 2-3). As an option, add to the assortment the possibility of adding syrups, various alcoholic cocktails with the addition of coffee.

When creating the menu, I tried to make it understandable for the user. Do not be full of knowledge in foreign languages ​​​​and types of coffee drinks - focus on clarity.

The fewer foreign names on the menu, the better. A person must deal with the available assortment himself, and not call the waiter to him every five minutes.

For example, my coffee shop is open in the morning, so a few simple breakfast dishes came in handy. If there is a university or a business center nearby, then fast food is suitable as an addition.

Another important point is the design of the menu. It is important that it fits comfortably in the hands and is easy to read. Make the font medium size (not small and not large).

Also come up with names that will make you want to order the dish. If possible, write down the ingredients of the dish.

The picture is clickable. Click and you will find out how you can open an express coffee shop franchise without much effort and big investments!

The name of the coffee shop is easy to come up with!

You can read about the latest news and trends in the franchise business

Interior

I have already mentioned above that the interior of the institution plays a key role. The number of clients directly depends on the literacy of his organization. For this reason, skimping on extra entourage is not worth it.

If you have experience and the appropriate talent, do everything yourself. If the required skills are not available, then hire a designer who will do everything taking into account the recommendations and current trends.

A million design options. I made the interior in the French style, but you can go the other way - choose the English classics or the Russian way of organizing the interior.

The main thing is to feel the character and individuality in the finished institution.

Pay attention to lighting- it is better to refuse chandeliers on the ceiling. A coffee shop is more characterized by a dim, romantic light. The best option is to place small lamps or table lamps at each table and in neutral places.

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Earn from 150.000 rubles monthly

to COFFEE TO GO!

Federal network of express coffee houses Coffee In

Learn more: https://www.mycoffeein.ru/

Pay special attention to furniture. When buying chairs and tables, do not chase cheapness - focus on convenience for customers. Ideally, abandon the chairs altogether and install small sofas instead.

Musical arrangement. When choosing music, consider the chosen style. If it is French, then the music should be appropriate. At the same time, the sound background should saturate the room, create an unusual atmosphere. The most commonly recommended are "blues", "folklore" or "classical".

Pay attention to the color palette She shouldn't be intrusive. Also provide a ventilation and air conditioning system, which is very helpful in hot weather.

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.), provided it is properly organized, 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, a franchise allows you to purchase a perfectly calculated model of a ready-made cafe; in this case, the business 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:

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the terms of the Pizza Time franchise, 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 analyzes, marketing research and so on. 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 been involved in 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.

No wonder they are the largest fast food chain in the world at the moment. 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 no one will give you a licensed medical institution and a license for alcohol next to you, 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 the experience of my 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? A huge number of 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%!

Oh! I have just revealed the most important secret of 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. Is it true! 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;