Cafeteria - what is it? Business plan for opening a cafeteria

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Cafeteria is one of the types of catering establishments that brings stable and high profits with minimal investment to start a business. Therefore, many aspiring entrepreneurs are thinking about opening their own cafe, but do not know where to start. How to open a cafeteria from scratch, and will be discussed further.

First steps

Opening any business begins with all calculations and strategic planning. You can do it yourself or use the services of professionals. To date, there are a huge number of organizations ready to assist in promoting a business. When the cafeteria business plan is ready, you can proceed to registering a business. You can carry out your activities as an individual entrepreneur or register an LLC.

After that, you will need to decide on the taxation system. At the first stages of activity, it is better to give preference to UTII, because this way you can get benefits and reduce your taxes. If there is no opportunity to work on this system, then in this case the simplified tax system will be the ideal solution.

Types of cafeterias

The cafeteria is veryuniversal option for doing business in the field of catering. It can be done in several formats. To date, the cafeteria, the photo of which can be seen in our material, has the following types:

• Street family cafe is a very common format in European countries, which is gaining great popularity in our country. A distinctive feature of such an institution is an amazing, warm and relaxed atmosphere, as well as good quality food at an affordable price.
• Network formats. Many entrepreneurs prefer to open a cafe not on their own, but on a franchise basis. It comes out a bit more expensive, however, by buying a franchise you get not only the right to use the brand, but also standardized business technologies, ready-made menus, food suppliers and assistance in opening and launching a project, which minimizes any possible risks.

• Children's Café is another very popular catering format for children. A feature of such an institution is the original menu, as well as the presence of toys and attractions that children can play without any restrictions. As statistics show, such cafes are very popular, so they can be a win-win option for entrepreneurs who do not have much experience in running such a business.
• Thematic cafeteria is a revolutionary format for catering establishments in the domestic market. Such cafes have a certain theme, for example,music, sports or literature, and attract loyal customers who provide a stable income.

The choice of the cafe format should be approached very responsibly, as this is one of the key factors determining the future fate of the entire business. Remember, customers should always feel comfortable.

Where can I get money to open a cafeteria?

Opening a cafeteria is associated with rather large financial costs. If you have the required amount at your disposal, then there will be no problems, but if you don’t have your own capital, you will have to attract it from outside. This can be done in various ways, among which the most common is a bank loan. However, the bank lends money at rather high interest rates, so a loan is not the best solution. In addition, getting a large loan from financial institutions is not so easy.

If you have a business plan in hand, you can try to attract finance from investors who are always ready to invest in a profitable business, cafeteria and other interesting projects.

Also, do not forget about friends and relatives who can lend the money you need or become a co-founder of your business.

Cafeteria location

The location of the cafe or its location is the second important nuance that should be considered when starting a catering facility. 70 percent of the success of the future institution depends on it. Best for opening a cafepublic places with high traffic of people, which will create a constant influx of visitors and allow you to set prices for food at a higher level, which will positively affect profitability.

Requirements for the premises

A cafeteria is a place associated with cooking and serving visitors, so the room under it must meet certain standards and requirements. For example, if a cafe is open in a residential building, then it should not cause inconvenience to any of the residents.

Most coffee shops have a capacity of 50 seats, so look for a room with at least 100 square meters. In addition, it must comply with all sanitary and fire regulations, which are agreed with representatives of the relevant authorities. The walls in the kitchen should be finished with a special material that is resistant to fire. A good ventilation system should be equipped in the kitchen and in the hall.

Equipment

For the normal functioning of the cafe, the following equipment is needed:

• coffee equipment;
• refrigerators and freezers;
• food processor;
• MW;
• hob;
• oven;
• cutting table;
• showcases.

If you plan to serve a large number of visitors daily, then you should not save on buying equipment and decorating the interior design of the hall. Guests should feel comfortable in a café and see that they are being served at a high level.

Personnel issues

When you find a suitable space for a cafe, complete repairs and purchase equipment, you will have to solve personnel issues. The quality of service and satisfaction of visitors depends on the level of qualification of employees. If the bartender serves the guests tasteless coffee, or the waitresses take too long to take and give orders or clear the tables at the wrong time, then the success of the cafeteria is very much at risk.

For the full operation of a catering establishment, the following workers must be hired:

• manager;
• two chefs;
• four waiters;
• one bartender;
• two cleaners.

In order to increase the efficiency and quality of productivity, you can introduce a system of bonuses and bonuses, conduct regular trainings and master classes, and create a convenient work schedule for staff.

Menu

Regardless of the format of the establishment, the assortment of any cafe should be selling coffee, milk and chocolate shakes, ice cream, beer and various snacks. In addition, the menu can include various pastries and desserts that women and children will certainly buy. As for the main menu, you can make it from first and second courses, which are perfect for a quick and inexpensive lunch.

Marketing

So you already know how to open a cafeteria, so it's time to talk about its advertising and promotion. This is very importantstage when starting a business, because no matter how good your cafe is, if they don’t know about it, then it will not bring profit. With the right marketing campaign, you can significantly reduce the payback period and increase margins.

You can advertise your café by distributing paper flyers, social media, local newspapers or radio. Estimated advertising costs at the initial stage of opening a cafe are approximately 100 thousand rubles.

Associated costs

When opening a cafe, you will have to purchase equipment for storing and preparing food, tables and chairs, dishes, household chemicals and much more. These needs will require approximately one and a half million rubles, however, this amount may vary depending on the type of catering establishment.

In addition, in the process of work, you will have related expenses, such as: rent, the cost of purchasing products, salaries of employees, utility costs and others. All these expenses should be included in the business plan in the appropriate section so that you can have a clear idea of how much money you need to invest and how long you can return it.

Conclusion

Now you know what stages the opening of a cafe consists of. This process is not easy and involves a lot of difficulties, but if you can overcome everything, then you are guaranteed a stable and profitable business. Most importantly, take the matter seriously and then everything will work out.