Discuss issues of cooperation between business partners over a cup of coffee, sit and relax with friends from college, spend a pleasant day with your family, wanting to get away from routine and add a little variety to the lives of your family and friends. Clients have different goals. Therefore, they select the place for their implementation according to their preferences.
The task of the business plan is to take into account all the needs of the target audience and calculate the possible profit from this. Cafes as a business are popular and the proof of this is the increased demand. Properly organized marketing, design, service, and cuisine will make this business profitable; investments in it can pay off in just six months.
Project Description
The advantages of registering as a quality include:
Minus: you won’t be able to get a license to sell alcoholic beverages. Only legal entities can sell alcohol.
May apply a simplified taxation system.
Registration is carried out with the tax authorities.
The next step will be obtaining permits from sanitary services and fire inspection.
The premises must fully meet the requirements of these services. A detailed list of requirements can be obtained directly from these institutions. It is worth remembering that having a ready-made premises, in order to get permission to open a cafe, it may have to be radically remodeled.
What will the work schedule be? This issue should be taken seriously. The number of employees, since with a 12-hour working day you will have to hire additional waiters and a cook, since their work schedule will be 2/2.
At selection of premises or redevelopment, it should be taken into account that the cafe will be divided into several zones:
- Shopping room.
- Kitchen.
- Staff room.
- Wardrobe.
- Bathroom.
In any cafe, you can create additional semi-closed rooms where business clients can discuss issues of interest with partners.
Features of room selection are discussed in the following video:
Equipment for a cafe, depending on the availability and amount of funds, you can purchase or lease.
Equipment you will need in the cafe: 
- Plates, grill.
- Refrigerators.
- Sinks.
- Kitchen tables.
- Dishes.
- Bar counter.
- Tables for clients.
- Chairs for clients.
You need to rely on high-quality equipment and utensils.
From establishment design a lot depends. As you know, people are greeted by their clothes. The same is true for cafes. The client will receive an initial impression on his first visit.
Do not skimp, and this issue should be discussed with a professional designer. The main thing is that the theme of the cafe is one with the design. The future attendance of the establishment largely depends on this.
Staff must be friendly and friendly. It has been proven that even with the most beautiful design and good menu, attendance at catering establishments decreases due to the rudeness of the staff. 
The cafe will need the following workers:
- Administrator 1.
- Cook 3 - 4.
- Waiter 4.
- Accountant 1.
- Cleaning lady 1 - 2.
The staff is calculated based on a shift work schedule.
The experience of the cook, the quality and quantity of dishes that he can offer as a menu, and the beauty of the presentation of the prepared food are important.
The experience of opening this type of establishment is presented in the following video:
A small cafe or restaurant is a fairly profitable business if it is well organized and has a properly drawn up business plan. The following main features must be taken into account.
Before you open a business and start drawing up a plan, you need to register with the tax authorities as an individual entrepreneur (IP) or LLC. The state fee for registering an individual entrepreneur is 800 rubles. To open an LLC, you will have to pay 4,000 rubles.
Next, you should open the current accounts necessary for conducting business with a credit institution (bank). This procedure costs about 5,000 rubles, taking into account the fact that a number of documents for opening accounts will have to be notarized.
Selecting a room
The most important component of the business plan is the choice of premises. 
Finding a suitable small space can be time-consuming. The choice of premises should be approached as responsibly as possible. Its location will depend on the type of establishment.
If the cafe is designed for dinners and business lunches, then the premises should be looked for near organizations and enterprises so that employees of these institutions can visit it during their lunch break.
If your plans include opening a mini-restaurant for romantic couples who come in the evening, then it should be in a secluded place.
It is better to open a student cafe near the buildings of educational institutions.
It is beneficial to open a mini-cafe for children and their parents next to an amusement park, theater or cinema.
In any case, no matter what type of mini-cafe, a convenient entrance, parking and aesthetic appearance will guarantee regular attendance of the establishment.
The premises can be rented or purchased if financial possibilities are available. Depending on the method of acquiring premises, the cost of implementing a business plan will vary.
In the most economical option, renting a small space will cost 50,000 rubles per month.
It is much more convenient if the premises already have the status of a public catering establishment, otherwise obtaining permits to open an establishment and major renovations will take a long time and require enormous costs. By the way, one of the main documents is the corresponding permission from Rospotrebnadzor. Among other documents, there must be contracts for utilities, garbage removal, destruction of mercury-containing lamps, as well as permission from the fire department.
If some documents are missing, they should be included in the plan.
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Recruitment
The next important point of the business plan is personnel recruitment. 
If you hire 2 cooks, 2 waiters, 2 bartenders, an administrator and a cleaner, then with an average salary of 20,000 rubles, the cost of paying wages will be about 200,000 rubles monthly. Personal income tax and insurance contributions to extra-budgetary funds are paid from wages.
It is not necessary to include an accountant and a lawyer on your staff. It will be much more convenient and cheaper to contact companies that professionally provide accounting and legal services.
It is worth including the purchase of products in the business plan in advance. Having chosen suppliers, it is better to conclude long-term contracts with them for the supply of food and, if necessary, alcoholic beverages.
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Required attributes of a business plan
If the plan of operation of a mini-cafe includes the sale of alcoholic beverages, then opening such a business requires obtaining an appropriate license. In accordance with Article 333.33 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, the submission or renewal of a license for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages costs 40,000 rubles for each year of validity of the license.
When drawing up a plan, it should be taken into account that in accordance with the Federal Law of November 22, 1995 No. 171-FZ "On state regulation of the production and turnover of ethyl alcohol, alcoholic and alcohol-containing products and on limiting the consumption (drinking) of alcoholic products" in the new edition, for To carry out retail trade in alcohol (with the exception of beer and beer drinks), organizations must have cash register equipment, as well as retail facilities and warehouse premises with an area of at least 50 square meters. m for urban settlements and 25 sq. m for rural settlements in ownership, economic management, operational management or lease, the term of which under the contract is one year or more.
A cash register can be purchased for 10,000 rubles. After purchasing it, you need to register it with the tax service and enter into a contract for servicing the cash register with a specialized organization.
If the premises are purchased for rent, without equipment and furniture, then their purchase will be an integral component of the business plan.
You will need to include in the plan the cost of tables, chairs, refrigeration equipment, kitchen equipment, stoves, bar counters, dishes, tablecloths, design items, etc.
As for the cost of these goods, for example, the minimum cost of an electric stove with an oven and two burners is 25,000 rubles. The cost of a refrigerated cabinet is from 30,000 rubles. A folding plastic chair can be bought for a low price of 600 rubles, a chair on a metal frame - from 1000 rubles, a table on a metal frame - from 3000 rubles. A bar counter from the economy series will cost about 15,000 rubles.
There are situations when you have an idea for organizing your own enterprise, the desire and ability to implement it, but for practical implementation you only need a suitable business organization scheme. In such cases, you can focus on the cafe business plan. An example with calculations will help you determine the initial data needed to open your own business and predict the final result to which it could potentially lead. Ready-made examples can provide guidance in the trends of a rapidly changing market and offer non-standard and in-demand activities. Also, a high-quality business plan for a cafe, an example with calculations of initial investments, profits and payback periods will help attract an investor for the planned project.
Summary
Coffee drinking culture changes from decade to decade. Nowadays it is not just a stimulating drink, but a companion for a pleasant pastime with friends and acquaintances, colleagues and loved ones. Why not make coffee a reason to enjoy contemplating the creations of modern art?
Among other things, creating a coffee shop is not only a successful and profitable business, but also has great potential for development. Various varieties, manner of serving and methods of accompaniment, a lot of activities with which you can diversify your usual pastime.
The original interior, friendly and creative staff, exhibitions and creative evenings will create a special atmosphere and culture that will attract visitors for a pleasant stay and spiritual development.
If successfully implemented, the project can be developed in various directions. It is possible to create highly specialized branches of the network - a literary cafe, a theater cafe, a coffee shop for artists, a coffee shop with live jazz music, etc.
By adapting a business plan and a sample with calculations to specific external and internal conditions, certain initial values, you can organize a successful business, take your competitive position in time and use all the invested potential. However, the example contains descriptions and calculations that would be common to most potential markets. In order to fully describe the specifics and certain conditions of existence, the document must be supplemented with a competition analysis, prices for raw materials and fixed assets that are relevant for the region in which the ready-made cafe business plan will be applied must be edited.
Product Description
The project is aimed at creating a literary coffee shop “Murakami”, which is intended to become a “cultural island”. The main goals included in the cafe’s ready-made business plan are to instill in young people a love of literature and interest in contemporary art, support young talents and contribute to the formation of a cultural society.
Range of coffee shop services:
- High quality coffee and coffee-containing drinks.
- Holding photo exhibitions.
- Literary evenings.
- Crossbooking.
Clients of the coffee shop will be able to enjoy high-quality coffee and coffee-containing drinks to the accompaniment of relaxing lounge music; three times a week, literary evenings, mini-performances, photo exhibitions or painting exhibitions of contemporary avant-garde artists will be held, which will allow young talents to express themselves, and clients of the coffee shop to get acquainted with modern trends in art. These activities involve neither profit nor costs.
The coffee shop also invites its customers to take part in a social movement - crossbooking, which involves exchanging books they have read. The coffee shop is equipped with original shelves on which anyone can leave a book they have read and take in return one left there by someone else. The relaxed, calm atmosphere of the coffee shop provides conditions for comfortable reading.
Types of coffee and coffee-containing drinks, recipe and price:
Drink name | Recipe | price, rub. |
Espresso "Reader" | A coffee drink made by passing high-temperature, pressurized water through a filter containing ground coffee. | |
Americano "Vanguard" | Espresso topped with hot water to prolong the enjoyment of the drink. | |
Moccaccino "Haruki" | A drink made from coffee with milk and cocoa. | |
Espresso Macchiato "South of the Border" | Espresso covered with milk foam. | |
Vanilla latte “Afterglow” | Latte with vanilla extract and thick creamy foam. | |
Latte “Norwegian Wood” | Espresso, white chocolate, milk, milk foam. |
The main competitive advantage of a coffee shop is its specialization, since this kind of thematic establishments are not sufficiently developed in provincial cities. This cafe business plan can be considered original (example with calculations). Takeaway coffee can also be included in the coffee shop's range of services.
The cost of production with increasing volumes will reduce both fixed unit costs and variable costs due to wholesale purchases of raw materials. The coffee shop’s pricing concept includes a cost-based method with a trade markup taking into account the originality of the establishment. The emphasis is on the creative atmosphere and originality of events.
SWOT analysis
Advantages | Flaws |
Special atmosphere Original culture of the establishment Quality coffee and drinks Crossbooking Opportunity to express yourself Opportunity for cultural exchange | Not yet formed image Lack of regular customers Lack of established relationships with suppliers |
Possibilities | |
Expansion of the range Building connections with new investors Selecting the most profitable suppliers Regular customers | Potential danger of competitors Rejection of such a culture in society |
The target audience
The company is aimed at audiences with low and medium incomes, in particular:
- for creative youth and university students (17-25 years old);
- for middle-aged clients interested in contemporary art (26-45 years old).
The potential client of our coffee shop is a creative person searching for himself, interested in trends in art, looking for inspiration, like-minded people or cozy solitude.
Coffee shop location
The location of the coffee shop is expected to be in a shopping center near the city center, close to educational institutions, in a crowded area. The premises will be leased under the agreement for a period of 5 years. The rental price is 180 thousand rubles. in year.
Sales promotion
Customer incentives will be carried out using the following methods:
Game stimulation | Conducting attractive events that can increase traffic to the coffee shop and inform the population about its existence. |
Service incentives | The opportunity to attend an original event should encourage customers to visit the coffee shop and subsequently spread the word to friends and family. |
Souvenirs | Regular visitors are entitled to free coffee upon reaching a certain number of visits. |
A cafe business plan (sample with calculations) offers basic options that can be varied in every possible way by calculating the costs and profits in the financial part.
Pricing policy
Product prices will be calculated based on the volume of potential demand, costs and profits. Pricing principles and markup percentage are set by the company itself. They differ from each other in different enterprises, be it a Unido cafe business plan (example with calculations), a fast food cafe or any other restaurant business enterprise.
Sales volume and pricing at the enterprise will be calculated as follows:
Calculation of prices for coffee drinks |
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Name | Specific gravity,% | Price/portion, rub. | Level bargain. Nab., % | Volume of production/year (portions) |
Espresso "Reader" | ||||
Americano "Vanguard" | ||||
Moccaccino "Haruki" | ||||
Vanilla latte “Afterglow” | ||||
Latte "Norwegian Wood" | ||||
Average selling price: | ||||
Advertising
One of the primary issues when opening a business is informing the public (in particular, your potential clients) about the opening and subsequently about news, events and promotions.
- inside - 1;
- outside - 1;
- around the city - 3.
The cost of placing a banner is 2 thousand rubles.
1*2=2 thousand (rub. per year)
Production plan
Capital investments for the purchase of equipment for the project
Type of equipment | Price, rub. | Quantity, pcs. | Cost, rub. | Cost without VAT, rub. |
Coffee machine | ||||
Fridge | ||||
Set of dishes | ||||
Split system | ||||
Bar counter | ||||
Corner sofa | ||||
Music system | ||||
Projector | ||||
Cash machine | 5000,00 | |||
Computer | ||||
The annual cost of repairs and operation of equipment is 2% of the cost of the equipment.
The list of required equipment varies among different types of restaurant businesses. Therefore, for example, in order to implement a business plan for a fast food cafe, it is necessary to calculate the costs of a completely different list of fixed assets.
Calculation of the total amounts and structure of initial investments for an investment project |
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Types of costs | Conditional designation | Amount, thousand rubles | Cost without VAT, thousand rubles. |
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Total capital investment | |||||
incl. due to: | |||||
own funds | |||||
Investments in equipment | |||||
incl. due to: | |||||
own funds | |||||
Total amount of real investment | |||||
including due to: | |||||
own funds | |||||
Investment for the project has the following structure:
Capital investments - 290.72 thousand rubles.
Investments in working capital - 114.40 thousand rubles.
The total amount of necessary investments for the project is 405.12 thousand rubles.
Capital investments will be made at the expense of credit resources, investments in current assets - at the expense of own funds.
Production capacity
Using existing equipment, an enterprise can implement per day:
(in thousand rubles) |
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Index | |||||
1. Material costs | |||||
2. Rent | |||||
3. Salary of key personnel + unified social tax | |||||
4. Salaries of support staff + Unified Social Tax | |||||
5. Salary of management personnel + Unified Social Tax | |||||
6. Equipment repair costs | |||||
Total operating costs | |||||
Depreciation | |||||
Total distribution costs | |||||
Expense items are basically similar in restaurant enterprises, regardless of the features and range of services offered. Planning expenses for similar items can be applied and a business plan for a children's cafe can be calculated.
Depreciation at the enterprise is calculated using the method of reducing residual value
Calculation of the cost of fixed assets by year, taking into account depreciation | ||||||
Index | ||||||
Fixed assets at the beginning of the year, rub. | ||||||
Depreciation | ||||||
Fixed assets at the end of the year, rub. | ||||||
Organizational plan
The management of the enterprise is entrusted to the director, who works part-time since the enterprise is just beginning, the turnover will be insignificant at first, there is no money and there is no need to include an accountant on the staff.
As a director, the director is a financially responsible person, represents the interests of the enterprise in the authorities, opens a bank account, draws up contracts and other documents, issues orders, orders the hiring and dismissal of employees, the application of incentives or penalties.
As an accountant, the director is responsible for carrying out operations of receiving, accounting, issuing and storing funds. He also keeps accounting records, checks the accuracy of the information received, and monitors compliance with legal principles when spending resources. Higher education, knowledge of accounting in the restaurant business.
The number of production personnel will be determined based on functional feasibility. The payroll system is based on official salaries; allowances and bonuses depend on actual production and achievement of final results. Upon achieving results, the remuneration system may change and include a percentage of the sale of drinks in its structure. The calculation of the number of staff is made on the assumption that the coffee shop will be located on the periphery or closer to the center; if the location of the enterprise involves a large flow of customers, then the number of employees needs to be expanded. For example, if you plan to implement a business plan for a cafe (example with calculations) for an employment center on the highway.
Job title | Number of people | Salary/month, rub. | Payroll/month according to tariff, rub. | Additional salary, bonuses per month | Payroll per month, rub. | Payroll for the year, thousand rubles. | Single social contribution |
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amount, rub. |
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Management personnel |
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Director-accountant | ||||||||||
Key personnel: |
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event entertainer | ||||||||||
Support staff: |
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Cleaning woman | ||||||||||
Coffee shop opening hours: From 10:00 to 22:00. Daily.
Financial plan
Cafe (example with calculations) makes it possible to assess the ability of the project to ensure the flow of funds in a volume sufficient to service credit resources, taking into account profit generation and the payback period. The business plan calculation period is 5 years.
The company plans to purchase all fixed assets using credit resources. The bank offers a loan at 18% per annum. It is assumed that the entrepreneur plans to open a cafe based on the fact that there are no reserves and financial results from past activities.
Calculation of loan interest payments:
Indicators | ||||
The amount of expenses for paying interest to the bank for a loan | ||||
Loan repayment amount | ||||
Number of payments per year | ||||
Bank interest rate per year | ||||
Bank interest rate per month | ||||
Inflation rate per month coefficient | ||||
The amount of overpayment for the use of credit resources is 65.27 thousand rubles.
Organizing a coffee shop is a cost-intensive business. The share of variable costs in the product price excluding VAT is 80%. Taking into account the planned revenue, we can say that the business will have a large margin of economic sustainability, since it is quite low. If the customer or investor is not satisfied with the indicators presented in this business plan, he can, based on an example and regulatory documents, do similar work on his own, adapting it to practical reality, for example, calculate a business plan for a roadside cafe. The example with calculations is for orientation only.
Planned sales revenue:
Revenue from product sales (RUB) |
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Index | |||||
Espresso "Reader" | |||||
Americano "Vanguard" | |||||
Moccaccino "Haruki" | |||||
Espresso Macchiato "South of the Border" | |||||
Vanilla latte “Afterglow” | |||||
Latte "Norwegian Wood" | |||||
A cafe business plan with calculations of projected profit for an investment project demonstrates the following resulting indicators:
Indicators | |||||
1. Sales revenue | |||||
3. Gross operating costs | |||||
depreciation | |||||
Profit before tax | |||||
Income tax | |||||
Profit net future value | |||||
Discount coefficient | |||||
Net profit (present value) | |||||
Cash flow (future value) |
Calculation of discounted cash flow and payback period
DP bud. Article | DP bud. Article Battery. | Coeff. dis-i | DP present Article | DP present Article Battery. | |||
Calculation of the payback period suggests that, taking into account discounting, the project will pay for itself in 7 years and 7 months. The period that the cafe business plan offers (sample with calculations) exceeds the estimated period and is very long for restaurant enterprises, however, it is necessary to take into account that profit is not the main goal of creating an enterprise, the main goal is the education of culturally enlightened youth and development contemporary art.
For a long time, we can observe that more and more new catering establishments are opening, be it cafes or restaurants. According to statistics, many of them close in the first year of existence.
The reasons may vary. These include poor quality services and improper management. Therefore, it is important to draw up and approach this matter responsibly even at the planning stage. Let’s draw up a financial plan, but first we’ll look at the features inherent in this document.
Project Description
IN project description business plan indicates: 
- type of cafe, its location, address;
- room area, number of seats;
- a complete list of equipment and inventory that needs to be purchased is determined;
- staff. When carrying out activities in 1 shift, you will need: an administrator, a cook, a waiter, a cleaner. With shifts, the number of personnel will be doubled.
If a business plan is drawn up to receive a grant, it is necessary to take into account the relevance and benefit to the population, socio-economic indicators, and the possibility of creating new jobs.
When drawing up a plan for investors, it is important to make accurate estimated calculations of costs, income, profitability and payback time of the project. Private investors are primarily interested in these components.
Market analysis and choice of cafe type
In preparation for the opening, you need to carry out market and competition analysis. It will help determine what type of cafe will be in demand in a particular city or area.
Wherein determine:
- standard of living and income of the population;
- number of residents (ratio of youth, working-age population and elderly);
- division of cafes into categories;
- location of such establishments;
- demand for services of this kind.
Having carried out such an analysis, it will be possible to implement a pricing policy, determine the type of cafe, and select a menu.
The next step will be analysis of competitors' activities. Having identified mistakes in the activities of competitors, the main thing is to prevent them from appearing at home. It is important to add some “zest”.
The costs of opening a cafe are determined type of establishment. Today the following are considered relevant and in demand:
- children's cafes;
- Internet cafe;
- anti cafe;
- sushi bars;
- pancakes
The features of various types of cafes and examples of their opening are discussed in the following video:
The success of a cafe largely depends on its competent location. Focusing on a wide audience, you need to make sure that the establishment is located in a busy, densely populated area. Thus, today’s mega-popular Internet cafes and anti-cafes are unlikely to be particularly in demand in cities with small populations; they are most popular in megacities.
Important principles are considered: 
- convenient access roads and parking;
- being “in plain sight”, near train stations, bus stops, and in shopping centers.
When opening, for example, a youth or children's cafe, it is advisable to make sure that it is located in the city center, park, near entertainment clubs, an institute, etc. Accordingly, the rental price will be much higher.
Providing such a service as a business lunch will be more in demand near business centers.
If you have not yet registered an organization, then easiest way This can be done using online services that will help you generate all the necessary documents for free: If you already have an organization and you are thinking about how to simplify and automate accounting and reporting, then the following online services will come to the rescue and will completely replace an accountant at your enterprise and will save a lot of money and time. All reporting is generated automatically, signed electronically and sent automatically online. It is ideal for individual entrepreneurs or LLCs on the simplified tax system, UTII, PSN, TS, OSNO.
Everything happens in a few clicks, without queues and stress. Try it and you will be surprised how easy it has become!
Menu development
To work, you need to develop a cafe menu. It is advisable to prepare the usual everyday and festive (banquet) items.
The menu should match the type of cafe.
What will attract visitors to the establishment is not only the quality of the prepared dishes, but also their names. It is recommended to avoid banal names. You can make some originality both in the description and name of the dishes.
When creating a menu, it is important to determine at this stage exactly where groceries will be purchased for their preparation, select responsible suppliers.
The classic menu includes no more than 40-50 dishes and 30-40 drinks. You can update the list of dishes for the holidays (New Year, Easter, March 8).
Financial plan
So, using an example, you can determine the volume of approximate investments, profitability and calculate profitability.
Target: opening of a children's cafe.
Description of the project. It was decided to open a children's cafe with 50 seats in a busy place in Kazanso with an average bill of 500 rubles per person. In addition to the hall there will be utility rooms and a kitchen.
The target audience: children, mothers or grandmothers, couples with children.
Schedule: from 9.00 to 21.00.
Market analysis: The premises for the cafe were chosen not far from a place where people relax - a park. There are catering establishments in this area of the city, but there are no children's cafes among them.
Competitive advantages compared to other establishments: the presence of a bright design, a system of discounts for regular visitors, an entertainment program for children.
Marketing policy. It is planned to conduct an advertising campaign at the initial stage. Further customer acquisition is based on advertising on social networks and distribution of leaflets.
Equipment. Conclude contracts for the supply of production equipment and furniture:
Staff. At the initial stage, it is planned to hire: an administrator, 2 cooks, 4 waiters, 2 cleaners. Accounting services will be performed by a freelance accountant.
Calculation of profits and expenses
Opening costs will be: 
- Rent of premises - 25,000 rubles/month.
- Renovation of the premises - 150,000 rubles.
- Purchase of decorations and designer services - 150,000 rubles.
- Advertising campaign - 20,000 rub.
- Purchase of furniture and equipment RUB 350,000.
- Salary per month - 180,000 rubles.
- Purchase of food: 100,000 rub.
Budget cafe: We have our own funds to open a cafe. Planned get a grant from the Ministry of Economy in the amount of 200,000 rubles under the program to support young entrepreneurs.
For a cafe to operate at break-even, the average bill should be at least 500-600 rubles. Then pay off business will be able to do so in a year.
Tips for starting such a business are outlined in this video:
Marketing plan
Events will help attract visitors advertising campaign. Here you can use both free and paid methods.
It is advisable to conduct such campaigns not only at the initial stage, but also regularly thereafter.
Let's introduce some ways to conduct an advertising campaign:
- posters;
- business cards;
- radio advertising;
- partner exchange (for example, a taxi driver can distribute business cards among his clients in exchange for advertising of his services by employees of a new cafe);
- create a page on social networks and advertise your services in this way.
It is also important to provide Additional services in the cafe price list. Holding fun children's parties, corporate events, and weddings will bring additional income. It would be good if a separate hall, prepared specifically for these celebrations, would be used for these purposes.
Sequence of actions to open this business
To organize a business, it is important to resolve legal issues at this stage:
IMPORTANT. When choosing a method for carrying out the activities of an individual entrepreneur or LLC, you need to proceed from whether you plan to sell alcoholic beverages in a cafe, since only legal entities (LLC) can obtain permission to sell. Licenses are not issued to individual entrepreneurs.
At selection of premises it is important to pay attention to:
- rent price;
- room layout, condition;
- number of inputs and outputs;
- availability of public transport stops, remoteness;
- how the room was previously used;
- Does it comply with fire and sanitary safety standards?
It is advisable, when choosing premises for a cafe, to give preference to those located on the first floors.
Cafe design very important. It must reflect its name and match the type. In this case, it is advisable to contact professional florists and designers. You should not save your budget, because with a competent approach to the design of the establishment, all investments will easily pay off.
Equipment costs depend on what kind of dishes you plan to prepare. They must be specified in the business plan. There must be equipment for both storing food and preparing it.
So, classic set of equipment can be called:
This list should also include the necessary furniture for the hall and utility rooms, plumbing fixtures, interior items, lamps, etc.).
In a business plan, it is preferable to divide the purchased equipment into categories.
It is no less responsible to approach the selection personnel. There is no need to hope that over time they will learn everything. It's better to hire professionals. Unqualified, rude staff and tasteless food are ready to deprive the cafe of visitors once and for all.
Creating a cafe is not easy and expensive, but with the right approach, the money invested can easily be returned back.
When choosing an industry in which to implement a successful business, many entrepreneurs give preference to the catering industry. This is quite reasonable.
Opening a cafe is a great way to start a business.
Such projects usually pay for themselves quickly and bring greater profits in the long term.
That is why all kinds of coffee shops, pizzerias, co-working centers, cafes are appearing at every turn.
Let's figure out what actions need to be taken to open a cafe so that it becomes popular. How to open a cafe? Let’s draw up a rough business plan, but first let’s look at the specifics of this area.
Why cafe
In Russia, the catering segment is considered quite free, despite the demand for such business.
This is because half of the establishments close within a year.
The situation can be explained by a lot of competition, an unsuccessful concept of establishments or low-quality services.
This is why it is so important to write a cafe business plan. Those who approach this responsibly manage to function successfully in the market.
Each new cafe has its own characteristics, which invariably attracts visitors, some of whom become regular customers.
There are plenty of reasons that make such a business in demand among newly minted entrepreneurs:
- growth in the well-being of the population;
- desire for a modern lifestyle;
- the opportunity to communicate in a relaxed, comfortable environment;
- development of office centers and shopping and entertainment complexes, whose employees need to eat;
- interest in themed establishments;
- the existence of lovers of culinary delights, as well as bachelors;
- celebration of celebrations.
Planning as the basis for success
It is important to honestly assess your strengths and capabilities at the very beginning.
After all, in order to feed people, it will be necessary to obtain a number of permits (individual entrepreneurs, sanitary and epidemiological service, firefighters).
Subsequently, all standards and norms must be strictly observed. When “laying the foundation,” a competent and attentive approach is important, otherwise additional costs cannot be avoided.
Organizing a cafe should not be a consequence of yesterday’s “insight” of this idea. Any business needs to be calculated down to the smallest detail!
This is the secret of a successful business. The result begins to be formed with the planning of indicators: budget, volumes, timing of launch and implementation of the project.
The success of the enterprise rests on these three pillars. Think about how much capital investment you are willing to make in a cafe, how long will it function and how long will it take for the investment to pay off?
If you are able to answer these and a number of related questions, moreover, you understand the relationship between all processes, then your project to open a cafe will certainly generate significant income.
The level of service provision in a cafe is simplified compared to a restaurant, so there is no need to perform a super task.
Let us consider in detail which issues need to be given maximum attention.
Permits and required documentation
Organizing a cafe requires mandatory resolution of such legal issues:
- business registration;
- choice of taxation system;
- collection of documents (lease agreement; permission to place a catering establishment in a specific premises; results of a medical examination by staff);
- licensing (for trading activities, sale of tobacco and alcohol products);
- registration of cash registers;
- concluding contracts for: garbage removal, fire inspection, fire alarm, panic button (security), deratization and disinfection, accounting support;
- obtaining a conclusion from the SES (on the compliance of the selected premises with all sanitary standards);
- obtaining permission to carry out activities from fire safety authorities;
- signing contracts for the supply of products.
In any case, you will not be able to avoid the documentary component, so use all your efforts and connections to resolve the issues listed.
Planning to open your own cafe should be based solely on sanitary standards. Customizing the project to suit them is not the best solution.
All rules for catering establishments regarding compliance with sanitary standards are reflected in the provisions of “San Pin 2.3.6.1079-01”. Following them is a sign of respect for the clients who provide your income.
Market and competition analysis
Analysis of the catering segment is very important. It will help you figure out which type of cafe is most in demand and which will be a new product. Initially, you need to define the following parameters:
- the total number of the population and the share of youth and people of working age in it (they will form the main contingent);
- average income level of residents;
- breakdown of the number of cafes by niche;
- territorial location of establishments;
- supply and demand for services;
- average check size.
By comparing all these parameters, you will be able to understand the trends inherent in the market, intelligently build a pricing policy, create a menu and select the concept of the establishment.
Then study the activities of similar establishments in your city, analyzing their pros and cons and target audience.
The shortcomings that competitors make are especially important.
Try to avoid them by improving your best practices and introducing your own ideas.
It is important to identify the factors that determine the attendance of an establishment in a particular place. If you have free funds, market analysis can be ordered from consulting agencies.
In this case, a professional assessment of the niche with detailed details and a forecast of industry trends is provided. If the prospects of your idea turn out to be illusory, such companies will select a more profitable project.
Choosing the type of establishment
The budget is planned based on a business plan, based on the type of cafe. Focus both on your own preferences and on the number of similar establishments.
Children's cafe - interior
Today the following cafes are considered promising on the market:
- children's;
- vegetarian;
- Internet cafe;
- with karaoke;
- hookah bars;
- sushi bars;
- franchised;
- fast foods (provide takeaway food);
- anti-cafe (you pay for the time of your stay, not the cost of the dishes on the menu);
- thematic (literary, sports, musical, national style, etc.).
Whatever type of establishment you choose, take into account the specifics of establishments. For example, the presence of dishes “from the chef” and branded cutlery are characteristic of an elaborate restaurant style. Don’t chase luxury you don’t need, it will only lead to unnecessary expenses.
But bags of sugar, the packaging of which shows comics from your establishment, will be just right. You can also make napkins with a logo or name, a special uniform for staff, or a compliment from the establishment to regular customers.
Remember, “zest” is always welcome, and no matter where - in the menu, interior or service.
Selecting a location
If you are counting on a wide audience, make sure that the location of the cafe is convenient for people:
- was in the first visibility zone;
- conducive to relaxation (absence of nearby busy roads and noisy highways);
- provided parking and transport access.
The location certainly affects the attendance of the establishment. You need to choose places with high traffic (central squares, walking areas, shopping and entertainment complexes, train stations and metro stations) or focus on the main idea.
The concept is an important factor in determining the location of the establishment. Understanding the target audience will help you choose the right area, street or shopping center. For example, youth cafes can be located near the main places of entertainment in the city, cafes for vegetarians can be located near centers of spiritual practices.
If your main focus is on business lunches, you should choose places near business centers in business districts of the city. In a residential area you can count on banquets, near transport hubs - on quick snacks.
Coffee shops are popular in the city center, because it is convenient to meet there to talk about some business for 15-20 minutes.
Features of the room and interior
The premises for the cafe can be bought, built or rented. When choosing, the following criteria are taken into account:
- rent or cost;
- room dimensions;
- the presence of halls and utility rooms;
- layout;
- proximity to public transport stops;
- distance from automobile and pedestrian traffic;
- number of storeys (preferably the first);
- availability of entrances and exits (preferably from the street);
- “labyrinths” indoors;
- window exit (great if the room is located at an intersection and the windows face 2 streets);
- view from the window;
- availability of ventilation systems;
- compliance with the standard (firefighters, SES);
- condition of the electrical wiring (what is the maximum load the room can withstand);
- previous use of the premises;
- the need for repair or restoration.
It is necessary to clearly understand how many halls and seats in them for guests will be needed to implement your idea on a full scale. The optimal option according to the law is an area of 280 m² / 50 seats.
In addition to the area of the dining area, do not forget to calculate the dimensions of the kitchen, toilet rooms, storage areas, staff rooms, accounting, and management. The more accurately you draw a plan, the more understandable it will be for you and investors, and the greater the chances of bringing the project to life in its original form.
The interior design should correspond to the name of the cafe and reflect its concept. Come up with some kind of “trick” that will help attract customers and make the establishment recognizable in the market. Designers, decorators, florists, and marketers can help with this.
We can recommend a win-win trick that will attract the attention of guests - fresh flowers on the tables. It’s not that expensive, but it always “works.” For a themed cafe, the idea should be seen in absolutely everything: from paintings and musical accompaniment to the staff uniform and the names of dishes on the menu. This is a mandatory condition for such establishments.
Don't skimp on your budget to play with the idea. After all, it is this factor that allows you to inflate prices on the menu. Remember, in the right atmosphere the client loses the sense of time and reality, and a feeling of relaxation arises. This can compensate for shortcomings in cuisine and service.
Equipment
The amount of expected costs for the purchase of equipment for the full operation of the cafe depends on the business plan, which sets out the list of dishes that you are going to offer to visitors.
Some products must be stored under certain conditions. This may require additional storage rooms. Others require special processing devices. Evaluate all the nuances of preparing dishes before adding them to the menu.
For a cafe, the standard set of equipment includes:
- slabs;
- cutting tables;
- grill;
- refrigerators and freezers;
- combi oven;
- washing equipment;
- dishes;
- kitchen equipment (mixers, coffee machine, slicers, microwave ovens, blenders, toasters, etc.).
Also calculate the amount of furniture, lamps, decorative elements, dishes, textiles, equipment and appliances required to decorate the room.
It is advisable to divide the estimate (calculated in the business plan) by type of goods (kitchen equipment, furniture, plumbing, interior elements). This will allow you to receive volume discounts when delivering products.
Staff
It is undesirable for a new establishment to risk its reputation from the first days by hiring unqualified staff. It is foolish to hope that employees will learn everything directly on the job.
Food that doesn’t taste good or doesn’t match its name will drive customers away from you once and for all. Unpolite and awkward staff, dirty dishes, and “stale” rooms do not contribute to popularity.
It is important that employees are:
- cultural;
- smiling;
- professional;
- healthy;
- neat;
- interchangeable.
To operate a small cafe you will need no more than 10 employees working in shifts:
- 2 cooks;
- 2 waiters;
- 2 washers;
- 1 bartender-cashier;
- 1 administrator;
- 1 accountant;
- 1 cleaning lady.
Making a menu
To work, you need a basic and banquet menu, developed taking into account the specialization of the establishment.
It is important to work out a meal plan:
- dietary menu;
- children's menu;
- business lunches (set lunches);
- compliments for guests;
- alcohol card.
Try to avoid banal names of dishes. Introduce something unusual or change the names.
The breadth of assortment is welcome. However, it is worth observing moderation. Too many dishes on the menu indicate that they are prepared from semi-finished or stale products in violation of sanitary standards.
In addition, choose only trusted suppliers. Random purchases at low prices can turn into a big problem.
A standard full menu should contain up to 50 dishes and up to 50 items of various drinks. This is quite enough. It is better to update it every quarter, as well as for holidays (Halloween, Easter, New Year, etc.).
Advertising and PR
An advertising campaign can be carried out one-time, but it is better to do it on an ongoing basis (in this case, you need to include these costs in the cafe business plan). When developing your marketing policy, consider two components of a successful campaign:
- internal marketing (implies ensuring the maximum level of competence and loyalty of personnel);
- external marketing (implies a number of activities to generate demand among potential customers). You can use:
- billboards;
- posters;
- advertising brochures;
- business cards;
- discount flyers;
- radio advertising.
Something can be distributed in shopping malls, office centers, crowded places. Not a bad option for partnerships. You place taxi business cards on your site; on the contrary, they advertise you. At the same time, mutual small discounts on each other’s services will have a double effect.
It is appropriate to create pages and groups on social networks, as well as place information about your cafe in thematic catalogs. Of course, if your budget allows, you can make your own website. But remember that it needs to be promoted. This is costly and quite difficult.
Therefore, it is better to postpone this until the cafe “unwinds”. Think about how to retain your customers. It may be worth introducing loyalty programs for regular customers.
Profitability
The profitability of such establishments depends on:- scale of activity;
- location of the object;
- theme of the establishment;
- working hours;
- quality of the “cuisine”;
- personnel qualifications;
- pricing policy;
- amenities and atmosphere;
- volume of investments.
For example, nowadays fashionable Internet cafes and anti-cafes have a profitability of about 100%! But they are in demand only in megacities.
The children's cafe has a profitability of about 30%. Equipping a children's playground with animators and hiring a pastry chef can double the profitability of such an establishment.
Cafe business plan with calculations
Here is a brief example of a business plan for opening an Old City cafe.
Target: organizing a compact cafe or pastry shop.
Description of the project. Cafe "Old City" is located in the old part of the city (as reflected in the name) in a rented room with 1 hall (seats 40) and 1 kitchen area.
The premises previously operated as a café, so the cost of purchasing equipment will be reduced.
It is planned to open an establishment with the concept of national cuisine in a low price category.
The average price of a check is expected to be $5.5. Target audience: students, office center employees, tourists. Opening hours: 10-22 daily.
Market analysis. The place is popular for walking among residents and visitors of the city. There are quite a lot of similar establishments, with a similar concept - only one.
Competitive advantages will be obtained by extending the cafe’s opening hours by an hour, holding “dish of the day” promotions, and reducing prices by 5%.
Marketing policy. Large-scale advertising will be carried out one-time. Next, it is planned to advertise through social networks, sell booklets, discount coupons and business cards.
Equipment. Most of the equipment in the room is (in good condition). Need to purchase:
- refrigerators – 2 pcs.;
- microwave oven – 1 pc.;
- bar counter – 1 piece;
- production table – 1 pc.;
- new tables for visitors – 10 pcs.;
- chairs in the hall – 40 pcs.;
- hangers – 2 pcs.
Staff. According to the plan, it is planned to hire 6 employees: administrator, cook, waiter, bartender, washer/cleaner, accountant (visiting).
Financial indicators. Costs will be:
- rent – 2 thousand $/month;
- purchase of products (including alcohol) – $3 thousand / month;
- utility bills – 1 thousand $/month;
- redecoration of the premises – $2 thousand;
- furniture – $5 thousand;
- equipment – $7 thousand;
- advertising – $1 thousand;
- wage fund – 3 thousand $/month. (including deductions).
Investments in the amount of $40 thousand/month are expected. Projected net profit – 3-4.5 thousand $/month. The return on investment period is 1-1.5 years. The planned income is possible at 50% load. The profitability of the cafe is 30-40%.
Summary
Many of us visit cafes. Some want to have a snack, others want to celebrate a joyful event, others want to meet with friends, and others want to conduct business negotiations.
For city residents this is the norm of life, and for entrepreneurs it is an interesting and promising type of business.
Stylish cafe – opening
Organizing a cafe seems quite expensive, but the efforts and investments will be more than repaid if you approach this issue correctly and carefully.
The most important component is a detailed business plan with all the necessary calculations.