How to start a small restaurant or coffee shop?

Opening a café is presently a vivid and lucrative business. It provides a great way for people to eat out, socialize and experience latest food trends because coffee has always been one of the most sold commodities of the world. But, there are a lot of cons on the other side. To begin with, how to start a small restaurant or coffee shop? When you decide to get into café or restaurant business, the first thing you need to do is seek assistance from professionals who are experienced and can guide you well. People who are passionate and honest about their business policies will be able to tell the entrepreneurs whether they can be successful with their business and how. There are a few steps to be considered to open a café:

1. Selecting a prime location: Location matters a lot; it defines your investment too. It should always be ideal, at a crowded place with high influx of customers. Depending on your target audience, location categories usually vary. Location near crowded streets where women shoppers, university students, business people gathering, near theaters, shopping malls, near offices, vegetable market and fruit markets is the desired one.
2. Financial factors: Planning your budget and investing it the right way can optimize your finances.
3. Viability of lease agreements and obtaining permits: The important aspect in deciding the terms of lease is price. Sometimes agreement can impose restrictions on expanding the business. It is, hence, advisable to talk to attorney for all clarifications. Additionally, there are several permits necessary while opening a café, such as construction permit, sanitation and health permit and wine & beer license.
4. Finalizing the layout: If you are too keen on how to start a small restaurant or coffee shop, the café should be opened in a small space and eventually be expanded with success. If the cafe starts with a large area to start with and the tables are not filled regularly then it becomes hard to maintain the entire structure.
5. Menu designing and recruitment process: Indians are foodies and hence, more the variety more the people occupying your café. Keep on experimenting with your menu and try to bring the best of it for your beloved customers. Best menu is possible when your kitchen staff compliment it with their special and unique touch. Hence, you should always hire chefs and staff who are passionate and experiences.

6. Maintenance and hygiene: Cleanliness is the major factor to drive in customers. The cleaning can be scheduled on hourly, weekly or daily intervals. The seating area needs to be cleaned regularly so customers can have a cherishing experience.

Equipment needed to start a coffee shop:

Once you know how to start a small restaurant or coffee shop, the next step in this business is to purchase equipment needed to start a coffee shop. Selecting right equipment will help you in preparation of delicious and high-quality coffee that will amaze your customers and keep them coming back for more. The list usually includes an espresso machine, coffee grinder, coffee maker, hot flasks, coffee filter, cutlery and many more. You can even use disposable yet classy coffee cups which are eco-friendly too. But, your work doesn’t just stop there. It needs some brainstorming too, especially when it comes to coffee shop kitchen design. Designing a floor plan plus choosing coffee shop furniture and other supplies involves more than rearranging tables. Following coffee shop kitchen design supports operational workflow and communicates your brand to patrons:

1. Assembly Line Commercial Kitchen Layout: It provides 3 distinct areas for food production. It moves raw foods through a series of parallel stations from prep, cooking, and plating to server pickup. This setup tends to keep staff within defined workspaces with less movement between stations.
2. Island Commercial Kitchen Layout: An island design allows more staff movement and supervision between stations than a parallel assembly line setup. All cooking equipment: ovens, grills, fryers are centralized, and the other work areas line the perimeter, effecting a circular flow for food production.
3. Zone Commercial Kitchen Layout: Zone design can allow for more staff movement and supervision between stations. With ample server access to both prep and cooking zones, this can be a good setup for a cafe that cooks only a portion of its menu and uses prep to produce uncooked foods. This kitchen workflow can be adapted to a variety of kitchen shapes and sizes, so it’s one to consider if you have limited space.

Whichever kitchen layout fits your needs, it’s a good idea to test your plan before installing any permanent equipment. There are many ways to embrace when it comes to coffee shop furniture and other supplies. You can add your special touch to the ambience either by decorating it with plants & greenery or simply with hanging lights, using perfect colour contrasts or just by showing off your coffee accouterment. Finally, it’s your space, surprise your customers with the best you can!