Entrepreneurs like Debbi Fields (Mrs. Fields’ Cookies), Anne Beiler (Auntie Anne’s Pretzels) and celebrity chef Paula Deen are just a few examples of people who have turned their love of cooking into highly profitable enterprises.
The beauty of food businesses is that they are very fluid – your products evolve over time quite easily. Tastes only change slightly from year to year. You’re left then with a blank culinary canvas on which to create your food products.
Below are a few of our most popular Gourmet and Food Business Ideas.
- Starting A Cooking School
- How To Start A Deli Business
- Coffee Kiosk Franchise
- How To Start An Ice Cream Truck Business
- Starting A Bottled Water Business
- How To Start A Coffee Truck
- How To Start A Diner
- How To Bottle And Sell Sauces
- How To Start A Restaurant Business
- Opening An Internet Cafe Business
1. Starting A Cooking School : You need more than funding and a degree in cuisine for starting a cooking school. You also need passion for cooking.
As any good cook will tell you, dishing out innovative meals is no child’s play.
You will need the patience of a saint to handle a class of students eager to learn how to make something other than just the basic salad.
Particularly if none of the students knows the difference between various herbs or spices, mixes up the peppers, and wants to rustle up four course meals in 30 minutes!
Those starting a cooking school will do well to read up on the business and economics affecting the hospitality industry.
Not all good cooks are sound businesspeople, however, and so if you are not sure that you will be able to take advantage of the market demand on your own, team up with a business partner who understands the role of commerce in your success.
Contrary to what many people believe, there are many types of cooking schools. It will help to find your niche early on and stay with it until your business is firmly established. Your culinary school could specialize in regional cuisine, for example – you choose to go All-American, Southern, Western, Grill, Mexican, or one of the many other different types of cookery available to you.
International cuisine is the flavor of the times, though, and teaching something like Lebanese, Japanese, or Italian cooking will have people flocking to your classes from miles around.
Vegetarianism is also big these days, and many people swear by its wholesomeness. If you are a vegetarian or understand vegetarian cooking, starting a vegetarian cooking school will help you to earn a substantial income by teaching people something you love.
Not all cooking schools are swanky affairs with chefs dressed in starched white caps and aprons. If you need to operate out of a retail space, you will have to invest in the location. If you cannot afford this, tying up with another business to start your classes after work hours is a good idea.
If you want to operate out of your home, make sure that there is adequate space and the proper facilities. You can set your own hours and so don’t need to make it a full time business, though, so that’s a definite advantage of the working from home option.
The best way to minimize the cost and capital is to go online. Online cooking schools are a big hit, and you can enroll more students through an online program than you could through a conventional one. You can take on students from any corner of the world.
Starting a cooking school gives you the chance to turn your hobby into something more profitable, and has lots of potential for expansion if you’re able to manage yourself and your business effectively.
2. How To Start A Deli Business: Learning how to start a deli business is not as hard as it might seem.
To begin with, you only need a small amount of room in which to offer seating to your customers. Your kitchen space can be relatively small as well if you are careful in your stockroom purchasing.
A food court in a mall would do nicely, or a small space in a downtown district.
If you can make a few nice sandwiches and you have business experience, then you already have a great start in the search for how to start a deli business.
Making a sandwich doesn’t require a rocket scientist. Anyone can do it – all you need is the right kind of bread or roll and an ample supply of meats, cheeses, and other gourmet foods. A lot of delis also offer some pretty nice desserts such as cheesecake or brownies, too. The more selection you can offer your customers, the more money you will make.
You can also put your deli business on wheels and add catering for businesses, sports arenas, college campuses and so forth. The great thing about this business is that all you have to know is how to start. The rest will take off from there.
How To Start A Deli
You will also need restaurant equipment and kitchen supplies. These can be standard appliances and materials, but are definitely not optional. No matter if you rent a food court space or a restaurant downtown, the salary you can make from using this equipment well can be lucrative.
If you don’t have the required funds to open up a deli, you can start small. Begin by offering breakfast burritos or prepackaged sandwiches in your home. You will have to be certified for this, but once you have overcome these obstacles you will have a great way of making money in a low-cost way.
Your next step in the business operation will be obtaining the very best deli sandwich recipes. It’s not hard to do this – make a few sandwiches and give them away to friends and neighbors for their opinions.
You don’t have to limit yourself to sandwiches, either. A deli can serve soup, salad, cookies, wraps, beverages, etc. First determine your market, however, and then decide what kinds of food you will offer.
You will also need restaurant insurance and a food service license, but once you know where to look for these, it will be a breeze. Don’t worry about consumers who strictly prefer to eat at the major food chains either, as small mom and pop delis have always survived and thrived and they always will.
Now that you know how to start a deli business, you’re only a few sandwiches and a lot of thought away from a fun and profitable new career!
3. Coffee Kiosk Franchise : If you really know your java, let your inner barista out by starting your own business with a coffee kiosk franchise. This type of venture allows the entrepreneur to start off small or large.
Depending on the type of franchise you’re interested in, the new business owner can operate from a small cart or from a larger store-front. As any latte expert knows, there is an endless demand for designer coffee, and many people are prepared to pay for their favorite cup of Joe. Satisfy this demand, and your profits are virtually guaranteed!
Of course, a coffee kiosk franchise could sell more than Cappuccino and Espresso. In many cases, coffee shops also offer a variety of teas, hot chocolate, smoothies, and light snacks. Some also sell coffee cups, specialty coffee for home use, and coffee-making equipment.
Many customers also expect a full-service cafe to provide comfortable seating and free Wi-Fi service. Before selecting a specific coffee kiosk franchise, visit an existing store or kiosk to make sure that it’s a good fit for your business plan.
Please take a look at a few of our favorite coffee kiosk franchise opportunities as a starting point in your coffee kiosk franchise research.
To combat their home city’s rainy weather, Seattle’s Best has been serving up their signature Uncommonly Smooth coffee since 1970. As the original creator of specialty coffee, this authentic coffeehouse is known throughout the world for its proprietary blends. Of course, Seattle’s Best will let you in on their secret if you’re prepared to pay their franchise fee. If you’re worth about a million and have at least $250,000 in liquid capital, you could open your own Seattle’s Best Coffee shop.
At this time, Seattle’s Best is franchising under the Starbucks Corporate umbrella, another proven name in the coffee industry. This opportunity allows the new business owner to get started quickly with full support from the start-up team at Seattle’s Best including site selection, store openings, initial training, and ongoing consultations. To draw customers, the parent company provides free listings on their website, national marketing campaigns, and other promotional material. For a more laid-back coffee shop experience that requires a relatively low franchise fee, Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffee & Smoothies could be the perfect fit for you. This franchise only requires a $50,000 franchise fee and a total net worth of $100,000. Many ambitious entrepreneurs can leverage their home equity to swing this gig. With 28 years of experience and over 600 franchise units worldwide, you can add a little aloha spirit to your community with a business of any size from a coffee cart to a full-service cafe.
This business model combines the most popular beverage in the world with the hottest health trend in the food industry. If you open your doors in a health-conscious area, you’ll find customers who just can’t give up their favorite caffeinated drink as well as those with more will-power who are looking for a healthy treat. While coffee is expected to remain popular, the smoothie market is currently seeing a 30% growth rate.
Gloria Jean’s has been in operation since 1979 and franchising since 1986. When you choose this franchise opportunity for your next small business, you’ll have the advantage of a proven brand and the support of Gloria Jean’s team of seasoned experts. As the second-largest in the coffee franchise market, this opportunity will set you back $250,000 and requires a net-worth of just under $500,000.
If you go with Gloria Jeans, you’ll become a certified coffee expert after you attend the Gloria Jean’s Coffee University. You’ll be exposed to a little time in the field before you hit the books in the classroom. University graduates are trained extensively in everything from choosing just the right staff to making the perfect Cappuccino.
All The Perks
You’ll truly enjoy “All the Perks” when you choose this coffee kiosk franchise opportunity. As you know, coffee drinkers are always on the go, and this is one of the few franchises that offers a double drive-thru configuration. Because studies show that over 50% of coffee shop customers are in a hurry, this will give you a definite edge over your area’s competition. For caffeine junkies that would like to hang out for awhile, you can also provide a cozy coffeehouse atmosphere inside your store. Additional business models are available for carts, kiosks, and sit-down cafes.All the Perks is one of the more affordable coffee franchises out there. You can get started for as little as $40,000, but this company wants you to know that you may be required to invest between $50,000 and $250,000 depending on the type of shop that you decide to open. All the Perks also offers an Area Developer plan to allow you to profit from promoting this popular company. In addition to your own shop, you can sell franchises and earn residual income from their earnings as long as the new store is in operation.
If you’d like to open a retro coffee shop, Chock full o’Nuts is the perfect choice. Who doesn’t remember seeing at least one can featuring this famous logo in an old movie? This is one of the oldest coffee companies out there with over 80 years of successful operation. Expect your new business to have the feel of a Classic New York Diner as you serve traditional coffee along with breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Whether you choose to open the diner model or go with a kiosk, your franchise will be supported by the largest privately-held coffee company, bar none. Because they own the coffee plantations, the roasteries, the distribution methods, and even the company that makes their espresso machines, you will never have to worry about the quality of your product. Start off with as little as $30,000 in licensing fees that covers either three kiosks or one kiosk and one cafe!
4. How To Start An Ice Cream Truck Business : As a child, you may have dreamed about owning your own ice cream truck business. What could be better than being in charge of all of those wonderful flavors and treats? As an adult looking for a profitable business opportunity, it’s time to make that dream a reality.
Owning your own ice cream truck is a great opportunity that can be quite lucrative as long as you conscientiously plan and possess a willingness to work hard. An ice cream business can be started with one truck and, if successful, grow into a larger operations as your market dictates.
Before purchasing an ice cream truck, check with the following regulatory agencies to ensure that the truck you buy meets all of the legal requirements and to become informed about the laws governing an ice cream truck business in your region:
- Department of Motor Vehicles
- Local Health Department
- State, County, and City Business Licensing Agencies
After learning all of the rules and regulations you must follow to legally run your business, apply for the required licenses and purchase your truck. Map out a regular ice cream route. Choose an area that does not currently have ice cream truck or cart service, but has a large population of children who have parents with an adequate income.
Contact ice cream distributors and suppliers to determine which types of ice cream treats you will sell and their cost. Keep an eye on ice cream pricing trends. Your goal is to charge enough to make a profit, but not so high that people can’t afford to buy from you.
Ice cream trucks generally don’t have to do a lot to attract a crowd. Simply playing a song (we’ve all heard the tune and can’t get it out of our heads!) and parking in a neighborhood full of children on a hot, summer day practically guarantees customers. There are some ways, however, to increase sales and develop a following of loyal patrons.
Choose a regular route and stick with it. Arrive at the same time every day. Customers will know when to expect you and be ready to buy. Always have plenty of the most popular ice cream treats available.
Some of your customers will be adults, but most of them will be children. It takes special skills to deal with kids. Kindness and diplomacy will be required. The basic tenet of customer service applies, even when your customers are young – treat all customers with respect and have some fun doing it!
Special promotions are a great way to introduce new customers to your ice cream truck business. Below are some suggestions:
- Offer free samples of various ice cream flavors
- Use a buy-one get-one-free promotion
- Hand out coupons for free or discounted items
31 Flavors And Beyond – Growing Your Business
In addition to your regular ice cream route, you can increase ice cream truck sales by selling your ice cream at local events. Sporting events, carnivals, fairs, festivals, conventions, and flea markets are all locations where people gather and may purchase ice cream treats.
If you have established a popular route and are making a profit, a second truck in a new location may increase revenue. Plan for a second route as meticulously as you did the first, so you have the greatest chance for success.
5. Starting A Bottled Water Business : Millions of people choose bottled water every day as their choice for a healthy lifestyle, so why not consider starting a bottled water business of your own?
There used to be a time when everyone drank tap water, but with the search for purer water and on-the-go convenience, the bottled water business has grown exponentially.
In the U.S. and worldwide, growth is expected to continue. Starting a business in bottled water has never been more attractive an idea.
It is essential to have a well thought out business plan.
The first question to answer is: do you have a plentiful source for your water? According to the International Bottled Water Association (bottledwater.org), bottled water comes in six different forms.
These are: spring water, which comes from an underground spring; purified water, which has been cleaned to acceptable governmental standards; mineral water, which contains a minimum level of naturally occurring minerals; sparkling water, which originally contained carbon dioxide and after treatment still retains it (or has had the carbon dioxide added back to the original level); artesian water, which comes from an underground rock unit through which water moves; well water.
Once you have a source for water, you will need bottling equipment. Bottles, caps, labels and sterilizers are some of your essentials. Many water bottles are now making the move to lighter, more environmentally friendly designs. Look for bottling machines that can accommodate this.
Consider leasing bottling equipment and machines instead of buying them – at least at first. This will free up funds for other areas of your business such as marketing.
Before you pour a drop of water into a bottle, you will have to make sure you are following governmental regulations.
The Food and Drug Administration (fda.gov) regulates the bottled water industry. These regulations are intended to ensure that the water is safe from the time it is procured through the processing, bottling and transportation process.
Research their rules to ensure you are following them. This means you must know all of the components in your water accurately to ensure consistency and purity.
If you are selling tap water, you will fall under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Agency (epa.gov), which is equally stringent.
Marketing Water
Fortunately, many people are already sold on the idea of buying water instead of using tap water. Now you just have to sell people on buying your water. As you plan this, think about what makes your water special.
Is it the purification process that gives such a clean, natural taste? Is it the location of the source?
Once you’ve determined how your water is different, you can figure out where to start marketing. If your purity is the selling point, try selling at natural food stores. Local stores often have more flexibility to try new brands than larger chains. Give the store managers free samples.
Consider vending at local sporting events, as recreational baseball and soccer games are filled with thirsty players and spectators. Also consider sponsoring a team, providing water for their events, giving players coupons, and telling them where they can buy more bottles.
You can also sell directly by setting up a website with a shopping cart.
By doing your research, complying with federal regulations, and differentiating your water, you can tap into success after starting a bottled water business.
6. How To Start A Coffee Truck : If you are friendly, tenacious, and looking for an opportunity that best utilizes your talents, learning how to start a coffee truck may be the answer to your search.
Coffee has never been more popular and, with up-front research and lots of preparation, a coffee truck business has an excellent chance to succeed.
There are two avenues you can pursue when thinking about how to start a coffee truck business. The first is selling coffee from a vending truck parked in a parking lot. The advantage here is that it is easy to move from place to place and the customers come to you. The disadvantages are higher start-up costs and more costly ongoing expenses.
The second option is a mobile coffee truck or cart where coffee is brought directly into the workplace. The advantages when starting a mobile coffee truck business include low start-up costs and more personal interactions with customers, which often leads to higher sales. The disadvantage is that you will be required to gain permission from building or business owners before you can bring your coffee truck into an establishment.
Either option requires extensive planning. Consider the following:
- Choose target areas that are not currently served by a coffee vendor.
- Take the cost of gasoline into account when searching for business areas to serve. It may not make sense to drive 50 miles to find customers if you can’t make enough profit to cover travel expenses.
- Research pricing and make your coffee prices competitive.
Finally, contact your local county, city, and state regulatory commissions and apply for your business licenses before you get too far down the coffee truck road.
When thinking about how to start a coffee truck, remember that, in order to succeed, high quality products and superior customer service must be maintained. Be dependable. If you say you will bring the coffee truck around at 9:00 am., be there at 9:00 am.
Flexibility will also be a key. Listen to your customers and be aware of what their preferences are. Often, customers will ask for types or flavors of coffee that you don’t currently carry. Do your best to fill customer requests.
If a coffee is not selling well, stop offering it. Put your money into products that people want. Make sure the quality of your coffee is better than the coffee in the break room.Learning how to start a coffee truck also involves finding customers in areas that are either not served now or are not served well. It often requires cold-calling and knocking on doors. Friendly, finely honed customer service skills are necessary.
Customers should not only look forward to the coffee you bring, but look forward to seeing a smiling face. Since yours will be a new business, some companies may be hesitant about bringing you in. Offer to serve the company on a trial basis, so you can show them what you can do. Advertise in print and in radio ads.
Join business organizations and network with other entrepreneurs. Some of them may be interested in a coffee truck service for their own businesses.
Coffee is certainly not the only product welcomed by workers. Expansion ideas include offering a variety of drinks, snacks, fruit, and sandwiches. Make your coffee truck available for business meetings and other events. Be prepared to hire employees so you can maintain a high level of customer service.
Learning how to start a coffee truck business is an ideal opportunity for entrepreneurs who are outgoing, persistent, and willing to lay the groundwork for success.
7. How To Start A Diner : Learning how to start a diner is just the beginning of an exciting and promising business venture. Typically, diners are not as negatively affected by economic downturns as some other food service businesses are.
Diners generally offer good food at reasonable prices which makes them extremely popular at any time.
Start the licensing and registration processes early by contacting your state and local health department and governing agencies. As you learn more about how to start a diner, you will find that diners are subject to numerous food safety regulations.
Some states require that food handling licenses be obtained by anyone handling food for public consumption. Many of the local and state regulations will have a direct correlation to the actual building you choose.
Regulations may include laws about how many bathrooms the diner must have, the distance the bathrooms must be from the dining area and kitchen, what the requirements are for air filtration, and other mandatory regulations.
If these laws are not followed, your diner may not be allowed to open or may be forced to close until you meet the requirements.
Choosing the right location is essential. Not only do you have to make sure the location complies with health regulations, the location must already have a steady stream of potential customers nearby.
This is especially important for new businesses that don’t yet have name recognition. Your location should include or have room for the kitchen, bathrooms, seating, tables, booths, counters, and food and supply storage.
Many successful diners use a theme by which to distinguish themselves. For example, a diner decorated in a 1950s theme with a name like “Fab Fifties Diner” will be unforgettable. Nostalgia is a popular diner theme, but other possible themes include country, fishing, nautical, trains, trolleys, and historical.
A unique atmosphere and catchy name will make your diner stand out from the rest.
As you learn more about how to start a diner, remember that diner patrons expect good food and friendly service. They may first be attracted by the diner’s name and motif, but it’s great service, reasonable prices, and tasty food that bring them back.
Happy customers will tell their friends about your diner so high quality food and service is your first line of attack. Freely give out business cards, coupons, and menus.
Consider joining the local Chamber of Commerce and become involved in their events. Partnering with nearby businesses during the holidays or for charity events will often bring more customers to your diner.
Other ways to find new customers may include the following:
- Advertise in the local media
- Attend community events
- Offer free food along with a specific purchase
- Offer return customer incentives
- Create a small, informational web site where you include your hours, address, driving directions, phone number, and menu
Expanding Your Business
Thinking about how to start a diner is only the beginning. As more people hear about your diner’s quality food and service, you may find yourself looking for ways to add more seating. Catering is a service that could be added to potentially increase profits as well.If you have room, part of the diner could be made available to customers to rent for private parties and business meetings. If business is excellent, you may choose to add an addition or move to a larger location.
As you learn how to start a diner, become successful, and continue to grow, remember the basics. Offer diner patrons an experience they can’t get anywhere else and they will come back again and again.
8. How To Bottle And Sell Sauces : If you love food and cooking, you may already be halfway towards learning how to bottle and sell sauces.
Start a small business making and selling gourmet sauces today. Just look in the grocery store; the aisles teem with sauces from small businesses just like yours!
The obvious key to success in this business is that people know about, like, and are willing to pay money for your sauces.
You will need to do a lot of up front work before you begin buying the bottling equipment and the jars, however, because a home-based food prep business is subject to many rules and regulations.
Don’t despair! How to get approval to sell sauces may not be as much fun as how to bottle and sell sauces, but it is a necessity if you want to assure that your product is safe and your customers are happy.
A good place to start gathering information about starting a home-based gourmet sauces business is your state Extension Office. Extension offices are generally run by land-grant universities, and their primary goal is to provide information regarding entrepreneurship, local agriculture and life sciences.
You can try typing your state and extension office into a search engine, or you can visit the Extension.org website and locate local offices utilizing their zip code search.
Your second call should be to your state Department of Health. They will be able to tell you what state and local rules, regulations and laws apply to starting a home-based food business.
Making your sauce fresh for a family dinner is one thing learning to make it safely for sale to the general public is another altogether. Check local vocational schools for classes on canning. Go to the library and check out books on the subject, or scour the Internet for information.
Talk to other small business owners in your area who make food products. The Small Business Administration can be a good place to start when looking for other business owners who can provide you with advice.
You should start small to preserve capital and focus on getting your products into specialty neighborhood food shops. You may want to offer to give a part of your profits back to the store or donate them to the store’s favorite charity. This act may motivate the owners to give you retail space for your products.
Look into setting up a booth at local farming markets or craft fair. Also consider using the internet as another sales channel.
Once you know how to bottle and sell sauces, how can you expand your gourmet sauce business? If you have enough recipes, write a book about sauce recipes! People who like your sauces are probably the same people who like to experiment in their own kitchen.
Sell your recipe books on the internet or donate them to fundraising events or charity auctions. Give your recipe books to people in high visibility jobs like your hairdresser or dentist – people who will likely share your book with their other customers.
You may have to give away a lot of your books for free at first, but as long as you make sure that the information on how to buy the book is clearly visible inside, you will make additional sales.
Perhaps you will want to branch out into a specialty catering business that utilizes your gourmet sauces, too. Offer barbeque beef sandwiches made with your barbeque sauce recipe or hot sauce recipe, for example. Add a bag of chips and a can of pop and you have a great box lunch special to offer to small businesses for their lunch meetings.
Some higher-end kitchen boutiques offer in-store cooking classes. If you have a store like this nearby, try negotiating a spot to offer a sauce class of your own. You will get greater exposure and a little extra cash flow from the tuition.
Few businesses require as much up front research and preparation as a home-based food business. The rewards for finding out how to bottle and sell sauces can far outweigh the headaches, though, when your product becomes a local or even national sensation!.
9. How To Start A Restaurant Business : If you love food, why not find out how to start a restaurant business?
Whether you enjoy planning menus and cooking meals, or creating a welcoming environment for guests, the restaurant industry is big business.
Do you like to eat out? Most people do. In fact, a survey by the National Restaurant Association indicated that people eat out an average of 4.2 times per week.
Whether this is for convenience, variety, or entertainment, people will make room for a restaurant with tasty food.
The key to success in the restaurant business is to plan well.
When you’re considering opening a restaurant, you need to decide what type of operation you want to have. There are basically three kinds: quick service, midscale, and upscale.
Quick service or fast food restaurants like McDonald’s or Subway give customers food that is prepared quickly and can be eaten quickly or taken to go. Prices are normally low to moderate.
Midscale restaurant such as Chili’s or Romano’s Macaroni Grill will take a little longer than the quick service restaurants. While full meals are served, the prices are still considered to be moderate.
Upscale restaurants focus on the food and ambience. Dining is leisurely, and attention to service is important.
Knowing the type of restaurant you want to run is your first step. You can further develop your concept by completing a restaurant business plan. This plan will help you map out all aspects of your business to ensure they are feasible.
You’ll need to explore in your plan whether you want to operate independently or buy into a franchise. The amount of investment will vary depending on your direction.
Franchises often dictate the restaurant design, so this needs to be considered as well. If you choose to be independent, you may want to work with a consultant to create your final design.
Do you have money for the restaurant? In your cost estimate section of the plan, be sure to include rent (and associated fees), furniture and kitchen equipment, licenses, insurance, restaurant supplies, and marketing.
If you don’t have enough, how will you finance the restaurant? How much profit will you need to make– and by when– in order to repay loans? This information will also let you establish pricing to help you meet your goals.
Along with a business plan, it’s a good idea to create a Restaurant Marketing Plan. From your grand opening and throughout the first year you can plan special events that will ensure customers know your restaurant exists.
Rather than hire staff whilst in crisis mode, make a recruiting plan. Know where you can go to hire staff on short notice. Is there a college or high school nearby? Where can you go for experienced cooks? Begin to establish relationships with culinary schools in your area so their graduates will come to you.
With thorough planning, you can master how to start a restaurant business, and then guide what you create to long-term success.
10. Opening An Internet Cafe Business : Operating an internet cafe business is not only rewarding, but can also be very profitable.
The internet cafe (also known as a cyber cafe) combines people’s love of coffee shops with their perpetual desire to be ‘connected’.
If you enjoy spending time with others and being a part of the food service industry, this is a great way to establish a booming business.
All you need to get started is a rented space big enough for your desired coffee shop and the licenses required to do business in your town.
These licenses vary, but can be time consuming to procure – so be prepared to be able to financially ride out the time necessary.
Check the various regulations regarding food and sanitation licensing, too. States that require a food sanitation certificate demand that at least one person on hand during all operating hours be trained. The initial course in this is usually 15 hours long, and a refresher course is required at varying intervals.
Once you have the necessary building and licensing for your cafe, you need to determine what types of beverages and foods you wish to serve. Having an assortment of coffees and other drinks will help you to cater to a wide variety of tastes.
If you simply wish to provide snack type foods, it will be easier and less expensive to start up than if you choose to offer sandwiches or other small meals. Having a wider offering of foods can also help to ensure your popularity, however, and could be well worth the initial costs.
The next step is to ‘hook up’, and this is the easiest part of your set up. You will need to be sure to have a proper internet service provider and the best internet cafe software so that you can provide your customers with the best access.
Depending on your business plan, you can offer the internet access as a free incentive to visit your establishment and buy your food and drink, or you can charge a fee for it.
If you open your internet cafe business inside of a wifi hotspot you may not have to incorporate your own internet provider. This can save you a great deal of money, but if the wifi is weak and your customers experience difficulties with staying connected, you will suffer.
Unless you are completely sure your wifi hotspots are strong and reliable, it is best to invest in a strong dedicated connection.
When choosing an internet service provider for your internet cafe business, ask a lot of questions. Be sure that the bandwidth available to you will be adequate to service the great demands that will be placed on it from your customers.
Having your service drop or slow down due to exceeding your limits will create disgruntled customers that are unlikely to return.
If you take the time to establish all of the proper needs for your internet cafe business, you will develop a loyal customer base and make a lot of new friends in this interesting and profitable small business opportunity.
