Opening a little coffee shop is a lot easier than trying to start a restaurant type cafe with a full kitchen and food menu.
It’s important to be clear about your concept from the beginning as this will affect many areas of your business plan and financial forecasts.
As a retail business, one of the most significant decisions and expenses for the company is the rental for the cafe’s premises. The rent will be determined by the size and location of the property, so entrepreneurs will need to carefully consider the trade-off between paying higher rates to be in a popular area or finding a cheaper alternative in a quieter part of town.
These decisions will normally depend on your cafe’s concept, which in turn affects all the other areas of the business.
Here are some things to consider:
- What’s the Concept
- Who’s the Target Market
- What are the Opening Times
- What’s the Premise Size Required
- Where’s the ideal Location for the Cafe
- Do you serve Premium or Gourmet Coffee
- What other Beverages do you Offer
- Do you provide a Snacks or Food Menu
- How do you Intend to Prepare the Food
- Will you have a Kitchen to Make Fresh Meals
- Does the Cafe Offer a Take Out service
- How many Staff do you need to Run the Cafe
- How many Baristas do you need
- Do you serve Alcohol or have a Bar in the Cafe
- Is Food available throughout the Day or only at Meal times