Any business begins with probing the soil, with a comprehensive study. If you need accurate data, you can contact special agencies and order a study for a specific request. But entrepreneurs are distinguished by the fact that they are able to "determine by eye" the free niches.
How to open a summer cafe?
Seasonal business requires maximum effort and time. Unlike a year-round establishment, an outdoor cafe requires a longer promotion time. But that was before. The development of information technology greatly simplifies the tasks of the business. Simple technologies help to first fill the customer base and only then start the business. We consider in detail in the material.
Niche Research
A summer cafe can be opened not only in the city, but also in small cities and even in villages. An ideal place - tourist and beach areas, the circumference of hotels. In this scenario, you can throw 50% on the estimated number of visitors per day. The reason for this is a lot of research and practical experience in merchandising, which states that impulsive purchases can make up to 60% of revenue.
Another area of research is the study of competitors. Is there another summer cafe within a radius of 2-3 blocks? Which menu? What chips do they use? What attract visitors? The ideal option is the lack of competitors in the foreseeable horizon.
Business plan
One of the secrets of accurate analysis is that it is written on paper. It is not enough to calculate the amount of expenses and income on the calculator. A detailed design of a summer cafe should answer the following questions:
- Why is this place chosen?
- In what room or in what area will the institution be located?
- Site design - style, design, value.
- Will there be additional areas: parking, a children's area, a dance floor, a non-smoking area or a summer terrace of a cafe?
- Menu: what will be served? The presence of a bar, pastry shop or bakery.
- Organization of entertainment: music, DJ, toastmaster or other method of entertainment.
- Types of kitchen equipment, appliances and utensils, their number.
- Number of employees: cooks, waiters and administrators.
- Ways to purchase food, drinks, and ingredients. Do I need a car and driver?
- Additional free services for visitors.
- Additional paid services.
- Furniture for cafes - where to buy or order? The amount of expenses.
- Clothing for staff in the same style: design, tailoring and cost.
- Marketing plan: how do visitors learn about a new establishment? What is the advertising budget? What channels will be used?
- Additional ways to monetize equipment.
- Chips that competitors do not have.
- Budget for the first month.
The answer to these questions should indicate the amount needed to start a business.
Issue of premises
After detailed calculations, you should look for a room. There are three options: purchase, construction or rental.
Leased premises carry the greatest risks. Firstly, the monthly rental payment must be constantly budgeted. Secondly, a reputation is created, a place is being promoted, but at any moment you may be asked to vacate the premises.
If the plans are serious and the entrepreneur intends to work in the field of catering for a long time, then it is worth taking a closer look at options where there is the prospect of full ownership of the premises. Moving to a new place after brand promotion is fraught with losses. The laurels of many years of work in the form of regular customers can be reaped by other people.
If there is no money to buy, then you can look for investors or partners who are ready to invest in a summer cafe project in exchange for a certain share of profit in the future. A mortgage should be considered as the last option. It is relevant if open-air summer cafes as a business promise really great prospects.
Menu compilation
Cuisine is the foundation of the catering business. It is necessary to determine the direction: delicious European dishes, French desserts, Italian cuisine with pizza, oriental with spices or mixed. But here, the decisive factor remains the skill of the cook.
Given the specifics of the business, the menu must necessarily include a large selection of desserts, drinks, ice cream, salads and other light dishes. Experienced restaurateurs note that in the summer, meat dishes are in demand, especially kebabs with beer and other alcoholic beverages. They can be diluted with various salads of fresh vegetables, cheese plates, pastries with toppings and tea with various flavors.
As an additional feature, you can include:
- Hookah.
- Karaoke.
- Selfie Corner.
- Tables for an outdoor cafe in an unusual design - ottomans or rocking chairs.
- Competitions with prizes among visitors.
- In the parking lot - car wash while the owners are resting.
- If the cafe is family-friendly, then a good playground should be organized.
One institution was remembered for allowing visitors to write with a marker on the walls. The other was different in that it served disposable slippers to adults and sweets for children at the entrance.
In any situation, the main requirements do not change - the summer cafe should be conducive to long conversations, be cozy and should be tasty to feed.
Supplier search
The second important requirement is the quality of the products. Standing meat can ruin the quality of all dishes. Those visitors who got food from this party will decide to forget the way to this place. Men will not forgive if the beer turns out to be stale. It all comes down to finding reliable suppliers. An agreement should be concluded with them. It gives the legal right to demand timely deliveries and proper product quality.
registration
In the Russian Federation there are two types of ownership: individual entrepreneurs and legal entities. The difference is that the individual entrepreneur is responsible in the amount of his own property registered in his name. And the risks of a legal entity do not go beyond the authorized capital formed before registration.
A list of documents required for registration can be obtained at the local offices of the Unified State Register of Legal Entities and the Unified State Register of Enterprises and Regions. Information is also available on the site. The registration process takes no more than 5 days for both forms of ownership.
Staff recruitment
Work in seasonal institutions is more attractive to students and schoolchildren who decide to earn extra money during the summer holidays. If the cafe is located in or near the city, then there should be no problems with labor. If the establishment is located in tourist areas and away from the residential area, then you may have to take care of hiring with accommodation. The advantage of this option is that on the outskirts, labor is always cheaper than in the city.
The second question is how to register employees. The Labor Code puts forward uniform requirements for employment. According to him, all employees must be formalized, and the entrepreneur is required to accrue insurance premiums on them.
In practice, entrepreneurs find the legal way troublesome. Given the short duration of the work, they prefer not to draw up an employee, but to issue a salary “in an envelope”. In total, more than 30% of Russians work in the shadow sector of the economy. The fight against such phenomena is the responsibility of the Labor Inspectorate and local tax authorities. They have the right at any time to come with a check and write fines if they find violations.
Training
The quality of service is no less important than the quality of the ingredients, the taste of the dishes and the furniture for the cafe in the interior. But the human factor is a big opponent of good self-care: distraction, fatigue, dishonesty, and emotionality. It is important to maintain the spirit of vivacity, friendliness and motivation to work in the staff.
The best motivation is money. Therefore, this issue should be considered at the stage of wage formation. Do not spare the effort and resources to unite the team and motivation.
The experience of one entrepreneur: in the daytime, when there were few visitors, there was general relaxation of the waiters. The head suggested an original solution: every 30 minutes everyone goes out into the hall and dances for 30 seconds. If at first the waiters were indifferent and instead of dancing they laughed, later the spirit of adventurism appeared: they prepared group numbers and fully performed in the hall. The audience was delighted.
Launching an Advertising Campaign
Over a hundred years ago, an advertisement appeared. Since then, it has been developing at a steady pace, looking for increasingly effective and less budgetary options for implementation. Social networks have opened up great opportunities: they can promote any business. The scale is not limited: it is possible within the limits of one country, it is possible for the whole planet. Investments are minimal. If you periodically invite local stars for a free lunch in exchange for a story on your page, then you can assume that the market is almost conquered.