Your own business: street food from a chef. Fast food trade: all the basics Equipment for a fast food stall

Why, wanting to invest money in business, do many entrepreneurs around the world choose the fast food industry?

Demand for establishments fast food is great not only in large cities, but also in small regional cities. The food served in them is rich in taste and satiation. And this is not to mention the fact that its cost is several times lower than lunch in a full-fledged restaurant or cafe.

It is not surprising that many are interested in how to open a fast food restaurant and start making money from it. And now some secrets of this popular business you will find out too.

Step 1. Select the enterprise format

Organizing a fast food restaurant begins with choosing one of two enterprise formats: stationary or street.

Street fast food includes retail outlets operating in the open air: mobile carts and counters, pavilions, kiosks and vans. The food is prepared right in front of the customers and served there, on the street.

Stationary establishments are primarily pizzerias, bistros, small restaurants, coffee shops, etc. last years So-called food courts - restaurant patios near shopping centers - are becoming increasingly popular.

However, all such establishments have one thing in common: the menu is based on dishes that require minimal time to prepare.

There is no point in arguing about which of these two formats is better - almost any retail outlet will bring a good profit to its owner. Of course, only under the condition of competent organization of the work process and use quality equipment and raw materials.

Step 2. Competitor analysis

When opening a private fast food restaurant, it is extremely important to analyze the activities of your main competitors (especially if you live in a big city). In this case, it is necessary to study the clientele, location, product range and pricing policy of other enterprises. At the same time, you will be able to see the main mistakes made by your competitors and avoid them in your work.

Step 3. Business registration and paperwork

Organizing fast food in street format is possible for individuals registered as individual entrepreneurs. No additional licenses are required for trading. However important point is to obtain permits from the fire inspectorate and the sanitary-epidemiological service. In addition, you will need certificates of compliance of your equipment with relevant standards and documents confirming the quality of the products.

If we are talking about a full-fledged fast food cafe, it would be more logical to register entity OOO.

Step 4. Selecting a room

If you are interested in how to open a fast food restaurant, you should focus on places that are characterized by large crowds of people. An excellent option is a location close to shopping and office centers or right on their territory. In this case, you will ensure a stable influx of clients.

You must have at least 5 rooms at your disposal (including a kitchen, shopping room, warehouse, toilet and staff quarters).

The premises must have high-quality repairs, all communications must be provided (electricity, cold and hot water, heating, gas, etc.).

Step 5. Purchase of equipment

Now let's talk about what equipment is needed for fast food. The more different units you use, the more opportunities you will have to expand your product range.

A standard set of equipment for organizing the work of a fast food establishment includes:

  • apparatus for preparing hot dogs;
  • pancake makers;
  • grills;
  • deep fryers;
  • waffle irons;
  • thermal showcases;
  • apparatus for preparing shawarma;
  • microwaves;
  • boilers;
  • electric food warmers/microwave ovens;
  • chest freezer/refrigerators;
  • refrigerators for drinks.

In addition, you will need cash registers, dishwashers, dishes and cutting tools (if we are talking about creating a full-fledged cafe).

Modern equipment for fast food allows you to significantly reduce the preparation time of various dishes, reduce their cost and ultimately get truly tasty, appetizing food that not a single visitor can resist!

A little freebie

Already interested? Indeed, people interested in how to open a fast food business can get some help from large manufacturers soft drinks (Nescafe, Coca-Cola, Nestle, etc.). These companies are extremely interested in increasing the supply of their products to such points, and therefore can provide you, as a fast food owner, with refrigerators for storing drinks for free (or in installments).

If we are talking about an open-air cafe, then they can also help in terms of decorating the point, for example, providing branded umbrellas for tables.

Step 6. Analyze seasonality

Fast food as a business is quite dependent on seasonality. The largest influx of buyers is observed in spring and autumn. On hot summer days, demand drops slightly, but during this period the sale of soft drinks can generate quite a large cash register (just imagine how many people there will be who want to drink a can of cold cola in 40-degree heat!). In addition, selling delicious ice cream will attract customers in the summer.

Step 7. Search for personnel

Fast food is a business that, with the right approach, can bring you huge profits in the first years of activity.

To keep your business running smoothly, you will need salespeople, cooks, and cleaners. If you are planning to open a fairly large retail outlet, the skills of managers coordinating the work of the rest of the staff will be useful.

In the process of selecting employees, you should focus on the following factors:

  • availability of special training and qualifications in this specialty;
  • experience in similar positions in other institutions Catering;
  • knowledge of relevant regulatory documents related to work in the catering industry.

In addition, an important point is the communication skills of all employees and their ability to build communication with clients.

Step 8. Buy groceries

The most profitable solution is to buy special semi-finished products for fast food. Find out which companies in your city offer similar services and try to arrange regular wholesale deliveries.

During the period that fast food establishments have been represented in Russia, they have not lost their relevance. On the contrary, cafes where you can grab a quick bite are becoming increasingly popular. This opens up great prospects for entrepreneurs in terms of making a profit. But organizing such a business will require significant capital investments, which not everyone can afford. But beginners have a great chance to master this niche - open a street fast food. There will be significantly fewer bureaucratic nuances that will need to be resolved.

Our business assessment:

Starting investments – from 450,000 rubles.

Market saturation is average.

The difficulty of starting a business is 5/10.

Street fast food is a catering format that involves the quick preparation of “simple” food from semi-finished products. Activities are carried out either in stationary kiosks or through mobile carts. The main feature is that only one type of product is sold.
In Russia, street selling fast food is not as widespread as in America. Here it is a whole “culture” - stalls sell a wide variety of foods that are very loved by Americans. But this does not mean that our “quick” menu will not be popular. The main thing is to find a pass-through place and offer customers delicious, high-quality dishes. If there are few competitors in this segment in your city, you have an excellent chance to organize a highly profitable business. How to open street fast food in Russia?

Choosing a concept is the basis of the planned business

First of all, decide on the food you will sell. Street fast food as a business, depending on the menu, can be opened in several directions:

  • shawarma,
  • grilled chickens,
  • hot dogs,
  • spring rolls,
  • pizza,
  • sandwiches and hot sandwiches,
  • popcorn,
  • cotton candy,
  • pies.

The popularity of stalls with grilled chicken is not as high now as it was a couple of years ago - stalls are closing one after another. But shawarma, sandwiches and hot dogs are still loved by our compatriots - an excellent option for starting a business. Mobile carts with popcorn or cotton candy – summer business, completely unsuitable for year-round profit.

To decide which “fast” food will sell well, analyze the market, assessing the level of competition and the specific location where the stall will be installed.

Nuances of business registration

To open a fast food street stall, a businessman will need to register with quality individual entrepreneur, register with the tax office and issue cash register equipment for settlements with customers.

Select the appropriate OKVED code. This might be suitable - 52.62 “Retail trade in tents and markets.”

To sell food on the street, you will need to obtain a lot of permits from regulatory authorities. And here a number of difficulties arise, since this issue is resolved quite poorly at the legislative level - there are a lot of contradictory issues. The fast food stall will be inspected by sanitary services and local authorities Rospotrebnadzor. All recipes according to which it is planned to prepare dishes must also be agreed upon and approved. If you are going to buy a van for mobile trading, the vehicle must be registered and registered.

The street fast food counter and kitchenette must be kept clean at all times. The fact that you will sell “fast” food does not relieve you of the responsibility of selling high-quality and fresh food. Every year, hundreds of stalls close in large cities due to non-compliance with sanitary standards - do not make the mistakes of careless entrepreneurs.

Choosing the “right” location for the point of sale


Profit from trade will largely depend on where exactly the fast food tent will be located. Give this issue maximum attention.

To conduct business you will not need large areas - 4-10 m2 will be enough. You can rent or purchase a tonar. In the second case, you will spend more at the start, but further variable costs will be significantly reduced.

The key to a quick payback for a street stall with “fast” food is a passable place. Good profitability indicators are observed in retail outlets located in the city center, close to bus and railway stations, large shopping centers. Surely in every major city there is an unoccupied place to organize a business.

How much do you have to invest in purchasing equipment?

You can buy equipment for street fast food without investing much large investments. Specific expenses will depend on the business concept chosen earlier. As a rule, to organize a small stall selling hot dishes (shawarma, hot dogs, pancakes, pies), entrepreneurs purchase the following commercial equipment:

  • ovens,
  • microwaves,
  • special pancake makers,
  • heated counters,
  • grill,
  • coffee makers and brewers,
  • refrigerators.

It will take no more than 400,000 rubles to purchase everything you need. You can meet a smaller amount if you purchase used equipment - up to 200,000 rubles. And buying special machines for popcorn and cotton candy will cost less than others. You will buy everything you need without spending even 60,000 rubles.

What is the profitability of the planned business?


As practice shows, equipment for fast food and street trading pays for itself very quickly - not even a year passes. But this is only in the case of a walkable place and high demand for the food offered.

Starting a “street” business selling hot food (including equipment and business registration) will cost about 450,000-500,000 rubles. Specific profits will depend on the prices of the menu offered and customer demand. When calculating profitability, focus on the following indicators - the markup on dishes in this area is at least 100%. And these are excellent profitability indicators, allowing the entrepreneur to receive high incomes.

For small and medium-sized businesses, catering establishments do not lose their attractiveness. In areas with heavy pedestrian traffic, near educational institutions and offices, the payback period for a fast food kiosk ranges from 2-3 months.

A business plan is drawn up in advance and risks are calculated. You should also take into account the specific food preferences of the population of a particular region. If you have no experience in this field, it is better to hire a specialist, otherwise saving on calculations may entail unexpected expenses.

The whole process step by step

Before opening a kiosk, it is necessary to resolve several fundamental issues:

  1. Registration with the tax office at the place of residence as an individual entrepreneur and registration of a cash register.
  2. Choosing a premises - it can be a stationary kiosk, pavilion, trailer, tent.
  3. Source starting capital. The best option is to interest a fund that supports small businesses with your business plan. If you take out a bank loan, it is advisable to agree on the possibility of a deferment for the first months of work.
  4. Equipment. To sell sandwiches, hot dogs and drinks you will need a microwave, a kettle, a refrigerator for storing preparations, shelving, a display case, and to prepare meat dishes and poultry, pies and donuts, you will need special equipment.
  5. To open a kiosk, you must obtain permission from the city authorities for trade, a certificate from the sanitary-epidemiological service, approval from the construction and architecture department for the placement of small architectural forms, and develop technical documentation and financial plan.
  6. Personnel selection (to service a kiosk, it is enough to hire two sellers, but for a more serious establishment you will need cooks, support workers, a cleaner, a delivery person, and a manager).
  7. Source of energy supply and ensuring compliance with sanitary and hygienic requirements for workers.

Such private business can be opened as your own brand or as a ready-made franchise large network fast food. When purchasing a franchise, ready-made production technology and equipment are provided, and financial risks are insured.

The minimum area of ​​a fast food kiosk is 4-5 square meters, but you should definitely allocate a place for collecting waste and installing a heater during the cold season. If possible, it is advisable to open a kiosk in the spring and summer, since sales volume decreases in winter.

Important aspects for a successful start

The sales leaders in the fast food system are consistently hot dogs and baked goods; shawarma, grilled chicken, pizza, and pancakes are also popular. If the outlet specializes in a certain product, it is advisable to decorate your kiosk in the appropriate style. An important role is played by the sale of related products - hot coffee and tea, soft drinks. The wider the range and the better the service, the higher the chances of attracting a buyer.

Pricing policy plays an important role in quickly increasing turnover. Financial plan should reduce the final cost per serving as much as possible. Neat uniforms will add respectability to the kiosk and attract discerning consumers. Since a lot of attention has recently been paid to a healthy lifestyle, it is advisable to fill the menu with vegetables, salads, and seafood as much as possible.

For a fast food kiosk, you can provide the ability to move depending on the season. If it is located near educational institution, then in the summer it is advisable to change the location to a recreation area or transport interchange. It is also important to take into account food preferences: in warm weather, the demand for soft drinks increases, and in the cold months, the share of hot menus increases.

If the enterprise development plan after 4-6 months of work does not coincide with actual state, you should not delay the audit so as not to accumulate debts. When the profit from the kiosk is stable, it is worth setting aside part of the money for development. Over time, you can open another point and create a whole network of eateries.

Since this business is low-cost and quite profitable, one should not forget about the high level of competition. There is a struggle for each client in the area of ​​pricing policy, speed and ease of service, and the range of products offered. Before you start drawing up a plan, it would be a good idea to study the availability and location of similar retail outlets and collect information from potential clients and take into account their wishes.

People will always eat. And for lack of time or not wanting to spend it on cooking, visit catering establishments. That is why cafes and restaurants are constantly opening and, as a rule, are always in demand.

But such places are more suitable for a substantial and leisurely meal, usually spent in company and while talking. But for a quick snack, it’s better to look into some cafeteria, bistro or fast food, where you will be served promptly, and you can also quickly satisfy your crept hunger.

There are also many such establishments today, and more and more often they specialize in a particular dish, offering it in different variations of preparation and serving. Opening a small “themed” cafeteria is much easier than a full-fledged cafe; it requires less investment, less time, and pays off faster. Therefore, more and more often, novice entrepreneurs are thinking about how to open a fast food cafe and make it a profitable business. The article below will help you navigate this business.

Why now? About relevance and timeliness

Fashion always comes back. And this applies not only to clothing, but also to food. In Soviet times, establishments such as cheburek, pirozhkova, pancake and similar places were popular in our country. Today they are back, again winning the interest of an already sophisticated public wanting something simple and tasty.

Now is the time to open a cheburek or, say, dumplings shop, while the competition is not so great, and the idea has not become boring and boring. It’s best to start with a small point, which can gradually grow into a whole network of similar cafes throughout the city. Next, we will look at the main points that you should pay special attention to before opening a fast food cafe.

Where to open?

When choosing a location for a cafeteria, it is important to pre-designate your potential audience. Who will you have? As a rule, fast food cafes are visited by students and schoolchildren, and often their teachers, office employees and the staff of establishments working nearby: shops, hairdressers, studios, etc. That is, you need to focus on proximity to a large concentration of students and working people. It doesn't have to be the city center, the main thing is that the place should be lively.

How to equip?

Firstly, the room should be small but roomy. Along the perimeter along the walls, you can arrange long tables at which you can have a snack either sitting (then you will need high chairs) or standing. This will allow visitors to quickly eat their order without staying in the cafe for a long time and freeing up space for the next hungry people. This is exactly what the interior of your establishment should be designed for: simple, tasteful and with minimal decoration.

As for the kitchen, it should be equipped with the necessary equipment for preparing the main dish:

  • apparatus for pasties;
  • donut fryer;
  • oven for pies or pancake maker for pancakes.

You will also need refrigerators, meat grinders, various utensils, cutting boards, a mixer or dough mixer (when making any baked goods from dough), and so on. The specific equipment depends on what you plan to offer your guests. Among the most promising areas that will certainly be in demand are dumplings, cheburek, pirozhkova or mini-pizzerias. You can also think about how to open a broth room. Such a place will be especially in demand at lunchtime, because many in our country are accustomed to eating first thing for lunch.

Assortment of fast cafes

We talked about the fact that today specialized cafes with one product are beginning to become especially popular. But even in such establishments a varied assortment is possible - due to fillings and sauces. So, you can open a cheburek shop, which, in addition to traditional meat ones, will offer cheese, mushroom, vegetable vegetarian chebureks and mixes (cheese + mushrooms, for example). This will allow, without significant additional costs, to significantly expand the offer and, as a result, attract more visitors.

You can do the same with other dishes: pancakes with various fillings and sauces, dumplings and dumplings with different fillings, etc. Naturally, do not forget about related products: drinks (tea, coffee), bread (if it is broth, for example) , sauces, vegetables and more. For all this you need to purchase quality disposable tableware, napkins, bags.

Staff in a fast food cafe

A small catering outlet does not require a large staff. It can be just two people - the cook and the cashier. If during cooking you use a lot of dishes that have to be washed, you will also need a dishwasher. As for serving ready-made dishes, disposable utensils should be used.

Often visitors want to take a dish with them, and in this case service will be much simpler: once you eat, you throw away the plate/cup. If necessary, hire a cleaner - he can come only at the end of the shift, which will reduce the cost of paying staff.

Advertising: how to attract visitors

As a rule, fast food establishments quickly become popular and visited. But for greater confidence, you can first organize the distribution of leaflets with information about your cafe and assortment. They can be given to passers-by directly at the catering point, as well as near the nearest stops and metro exits.

A sign will also serve as an advertisement, instantly attracting the attention of passers-by. When looking at it, it should be clearly clear what kind of place this is and what menu you offer. For example, "Cheburechnaya at home" - a good option, and "Cafe Lastochka" - not so much.

To open a fast food kiosk, you need to think through a strategy, choose the right location, pay attention to the assortment and pricing policy. Many issues will have to be resolved in order to register an enterprise, because public catering outlets must not only meet a number of requirements, but also undergo constant inspections by the SES.

Relevance of the idea

Any entrepreneur will first ask the question, is it profitable or not to open a fast food kiosk? The catering industry is very attractive, as it allows you to receive consistently large profits with the right approach to organizing your own business.

Today, the format of stalls and kiosks is in great demand, because such a business has a number of advantages over regular catering outlets:

  • the starting investment is significantly lower (if opening a full-fledged restaurant and cafe requires at least 1,000,000 rubles, then a stall can cost 2-3 times less);
  • quick payback;
  • ease of finding premises;
  • mobility (if demand decreases, a businessman can always move his stall to another part of the city, but moving a cafe or restaurant will require more significant costs);
  • no need to invest a lot of money in advertising (most of the profit of such kiosks is generated from situational purchases by customers who pass by the point of sale).

You can work in this area independently or through a franchise. The second option is more preferable for those who have no experience or do not want to engage in strategy development. A franchise is a ready-made solution and work under famous brand. Today, catering kiosks are opened according to this scheme under the brands “Stardog!s”, “Shaurma-King”, “Food”, “Waffles to Go”.

If you plan to open a fast food kiosk from scratch, the entrepreneur may not know where to start such a business. It is important to assess the attractiveness of the niche and identify competitors. And only then, having convinced yourself of the advisability of opening a stall, can you proceed to collecting the necessary documents.

Registration of a business in this area is very important, since failure to comply with the requirements of supervisory services may result in the closure of a point of sale. You need to act in the following order:

  1. Choice legal form. You can work in such a business as an individual entrepreneur or LLC. If you plan to open only one stall, then an individual entrepreneur will be enough.
  2. Choice of tax regime. There are a lot of options in this case - UTII, PSN, simplified tax system. All three options can be beneficial. It's better to do it in advance approximate calculations, find out about benefits in your region, and only then make a decision.
  3. Registration with the Federal Tax Service. For individual entrepreneurs - at the place of residence, for LLCs - in accordance with legal address. After submitting the documents, the registration certificate is issued within 5 - 7 days.
  4. Installation and registration of a cash register. Since the kiosk will work with ordinary individuals, it will not be possible to do without it. In addition, on the simplified tax system, cash register is mandatory.

At the registration stage, you will have to decide on the OKVED code. If you open your own kiosk, the following codes can be applied:

  • 52.62 — “Retail trade in tents and markets”;
  • 52.63 — “Other retail outside stores";
  • 55.30 — “Activities of restaurants and cafes.”

You can use several codes at once, so as not to have to make additions later.

Definition of assortment

The key to success will largely depend on the quality and variety of food offered. It is better to work in the middle or low price segment. This way you will be able to attract more buyers. The range may include:

  1. full breakfasts and lunches;
  2. baked goods (hot dogs, pasties, shawarma, pizza and sweet pastries in the form of cupcakes, pies);
  3. main courses (grilled chicken, shish kebab);
  4. drinks (juices, lemonades, tea, coffee, cocktails);
  5. ice cream;
  6. sweets (sweets, cotton candy).

There is no need to include everything in the assortment at once. It is better to choose the most attractive set of products for people and sell it. Then the tent itself can be decorated in a themed style, so that people from afar can see what is being sold at the kiosk.

Most of the profit level will depend on the quality of the food and the placement of the stall. It is better to avoid uncrowded places in residential areas. You need to choose places with high traffic. Ideally, people will often pass by the kiosk on their way to and from work. Stalls can be placed near:

  • train stations;
  • office centers;
  • markets (mainly clothing markets);
  • universities and schools;
  • public transport stops.

But placing a kiosk near cafes and restaurants is highly not recommended. This can significantly reduce the amount of possible profit.

The kiosk itself can be quite small. An area of ​​5 - 10 m2 will be quite enough. The stall can be opened according to the following type:

  1. stationary kiosk;
  2. stall;
  3. wooden structure;
  4. pavilion;
  5. mobile trailer.

In the latter case, the entrepreneur, if necessary, can change the place of sales and reach even more high level income.

Equipment purchase

The quantity and cost of equipment depend on how the kiosk itself will operate. There may be several options:

  1. Sale of finished products. In this case, minimal equipment will be required. It will be enough to buy a refrigerator, microwave, electric kettle and a display case with shelves.
  2. Production and sale of food. In this case, you will additionally need to buy a stove, a sink and equip a work area. You can’t do without a table for cooking and packaging products.

It will be necessary to supply electricity and water to the kiosk. But first you will have to spend time obtaining permission from the city authorities.

The level of customer service and satisfaction will depend on the professionalism of the staff. It is better not to skimp on personnel and hire responsible and friendly employees with sufficient work experience.

You don’t need many workers to operate a catering kiosk. You can get by with a salesman or a salesman and a cook. In both cases, staff must have sanitary books on hand. They will not be able to cope without timely medical examinations.

Financial results

The financial component is one of the most frequently asked questions entrepreneurs. To start such a business you will need at least 200,000 - 300,000 rubles. If we are talking not about renting, but about buying a stall, then the amount of the initial investment will increase significantly.

Payback periods can vary greatly. On average, in 5 - 10 months you can return the money invested. If you place the stall correctly and get a large flow of customers, then the payback will drop to 2 - 3 months.

The level of profitability in this area depends on the cost of the product and its type (whether the entrepreneur will prepare food or sell finished products). On average, profitability varies from 20 to 40%.

Such a stall can generate an income of 80,000 - 150,000 rubles per month. In large cities, this value may be several times higher, but there the costs of renting a place are more significant.