Starting a takeaway/franshise

[joerama]

Hi all,

Been thinking a lot lately regarding my own takeaway business, problem is i dont know anything about business where to start or who to speak to.
Generally speaking to people regarding this they all seem to say why not get a franchise, my initial thought was its very expensive to own a decent franchise? so im not sure thats the way forward.

Loooking for some experienced business peoples advice or at least to just point me in the right direction.

I do have some money not massive amount but i have got money available.

Thanks!

[Undirection]

Firstly, have you ever worked in one? If not, do that first just in case you hate it!

Secondly, yes, the big brands can charge a lot but there are always small outlet opportunities you could stretch to.

[DSLiverpool]

joerama said:

Hi all,

Been thinking a lot lately regarding my own takeaway business, problem is i dont know anything about business where to start or who to speak to.
Generally speaking to people regarding this they all seem to say why not get a franchise, my initial thought was its very expensive to own a decent franchise? so im not sure thats the way forward.

Loooking for some experienced business peoples advice or at least to just point me in the right direction.

I do have some money not massive amount but i have got money available.

Thanks!

Get a job in one, after the first weekend ask yourself if its the career for you.

[PugwasHDJ80]

I built a chain of fish and chip shops with an initial 10k investment.

What do you want to know?

[t400ble]

10k sounds a cheap start up

[DSLiverpool]

t400ble said:

10k sounds a cheap start up

Rented shop and a used range and loads and loads of very hard work I guess?

[joerama]

Thanks to all replys.

I want to know what steps do i have to take in order to get a shop, who d i speak to regarding where i want it, do i need food certificates?

I worked in dominoes pizza a few years ago, found it ok, but the reason i want it is for money, not because im going to enjoy it.

You say u opend up a chain of fish and chip shops, what where the steps you took and what would you reccomend me to do? any simple mistakes i should avoid?

Thank You

[PugwasHDJ80]

DSLiverpool said:

t400ble said:

10k sounds a cheap start up

Rented shop and a used range and loads and loads of very hard work I guess?

yep this in a nutshell- god I worked hard. I should do it all over again, but the memory of the mental hours, blood, sweat and tears (all literal) that I put in are rather putting me off again right now.

[PugwasHDJ80]

joerama said:

Thanks to all replys.

I want to know what steps do i have to take in order to get a shop, who d i speak to regarding where i want it, do i need food certificates?

I worked in dominoes pizza a few years ago, found it ok, but the reason i want it is for money, not because im going to enjoy it.

You say u opend up a chain of fish and chip shops, what where the steps you took and what would you reccomend me to do? any simple mistakes i should avoid?

Thank You

You Need:

A shop with suitable planning permission
A food hygiene certificate
Hygiene and cleaning plans (that environmental health can process)
the knowledge of how to make whatever you want to sell
Contact with suppliers
contact with equipment manufacturers
a clear plan on what you are trying to achieve (ie a lifestyle business, or one that has genuine value)
The desire to actually work in the industry you are getting in to- it takes a LOT of hardwork- if you hate that industry to start with then you are a bit buggered

Simple mistakes to avoid:
Don't think its easy
Don't think its risk free
Be prepared to work extremely hard
don't forget your sense of humour
remember to please your customers above all else- and take pleasure in their enjoyment- its nice to be the best

[joerama]

Ok thats great advice i do appreciate that.

Where were you based?

Along with the £10k did you also get a bank loan?

Also how profitable where you, so after 1 year what was profits for 1 shop?

Also, do you think its worth doing, and did u actually work there full time with how many staff?

thank you for answering i appreciate your time

[Wacky Racer]

Unfortunately 10k will go nowhere, most chip shop ranges will cost more than that.

Banks won't even look at you without a well thought out business plan and probably some security, (and you can hardly blame them)

Why not start small with a butty shop, not a lot of outlay on stock and high profit margins. The trouble is finding a good location that somebody else has not already thought of.

M'cDonald's franchises start around a quarter of a million, (at least) and you have to commit to them for about twenty years last time I looked.

Just be careful and do your research, a fool and his money are soon parted.....

[PugwasHDJ80]

joerama said:

Ok thats great advice i do appreciate that.

Where were you based?

Across the southwest of England

joerama said:

Along with the £10k did you also get a bank loan?

Nope- I did all the fitout myself, paying for trades as I needed them, but only doing the essentials. Some family members helped with another £10k or so#

joerama said:

Also how profitable where you, so after 1 year what was profits for 1 shop?

Probably an irrelevance- the first shop made about 60k in the first year. I took 8k of that over the year

joerama said:

Also, do you think its worth doing, and did u actually work there full time with how many staff?

Full time? for 3 years I did 100 hour weeks only closing for 4 days around Christmas. I took my first holiday 2 years in. I had one staff to being with.

Was it worth it- yeah I was a multimillionaire before I was 30 and had 125 staff. It never stopped being the most important thing in my life.

there are other ways of doing what I did, easier ways, but they are less rewarding. the return I got was equal to the risks I took and the sacrifices I made.

Now in my mid-30s with a wife and toddler I don't think I could make the same sacrifices.

I managed to lose it all by the time I was 30, but that was another matter

[227bhp]

t400ble said:

10k sounds a cheap start up

Not in the 1960s


Never start something you can't spell anyhow...

[PugwasHDJ80]

Wacky Racer said:

Unfortunately 10k will go nowhere, most chip shop ranges will cost more than that.

new they will- I bought a second hand 4 pan kiremko island range for 6k and transported/installed it myself (obvs the electrics and gas were done by a pro)

they are now around £50-£60k new for the same model

[joerama]

Wacky Racer said:

Unfortunately 10k will go nowhere, most chip shop ranges will cost more than that.

Banks won't even look at you without a well thought out business plan and probably some security, (and you can hardly blame them)

Why not start small with a butty shop, not a lot of outlay on stock and high profit margins. The trouble is finding a good location that somebody else has not already thought of.

M'cDonald's franchises start around a quarter of a million, (at least) and you have to commit to them for about twenty years last time I looked.

Just be careful and do your research, a fool and his money are soon parted.....

Actually have looked into a butty shop, seems that the key with them is in the location, to be honest im unsure of where to look for locations. coomerical property estate agents seem to show a blank.
Information on the web from a google search seems to be very misleading. Do you think speaking to a financial advisor would be a good idea?

[DSLiverpool]

Get a cheap place (unit maybe) and deliver - the delivery round once established will pay for a better shop, the better shop will pay for the range etc etc

[joerama]

DSLiverpool said:

Get a cheap place (unit maybe) and deliver - the delivery round once established will pay for a better shop, the better shop will pay for the range etc etc

Could you emphasise on this for me abit.

Do you mean rent a unit and do a strict delivery service? i.e. selling pizzas?

[kev b]

Get a job in a takeaway, if you are smart it will teach you everything you need to know, whilst earning money and is risk free.

The takeaway sector is pretty crowded and you could be competing with businesses that cut corners and have friends and family working for very low wages whilst waiting for the chance to run another outlet in the chain for themselves.

Remember that when a takeaway opens in the evening the staff have already put in a days work buying, prepping and cleaning.

[markcoznottz]

PugwasHDJ80 said:

Wacky Racer said:

Unfortunately 10k will go nowhere, most chip shop ranges will cost more than that.

new they will- I bought a second hand 4 pan kiremko island range for 6k and transported/installed it myself (obvs the electrics and gas were done by a pro)

they are now around £50-£60k new for the same model

That is serious dough, (no pun intended), and the margins nowadays don't seem to stack up. Is it the next big thing to go self employed nowadays? There seems to be a lot of chippys opening up, some having spent BIG money. The kebab type/pizza etc all in ones let's face it we won't do the hours, and sandwich shops are at saturation.

[Nickyboy]

You say takeaway but what type? Pizza, fried chicken, curry, chinese etc?

Know your market, what is available in the local area? How popular are they? What are their reviews like?

A couple of pizza places have opened and closed in the town where i live, while they're cheap they're not a patch on the local Dominos.

A new Chinese takeaway opened, their food is amazing but it's a minimum hour wait, they're also expensive compared to others.


A friend of mine opened a BBQ takeaway in another town, he invested an inheritance from his grandfather. His idea was great, slow cooked meat, brisket, ribs, pulled pork, burgers etc. The food tasted amazing but it wasn't typical takeaway food, he didn't open late, and his shop was in the wrong position, it was away from the town center, away from the typical walking route home from the pubs/bars etc. After less than a year he folded and lost everything he invested.