See the Cost of Starting a Restaurant in nigeria. A restaurant simply is a place where food and drinks are sold. The restaurant business is a hospitality business that is not affected by harsh economic conditions because whether people like it or not, they must eat when hungry.
Even unemployed people are not exempted from eating at restaurants because food is a necessity and the fuel that keeps the human body moving.
Cost of Starting a Restaurant in Nigeria
The cost of opening one will be dependent on the kind of restaurant you want to run. With less than a million naira (N1,000,000), you can start a restaurant but if you plan on running something bigger and costlier, you will need more than a million naira.
So if you are good at cooking and have decided to go commercial, this article is an ideal read for you.
TYPES OF RESTAURANTS IN NIGERIA
1. ETHNIC RESTAURANTS: these are restaurants that serve food from specific cultures only. These cultures may be foreign or local. Examples are Chinese restaurants and Efik restaurants in lagos, Nigeria
2. FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS: these render quick food services from a limited menu and are very common Nigeria. They sell food, snacks, drinks that can be taken away or eaten at tables provided within. Mr Biggs, Sweet Sensation, Crunchies and Kentucky Fried Chicken are perfect examples.
3. QUICK SERVICE RESTAURANTS: these usually have larger sitting space and their menus are more flexible and cheaper than fast foods. They mostly found in street corners, parks and work sites. Edited versions of casual restaurant are mobile food vendors, fondly called bukas and mama put.
4. CASUAL DINNING RESTAURANTS: are more advanced than fast foods, they have flexible menus and a relaxed environment where customers can have their meals with ease; they hardly render take away services.
5. FINE DINNING RESTAURANTS: are high class restaurants that have the elite as customers, they aim at providing unique dinner experiences similar to eating at the comfort of your home, by treating customers with dignity and respect and by offering excellent menu items at reasonable prices in captivating environments.
They also provide warm and friendly services with the aid of professional waiters and staff to ensure absolute customer satisfaction. Utazi which is located at etim inyang crescent, Victoria island lagos is a classical example of a fine dining restaurant.
STEPS TO START A RESTAURANT BUSINESS
1. Have a detailed plan of what you want do because the kind of restaurant you want to run will determine your start up cost. Come up with a business plan that is professional, concise and realistic to potential investors.
2. Come up with an estimated cost of starting up your restaurant, after researching, planning and deciding, you should have an idea of how much it will cost you to start up your restaurant.
3. Get the capital: Quick services restaurants will require little capital than the others. It is okay to start small and expand later as you garner experience and monetary returns because growth is a continuous and steady process.
4. Choose a suitable location for your restaurant. Fast food, quick service and casual restaurants will do well in any areas but ethnic restaurant, fine dining and casual dining restaurants are suitable in high brow areas where the environment is serene, clean and akin to personal homes. See: Businesses you can do in school
5. Furnish your restaurant accordingly and make provisions for restaurant utensils and accessories, go for quality utensil that improves presentation, originality and makes dishes look appetizing.
6. Employ good chefs, experienced waiters and staff who are passionate and understand the need for optimum customer satisfaction in the sustenance of hospitality business. Your staff will determine to a large extent your ability to retain and capture new customers.
7. Create your menu and make it enticing. As a chef and lover of food art, you must have your special recipes and a variable menu at a reasonable price to establish credibility and to give your restaurant an edge over others.
Your menu is majorly what keeps your business going, ask yourself why customers should keep having meals at your restaurant?
If you can honestly answer this question then you are good and ready to build a lasting restaurant.
Make arrangement to obtain food stuff and special condiments at regular and affordable prices by locating and connecting with people who supply you at wholesale prices.
This reduces the stress of finding and purchasing some food items that may be seasonal, scarce or limited in market supply.
8. Make publicity a top priority because it won’t matter how good a chef you are or how excellent your services are if people don’t know about your place.
It doesn’t matter the kind of restaurant you choose to run, publicize at all costs. Social media platforms are excellent for quick service restaurants, I have seen bukas become famous on instagram and twitter by consistently putting out well thought out contents to boost marketing strategy and plan.
Traditional media is very suitable for fast foods, casual and fine dining restaurants but this is not a restriction. Create a website and make it available online and utilize the cheap advertising rates on the internet.
Register your business with the right government agency and make provisions for tax payments. You may the need the services of a lawyer.
CHALLENGES YOU ARE LIKELY TO ENCOUNTER IN THE COURSE OF STARTING A RESTAURANT
It is a must that every entrepreneur encounters stumbling blocks in the course of starting up and running their businesses daily. Challenges are inevitable and when they are properly addressed serve as stepping stones to growth, development and success.
You will likely encounter:
1. STIFF COMPETITION: Because there is a need to satisfy hunger, the demand for food is unending. This is why you will find different kinds of restaurants on every corner of the Nigerian streets that may kick you out of business if you don’t maintain a certain level of distinction.
2. RISK MANAGEMENT: Running a restaurant maybe hazardous, a little carelessness or negligence may result to a huge loss. You should safe guard your business by insuring it against all forms of potential hazards, damages and by practising safety procedures.
Hope this tips helps.