* The calculations use average data for Russia
Starting investments:
from 2,000,000 - 2,500,000 ₽
Number seats:
Payback period:
Many people dream of having their own cafe. But not everyone survives in a competitive market. Roadside fast food cafe is a free and promising niche. You can earn no less, but have more development prospects.
The Russian catering market is saturated, and the competition is merciless. Such harsh working conditions force restaurateurs to develop new formats and expand their business geography. A promising direction Where else you can find a free niche are catering establishments on highways. Most of the points outside the city have not yet been developed; competition here is much lower than in cities. Besides this, the services of roadside cafes are relevant for many people.
City highways are already clogged with various retail outlets, but interregional highways, on the contrary, are almost undeveloped by establishments Catering. The options that exist are often “cafes from the past.” Such establishments, most often, even outwardly present a rather pitiful sight and do not enjoy the trust of drivers and their passengers. The most promising and modern format of cafes near highways can be called the fast food segment. During long trips, most drivers and passengers use the services of points fast food. And the stereotype that roadside cafe can only feed you poison or fried pies, it is no longer appropriate.
A cafe near the highway is the same as a restaurant that must meet the requirements, meet the standards of any catering establishment and even have its own concept. In Russia, roadside cafes are just beginning to improve. The example of European restaurateurs who manage to place both a small dining room with home cooking and a cozy coffee shop next to highways is stimulating. But in Russia, the idea of a measured meal at the side of the road is more likely to take root, but quick snack. Therefore, it would be more profitable to open a fast food catering outlet. This is a meal that you can quickly prepare and take with you in the car for a snack on the road.
Choosing a location for a roadside cafe: the main difficulties
Please note that the choice suitable place– this is one of the most important points for a roadside cafe or roadside restaurant. Therefore, you need to know some nuances so as not to make mistakes. The wrong location can significantly reduce revenue.
Optimal placement of a roadside cafe:
gas stations;
areas near populated areas;
rest areas on the highways in picturesque places;
close to convenient transport links.
At gas stations, everything is not as simple as it might seem. Gas station operators are unlikely to be happy about the appearance of a competitor who will offer a worthy alternative to their products. For a gas station, you are a direct competitor, so opening your establishment may face competition even on the sidelines, almost in an open field.
But this is not the only difficulty. The development of areas along highways is also difficult because such places often do not meet the requirements. Problems arise at the level of connecting to electricity, water disposal, sewerage, and the same thing with the disposal of income and transportation of products. All communications must be connected to the area that you plan to use as a cafe. If this is not the case, no one will allow you to open a catering establishment.
As a result, communications and delivery of fresh products to remote locations become very expensive. Trying to save money, many cafe owners try to create a menu of dishes instant cooking. Unfortunately, this often ends with microwaved pizza.
Solving this problem is also not easy. To carry out communications, you will need serious investment, which will almost double costs. In this regard, most entrepreneurs decide to open an establishment on the territory of ready-made complexes located on highways. Points concentrated in one territory work for each other and ultimately increase sales. But it’s not a fact that a business that has already taken root in these complexes will want to let you in.
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Therefore, carefully evaluate the site where you plan to locate the cafe. Be sure to consider the possibility of connecting to engineering networks, the presence of other establishments nearby with which you can cooperate, as well as the degree of adequacy of their owners.
Development of a business plan for a roadside cafe
It is recommended to start developing a business plan after you resolve the issue with the premises. Be sure to think through the production, financial and marketing parts. If the project is to be financed with borrowed funds, it will be necessary to draw up investment plan. The bank will require this when it considers your loan application.
A thoughtful, well-written business plan will help not only in attracting Money. It will help you avoid unnecessary expenses and problems at the start. What questions need to be considered as part of a business plan:
collection of all permitting documentation;
registration of the premises (documents, communications, repairs, etc.);
equipment purchase;
staff, their work schedule, payroll;
description of the concept, service, production process;
menu development;
promotion methods;
calculation of all expenses: initial and monthly;
calculation of planned profit;
calculation of basic economic indicators: cost of food, revenue and profit, profitability, payback period.
The result of your work should be detailed plan your actions to open a cafe. This way you will understand what you need to do, how long each stage of preparation will take, and how much revenue the establishment must have in order for it to be profitable. Once you know these numbers, it will be easier for you to navigate the complex process of organizing a cafe and make business decisions.
The main part of the business plan is the calculation of financial indicators. At the planning stage, you can understand whether it is profitable to open a roadside cafe in these conditions, or whether it is better to find a more profitable business.
How to register and arrange a cafe near the highway
The registration and registration procedure for a roadside cafe is quite labor-intensive. The registration and registration algorithm is as follows:
Register your business as an individual entrepreneur or legal entity. For the roadside cafe format, an individual entrepreneur is suitable. If you are planning a chain of fast food outlets, you will need to register as a legal entity. Registering a business is the first step, since the lease agreement is concluded with you, as an individual entrepreneur or legal entity. As a tax system, you should choose the simplified tax system at a rate of 15% (income minus expenses).
OKVED codes for roadside cafes: 56.10 “Activities of restaurants and food delivery services”, 56.10.1 “Activities of restaurants and cafes with full restaurant service, cafeterias, fast food and self-service restaurants”, 56.10.21 “Activities of public catering establishments with service Takeaway".
Determine a place for point of sale . Contact the road construction department to find out which area the selected area belongs to. land plot.
Submit an application for land ownership or lease. This is done by the district administration.
Draw up a lease or ownership agreement to the site by contacting the FUGRTS.
Design a cafe building. When you are given a decree to transfer the land, contact a licensed architect to draw up a project and sketch of the building for the cafe and the installation of utilities.
Receive and sign the approval document. After project documentation will be ready, contact the department of architecture and urban planning with this. You will be provided with an approval document, which should be signed by the administration, district utility systems, fire protection and SES.
Contact the architecture department. With the signed act, you need to contact the architecture department again. After this you will receive a building permit.
Get permission to open a cafe. Then head to the administration to have your documents approved. If the entire package of documents is collected in accordance with the requirements, you will be given permission to open a cafe.
Invite a commission to make an opinion. When the construction of the facility is completed, you need to invite a commission that will inspect the building and issue an appropriate conclusion.
Pass the SES check. The next controlling organization is SES. Authorized representatives will come to your establishment to inspect the premises and issue an opinion on the possibility of opening.
Pass a fire inspection. The final stage– fire inspection.
Once you have received all the permits, you can move on to organizing the production process.
Roadside cafe concept: what does the client want today?
Many entrepreneurs believe that a roadside cafe is far from a restaurant, so marketing laws may not be followed. Today, the “it will do” strategy is working worse and worse. Customers have formed certain consumer expectations from roadside establishments, starting from their appearance and quality of service and ending with the menu. Fewer and fewer drivers are willing to trust their health to obscure stalls selling pasties and tent signs with Pepsi-Cola logos, with packs of dogs constantly running around them.
Regardless of whether the cafe is located on a tourist route or on a regular one, it is important for any visitor that the establishment meets the following conditions:
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fast service;
tasty and high quality food;
budget prices.
That is why the most popular catering format on the highways today are quick service cafes, which meet all the stated consumer requirements. The specificity of restaurants on highways is that the decision to stop at a particular establishment is made from a moving car, that is, at high speed. In driver psychology, a clean, safe and cheap establishment with fast service is associated with open spaces, large and transparent windows (often floor-length), an open kitchen, a bright and attractive sign, in general, everything distinctive properties modern fast food chains. On the contrary, dark and nondescript buildings have far from the best associations: they are unsafe, the food is stale, takes a long time to cook or is tasteless. As a rule, if we are not talking about picturesque places with observation decks, then most people do not need waiters. The concept of roadside cafes fits perfectly with the principle of self-service and the ability to take food with you.
The main advantage of fast food is, of course, a large flow of customers. If the owners of traditional cafes consider it a success to host two to three dozen people a day, then the traffic of fast food outlets can be 500-1000 people a day. With such a flow and an average check of at least 300 rubles, daily revenue can be from 150 thousand rubles.
In any case, a roadside cafe near the highway assumes the following parameters:
availability of convenient access roads and parking;
the number of seats is at least 60;
premises no more than 200 sq.m.
Too much large room It is not practical to open a roadside cafe. It is better to create a cozy atmosphere and save on space. There is no need to place many seats. In roadside cafes, visitors do not stay for long, so seats become available quickly.
Creating a menu for a roadside cafe
A roadside cafe should offer simple cuisine or create a menu of dishes that are simple in terms of cooking technology, especially when it comes to fast food. Today, no one wants to wait long: people stop at roadside cafes not to pass the time, but to satisfy their hunger.
What dishes should be included in the menu
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The most popular product on the go is coffee or drinks based on it. So be sure to include coffee on the menu.
Burgers/sandwiches. Burgers are the most convenient snack option on the road: filling, you can take it with you and eat it on the go or in the car.
Bakery. An ideal addition to coffee. But this is not only a popular menu item, but also a marketing technique. It turns out that the aroma of fresh baked goods is associated with a homely atmosphere and encourages visitors to make a purchase. The popularity of hearty baked goods can be explained by the fact that they are usually more affordable compared to other snacks. One such product is quite enough for lunch, and this is one of the most budget options. Typically, baked goods in roadside cafes are prepared from frozen semi-finished products - it’s cheaper, faster and easier.
Ready meals (salads, chicken nuggets, French fries) are usually offered in full-fledged fast food cafes. All dishes are prepared directly in the cafe from ingredients, for which special equipment is used: grills, deep fryer, oven, etc. Therefore, if you plan to include these items in the menu, be prepared to purchase additional kitchen equipment.
Snacks. Don’t forget to dilute the assortment with various snacks that visitors can grab on the road. These are chips, crackers, cookies, nuts, chocolates - place them in an open display to stimulate sales.
Provide free boiling water for cafe visitors. Such a little thing can form a good impression of you. And a visitor who happens to come to you, for whom you did not spare boiling water, will want to buy lunch from you.
Never skimp on food quality. Let your costs pay off a couple of months later, but you will maintain quality. Cook only from fresh ingredients, despite the fact that most of your visitors will be random people, and there is no point in you fighting for a regular customer.
Recruitment of personnel for a roadside cafe
Ideally, make the cafe work around the clock. This will increase revenue. But to work around the clock, you need to organize two shifts. For one shift you will need at least one cook, 2 sales assistants and a cleaner. Work schedule - 2/2.
Of course, the number of staff depends on the format and number of visitors. In any case, separation of duties is necessary for maintenance personnel. More flow and revenue means more staff: someone is responsible for drinks, someone is responsible for taking orders and the cash register, someone is responsible for dispensing. In modern fast food establishments, each employee has clear job descriptions which allow for fast service.
Don't try to save on wages. Set average wages for your region to motivate employees. Remember that one of the main difficulties for staff will be the remoteness of their place of work from home, so think about what bonuses can compensate for this.
Purchase of equipment for a roadside cafe
To create a roadside cafe, you will need to purchase four main types of equipment:
shopping (windows, cash machine);
kitchen equipment (stoves, furniture, dishes, plumbing, Appliances);
warehouse;
ventilation
The cost of equipment may vary. It all depends on how seriously you intend to equip the living room and kitchen. According to rough estimates, the minimum set of necessary items will cost 700-800 thousand rubles. Depending on what exactly you will be preparing, what the production chain will be, whether you will be working with frozen products or preparing everything yourself, the list of what you need can vary significantly. If you want to start, for example, selling such a popular type of fast food as burgers, we recommend that you read this article.
Ready ideas for your business
When choosing equipment, try to avoid buying all kinds of ready-made kits that the Internet is replete with today: perhaps most of You won't need any of this at all. As a rule, if an entrepreneur does not have enough experience in catering, then to select equipment it is best to seek the help of a future chef, who will tell you what to buy, where to put it, and so on. It will be faster and easier than trying to comprehend all the intricacies yourself.
How to advertise a roadside cafe
For a roadside cafe the best effective method promotions – outdoor advertising. The decision to visit an establishment is made when a hungry person drives past a sign or sees a sign that promises him a delicious lunch. Use billboards, banners, and signs.
Develop promotions aimed at cross-marketing. This means exchanging leads with businesses that are located in close proximity to your cafe, such as gas stations.
It is very important to place the cafe correctly on the highway. It should be located so that most potential clients can conveniently drive up to the establishment without making unnecessary parking maneuvers.
IN general view marketing plan as follows:
Creating a bright, memorable sign and cafe name;
Placing large banners on roadside billboards;
Development of a system of discounts and incentives for customers;
Finding partners for cross-marketing
To increase sales, you can use the following advertising tricks:
Offer cooperation to drivers and tour guides. Let them bring a group of tourists to you, and you provide your partner with free full lunch, or some percentage of the sale;
Organize nearby public toilet . This is a significant reason to stay right next to your public place. Most of those who stop will probably stop by the cafe and, at a minimum, buy a bottle of water.
Create combo meals on your menu. This will make it easier for your visitors to choose. As a rule, visitors to a roadside cafe do not have time to study the menu for a long time. Help him make a choice. You will do better for both the client and yourself, because selling such take-away kits is much more convenient.
How much does it cost to open a roadside cafe from scratch?
We give an approximate calculation without taking into account the purchase of products.
Paperwork. Registration of a business and collection of all permitting documentation will cost approximately 20 thousand rubles.
Building and land. The approximate cost of this expense item is 1 million rubles. If you plan to rent a building, it will naturally be cheaper. However, it is unlikely that you will be able to find suitable premises. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that you will have to build a cafe building from scratch.
Costs of renovating the premises, equipping the kitchen and purchasing furniture. This will cost approximately 700-800 thousand rubles. It is not advisable to save much on these items, since the quality of the prepared dishes depends on the equipment.
Staff salaries. The payroll will be approximately 200 thousand rubles.
Advertising. You will have to spend about 100 thousand rubles on advertising and other expenses. Outdoor advertising will cost 50-60 thousand rubles. The rest will go to cover additional expenses that you cannot foresee when planning.
In general, to open a cafe near the highway you will need an investment of 2-2.5 million rubles. This capital pays off in 1.5-2 years.
Summarize
To make a final decision whether to open a roadside cafe, evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of this idea.
Disadvantages of business at roadside cafes:
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difficulties in completing documentation. Owners of roadside cafes need to go through the procedure of obtaining permits, which is complicated by relationships with local authorities.
unsatisfactory specifications and poor engineering infrastructure. The distance from “civilization” imposes a burden on the owners of roadside cafes additional expenses, which significantly increase the amount of initial investment. Because of this, profitability decreases and the duration of the preparatory stage increases.
logistics. Due to the remoteness of points on the highway, logistics (organizing regular delivery of fresh products) becomes expensive. All this affects the cost of dishes and, accordingly, their final price. In order to optimize, many roadside cafes are reducing the range of dishes and creating a menu of fast food products.
The listed reasons hinder the development of catering on highways. Many restaurateurs prefer to work in an already developed, albeit more competitive, area, rather than fight with the administration, dissatisfied with gas stations and the lack of communications.
The main advantage of this format of roadside cafes is low level competition. In addition, the advantageous location guarantees high traffic. In a day, a popular roadside cafe can earn about 100 thousand rubles. Not every establishment in the city can boast such profitability.
If you still decide to open a cafe near the highway, then it is better to make a choice in favor of an already developed territory where there are ready-made complexes. This way you can reduce the amount of capital required to invest in opening.
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and so on. rub. Estimated cost
the project will amount to 1,552,000 rubles. The predicted break-even point from the start of the project is 5 months, the payback period is 16 months.
The success of the restaurant business largely depends on the proper location and arrangement of the facility. And if city establishments are built according to a similar scheme, then a roadside cafe has a lot of features. Not taking them into account means forgetting about the payback of the project. So what steps will lead to a successful startup? We formalize necessary documentation . We open an LLC, obtain a license to trade tobacco and alcohol, and obtain the approval of firefighters and the sanitary and epidemiological station. We are choosing a place for a cafe. The ideal option is just outside the city on the intercity highway. This way we will attract not only passers-by, but also
With a successful set of circumstances, a small roadside cafe can pay for itself in 2-4 years. In this case, you can think about expanding: completing a mini-hotel, a bathhouse, and permanent gazebos. By putting love and knowledge into your business, you are sure to get a generous return.
The road infrastructure in Russia is developing every year. Increasingly, on the highways you can find entire complexes with gas stations, stations Maintenance, hotels and catering establishments different levels. Such multidisciplinary service centers for motorists and travelers require considerable investment. Smaller amounts of expenses will be required to open a roadside catering establishment. We will talk about how to open a roadside cafe in this article.
The procedure for opening any restaurant or fast food is always the same. It differs only in the budget and class of the establishment. In the case of a roadside cafe, there are a number of other nuances that need to be taken into account.
Choosing a cafe location
The correct location of the restaurant, which is focused on serving motorists, is one of the main key points in organizing a future catering establishment. A roadside cafe as a business can be recommended to entrepreneurs who live in rural areas or small towns. If the future restaurateur owns a plot of land near the road, this will significantly reduce the amount of expenses associated with opening a cafe. As for the building, its presence on the site is also desirable. Big role plays a role in the technical condition of the building, the possibility of its reconstruction and retrofitting. Sometimes it happens that it is cheaper to build a new one modern building than to repair old building. All these possibilities should be displayed ready business plan for a roadside cafe from scratch. There you can also spend comparative analysis projects taking into account the construction of a new building or the renovation of an old structure.
The chosen location largely determines the range of clients that the cafe will serve. A food establishment opened near tourist attractions will accommodate mostly travelers. Stops at large traffic intersections and busy highways are most often made by truckers and business people on business trips. In any case, the task of the restaurateur is to quickly and tasty feed his guests.
Choosing the direction of the establishment
The interior of a roadside cafe, the number of staff, exterior design and signage depend on what kind of cuisine will be offered to visitors. The external impression of the establishment along the road plays important role, as it can attract or, conversely, repel the client. The sign on the building must be clearly visible from the road at any vehicle speed. Interior decoration also should not disappoint the expectations of the guests.
The most popular roadside cafes with national cuisine the area in which it is located. They have the format " home cooking"and are most often a family business.
Some features of business organization
Those entrepreneurs who are studying the question of how to open a roadside cafe from scratch should check the possibility of installing utilities into the building. Since most often the establishment is located at a distance from settlements, it is necessary to provide for the installation of a water well, septic tanks or the installation of dry closets. The situation is similar with connecting to electrical networks. The entrepreneur will have to collect a lot of documents and obtain permission from energy sales, firefighters and other competent services. No example of a business plan for a roadside cafe can take into account the costs that will accompany this process. But there is no need to be afraid of difficulties. Many businessmen successfully follow this path and work for many years. In addition, once issued permits for land, communications and construction will always allow an entrepreneur to expand his business - open a car wash, service station, hotel.
Legal business on the highway has been around for hundreds of years. As soon as the first roads appeared, the first entrepreneurs appeared who wanted to make money from travelers - taverns, inns, intoxicants - here is a list of the first successful business projects of past centuries. Has the picture changed in the 21st century? Now you'll find out.
The presented list does not pretend to be complete, because, as in any other business, there are no universal instructions, following which you can achieve success in two days. In any business you need to think, take into account many factors, your capabilities and have the desire to succeed. In addition, every day old ones appear and combine with each other in incredible proportions.
When opening a “business on the highway”, you need to understand and take into account the seasonality of road traffic, the typical identity of the majority of travelers, the location and capabilities of the road, the proximity of city and other infrastructure, geolocation, and other local features and factors that affect your final profit. But, let's talk about everything in order.
We recommend that you consider ideas not separately, but synthesize and combine them into one idea - your idea for business. By the way, most businesses require a piece of land next to the road - either owned or long-term leased.
1. Construction and repair of roads and other road facilities
One of the most expensive, but also the most profitable types business “on the road” is its construction, maintenance and repair.
There are two troubles in Russia, and one trouble repairs the other. Remember this joke? In fact road construction and its subsequent repair is a serious and very intensive business. It is quite difficult and expensive to get into such a business. It's about not even about bureaucracy, but about the cost of all the equipment you need. As a rule, the construction, maintenance and repair of roads and federal highways is played out in various tenders, where all the necessary conditions. In addition, you must have knowledge; your company must have design engineers and technologists, complex specialized road equipment.
After all, road construction means not only laying asphalt, but also geological exploration, laying and moving communications, and building complex road junctions, bridges and tunnels. Don’t forget to include in this list the construction of various roadside facilities - gas stations, hotels, parking lots and parking lots, and much more. This is also a very profitable line of work.
And be prepared to work all over the country, since there are roads not only in your region.
2. How to open a gas station on the highway
Opening a car gas station on a road or highway has an undeniable advantage - a constant demand for fuel.
The construction of gas stations on the highway is somewhat different from its urban counterparts. First of all, the quantity of products consumed. If in the city they rarely fill up, but often. Then customers at gas stations in suburban areas refuel - “to a full tank” - and the majority of those passing through have a tank of 200 liters or more.
Additional service at gas stations is also welcome and is either an attractive factor or additional profit. A spare parts and auto chemicals store, overnight parking, a toilet, a cafe, a motel, and other things that can be built on your site.
Price gas station opening is quite high and the opening must be approached with all responsibility. With the right pricing policy, it may happen that residents of a nearby city will also come to you for fuel.
3. How to open a hotel near the highway
The construction and opening of a road hotel carries with it a unitary moment. You need to clearly understand why and for whom the mini-hotel is being organized. The target audience and functionality of the room stock must meet several main points - comfortable sleep, quick rest. There is no need to expect that people will stay at your hotel for a day - 6-12 hours, this is the time frame in which your guest will stay and what is more important to him hot water and clean linen than beautiful view and breakfast in the room.
Follow this plan, first provide the guest with a comfortable stay, and only then expand the room service further.
By the way, now there are good franchises for creating these types of hotels, and if you are new to business, you can buy a ready-made franchise that will allow you to start a business from scratch.
4. Opening a catering facility on the road
Any type of sale of prepared food can be considered a catering facility - kebab shop, bistro, dumpling shop, pancake house, cafe, restaurant and everything else. The advantage of such a business on the highway is the absence of close competition. Even if someone opens his own cafe on the opposite side of the road, he will serve his own passing traffic. And you will serve your passing traffic.
A few secrets for cafes on the road:
- focus on your regular customers, at truck drivers who constantly drive past you. But, don’t forget about people just passing through, they will leave reviews about you after using your services once.
— study the passing traffic. If you open a cafe on a highway where intercity buses often travel long distances, that is, their journey is more than 4 hours, then you should think about some kind of agreement with their drivers or company. So, by organizing for them a 30-minute stop, where passengers can rest, go to the toilet (free), use mobile equipment charging (paid), get a hot express lunch (paid, but very cheap, or at the expense of the carrier company) — you will receive a daily cash register.
Such a business can be scaled up into a mini-hotel, car wash, car service center and gas station.
There are also ready-made franchises with a proven operating scheme for roadside catering points that will allow you to record time open a successful business.
5. Opening a car shop, car service, tire service, car wash on the highway
Related products are always in demand. The format of selling necessary things on the highway goes deep into history; back in the USSR, projects of car complexes were built on the highway, where the car could be serviced. Despite this, opening a car shop, a car service for minor repairs, a car wash, a truck tire service and other things is a profitable business. The route imposes only some specifics - your target audience will be different from target audience in the city, due to the predominance of other cars on the highway and the demand for other products, you will have practically no demand for expensive spare parts, car chemicals, lamps and other small items - the demand will be very stable.
The undoubted advantage of such a business is that the cost of opening, compared to previous ones, is clearly lower; it does not require special knowledge in the question, the main thing is to clearly understand what to sell and what services are in demand.
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