Just sit down and think it out – in every possible detail. What will you cook, who will eat it, what will the average bill be, what will attract guests to you and how will you stand out from the competition? Before you get down to the practical steps, it’s important to think through the idea and operation of your future business from start to finish.
They advise you to decide first what will form the basis of the concept – for example, whether the café will be a mono-product or not. A mono-product is when an establishment specialises in a single dish (such as burgers or sushi). The opposite of this approach, respectively, is a café with a varied menu consisting of different types of dishes.
Next, it is worth determining the format of the institution – a full cafe, free-flow, fast food (a place where guests pay immediately for the order and get it within minutes) or street food (a small point with a window delivery, where food is sold only to take away). The format determines the target audience and prices. For example, if you have fast food (when the guest places an order, pays immediately and receives it within a few minutes), the average check will be low, and your main customers will be students and employees of nearby business centres. Also, fast food doesn’t need waiters.
