fast food takeaway business plan

Fast Food Business Plan Template

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 7,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their fast foods.

Below are links to each section of your fast food business plan template:

Next Section: Executive Summary >

Fast Food Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my fast food business plan.

Growthink's Ultimate Fast Food Business Plan Template allows you to quickly and easily complete your Fast Food Restaurant Business Plan.

Where Can I Download a Fast Food Business Plan PDF?

You can download our fast food restaurant business plan pdf here.  This is a business plan template you can use in PDF format.

What Is a Fast Food Business Plan?

A business plan provides a snapshot of your fast food restaurant as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Why Do You Need a Business Plan?

If you’re looking to start a fast food restaurant or grow your existing one you need a business plan. A business plan will help you raise funding, if needed, and plan out the growth of your fast food restaurant in order to improve your chances of success. Your fast food business plan is a living document that should be updated annually as your business grows and changes.

What Are the Sources of Funding for a Fast Food Restaurant Business Plan?

Fast Food restaurants are usually funded through small business loans, personal savings, credit card financing and/or angel investors.

This is true for a traditional fast food restaurant, a quick service restaurant and a takeout restaurant business plan.

FAST FOOD BUSINESS PLAN OUTLINE

• Fast Food Business Plan Home
• 1. Executive Summary
• 2. Company Overview
• 3. Industry Analysis
• 4. Customer Analysis
• 5. Competitive Analysis
• 6. Marketing Plan
• 7. Operations Plan
• 8. Management Team
• 9. Financial Plan
• 10. Appendix
• Fast Food Business Plan Summary

Start Your Fast Food Plan Here

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

Fast Food Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Business Plan Outline

• Fast Food Business Plan Home
• 1. Executive Summary
• 2. Company Overview
• 3. Industry Analysis
• 4. Customer Analysis
• 5. Competitive Analysis
• 6. Marketing Plan
• 7. Operations Plan
• 8. Management Team
• 9. Financial Plan

Fast Food Restaurant Business Plan & Template

You’ve come to the right place to create your fast food business plan.

We have helped over 100,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their fast food businesses.

Fast Food Business Plan Example

Below are links to each section of a fast food restaurant business plan sample:

Next Section: Executive Summary >

Fast Food Business Plan FAQs

What is a fast food business plan.

A fast food business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your fast food restaurant. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your fast food business plan using our Fast Food Business Plan Template here .

What Are the Main Types of Fast Food Businesses?

There are many types of fast food businesses. The most common fast food restaurants serve hamburgers, fries, and soft drinks. Other common fast food establishments serve chicken, Chinese food, Mexican food, and pizza. There is a recent trend in fast food restaurants serving healthier options such as smoothies, wraps, sandwiches, and salads. A fast food restaurant can be centered around any food genre that is able to be prepared fast and in large quantities to serve multiple customers daily.

What Are the Main Sources of Revenue and Expenses for a Fast Food Restaurant?

The primary source of revenue for a fast food restaurant are the food and drink items sold at the establishment.

The key expenses are the costs to source the ingredients for the menu items, kitchen equipment and supplies, overhead expenses for the staff and rent, and any marketing costs the restaurant chooses to partake in.

What is the Difference Between a Franchise and Non-Franchise Fast Food Restaurant?

A franchise fast food restaurant is a business that is owned and operated by someone who has a contract with a larger company. That company provides the products, training, and marketing for the smaller business. A non-franchise fast food restaurant is a business that is independently owned and operated.

Franchise fast-food restaurants have a set of guidelines and standards to which they must adhere in order to use the franchise name. Non-franchise fast food restaurants do not have these guidelines and can vary greatly in terms of quality, cleanliness, and customer service.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Fast Food Business?

Fast food businesses are most likely to receive funding from banks. Typically you will find a local bank and present your business plan to them. Another option for a fast food business is to obtain a small business loan. SBA loans are a popular option as they offer longer loan terms with lower interest rates. Outside investors, crowdfunding, and/or friends or family are other typical funding options. This is true for a fast casual restaurant business plan or a takeout restaurant business plan.

What are the Steps To Start a Fast Food Business?

Starting a fast food restaurant can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a successful fast food business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Write A Fast Food Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed fast food business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include market research on the fast food industry and potential target market size, information on your fast food menu, marketing strategy, pricing strategy and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your fast food business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your fast food business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Fast Food Restaurant   - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your fast food business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws. 

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your fast food business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Fast Food Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your fast food business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your fast food business. Marketing efforts includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising to reach your target audience.

Where Can I Get a Fast Food Business Plan PDF?

You can download our free fast food business plan template PDF here. This is a sample fast food business plan template you can use in PDF format.

How to Write a Fast Food Restaurant Business Plan + Free Template

Makenna Crocker

6 min. read

Updated February 7, 2024

Crafting a savvy business plan is like perfecting the ultimate fast food combo for your restaurant’s triumph. It’s the special blend of your entrepreneurial vision, spicy industry knowledge, well-baked financial projections, and sizzling strategic plans served together to drive your venture forward.

In the U.S. alone, the fast-food industry is estimated to be worth over $250 billion as of 2023, indicating the immense potential within this sector. The industry has shown remarkable resilience even in economic downturns, further validating its prominence in the business world.

In this article, we’ll bite into our  free fast food restaurant business plan  for the example scenario of Fast Bites Delight, serving you a step-by-step guide to brewing up a compelling business plan specific to your fast food enterprise. You can download our sample fast food restaurant business plan to get started.

Through this journey, we aim to help you dish out a blueprint that can help you tap into this growing market and set your fast food joint up for success.

• Introduce your fast food business

Fast Bites Delight isn’t your typical fast-food joint. It serves up a smorgasbord of speedy, appetizing meals that neither compromises on nutrition nor taste. With more people seeking quality, convenience, and nutrition, Fast Bites Delight whips up a delectable answer to this culinary conundrum.

Their mission? Swiftly serve scrumptious yet healthy meals that satiate fast food cravings while keeping nutrition front and center.

The introduction effectively captures Fast Bites Delight’s unique selling proposition – serving quick, delicious meals that balance taste and nutrition. Highlighting your unique selling proposition upfront can give your business plan an immediate edge and create intrigue for what follows.

Conduct a market analysis 

Identifying your market is crucial. For Fast Bites Delight, their primary patrons include busy professionals, families on the go, students craving nourishing fast-food, and individuals scouting for a quick, healthy bite. But their clientele isn’t limited to individual consumers. They also cater to local businesses that need food services for events or meetings.

Their competition ranges from conventional fast-food chains, convenience stores, and quick-service restaurants to food trucks and supermarket deli sections. The key to standing out in this crowd? Fast Bites Delight dishes out a diverse, health-focused menu prepared with premium ingredients, served with a side of speedy service and a generous dollop of top-notch customer service.

This section does an excellent job identifying their key target market and competition. A  detailed market analysis  will help you understand your customers’ needs and how your product/service fulfills them. It also guides your marketing and competitive strategies.

• Funding your fast food restaurant

Every venture needs a financial launchpad. Fast Bites Delight projects an initial investment requirement of $250,000. This chunk of capital covers essentials like property rent, kitchen apparatus, renovations, initial inventory, and a cash reservoir to keep the business bubbling until it starts generating enough revenue.

By clearly stating their financial needs, Fast Bites Delight makes it easier for potential investors to see what their investment will cover. You too should detail your funding requirements, ensuring transparency and building trust with stakeholders. For more guidance on funding, check out our  Small Business Funding Guide .

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• Fast food restaurant sales and marketing strategy

The art of attracting customers involves blending multiple strategies. Fast Bites Delight plans to plate up culinary delights at their physical location, serve digital customers via their website, partner with food delivery apps, and spread their flavors through catering services.

Their marketing mix combines traditional methods with digital strategies. Social media campaigns, local SEO, content marketing, collaborations with community businesses and events, email marketing, and in-store promotions flavor their marketing efforts. The goal? To resonate with their target audience, whet their appetites, and draw them into the delightful dining experience that Fast Bites Delight promises.

They’ve created a multi-faceted approach to reach their customers, demonstrating adaptability and a customer-centric approach. In your plan,  consider different strategies  to reach your audience – from physical to digital platforms.

• Fast food restaurant financial projections

Projections give stakeholders a taste of the financial potential. Fast Bites Delight estimates revenue will rise from $300,000 in 2023 to $400,000 by 2025. Their expenses are expected to start at $200,000 in 2023, increasing to $240,000 by 2025.

With these numbers, they project profits simmering at $100,000 in 2023 and rising to a sizzling $160,000 by 2025.

Fast Bites Delight provides clear and realistic financial projections, an essential element to  demonstrate viability and profitability . Make sure your plan includes similar forecasts, indicating your business’s financial potential.

• Milestones for your fast food restaurant

Milestones add structure and strategy. Fast Bites Delight’s roadmap includes obtaining permits and licenses by June 2023, getting the restaurant ready for a grand opening in October 2023, and launching catering services by December 2023. In March 2024, they plan to expand their online delivery options.

By June 2024, they aim to turn a profit monthly. Franchise opportunities may even be on the table in 2025.

This part of the plan breaks down their journey  into achievable steps . It provides a clear timeline of expectations and goals. Similarly, include your startup’s major milestones to give a timeline for your growth.

• Assembling the perfect team

Running a fast food restaurant is no solo venture. The owner/operator stands at the helm, overseeing daily operations from menu planning to staff training. A kitchen manager ensures the back of the house operates smoothly, maintaining food safety, managing kitchen staff, and collaborating on menu development. Front-of-the-house manager ensures customers receive top-notch service while maintaining a clean and welcoming environment.

They clearly define the roles and responsibilities within their team, showcasing how everyone contributes to the restaurant’s success. Define your team structure similarly to give potential investors confidence in your operation’s management.

• Partnerships for your fast food restaurant

Partnerships add value and resources that a standalone business might struggle to find. Fast Bites Delight aims to join forces with local farms and food suppliers to source high-quality, fresh ingredients. Collaborations with food delivery apps extend their reach, making their meals accessible to customers from their homes or offices.

Community organizations and schools also fall within their network scope. By hosting fundraising events and promoting healthy eating habits, Fast Bites Delight aims to strengthen their ties with the community. Local businesses and health and fitness centers present partnership opportunities for catering services and promotional offers, combining business with the promotion of healthier lifestyle choices.

Partnerships are a strategic asset to Fast Bites Delight, extending their reach and adding value to their offerings. Identify potential partnerships for your business to show how you plan to leverage community and industry networks.

• Conclusion: The sweet success of fast bites delight

Fast Bites Delight’s business plan is a masterclass in combining vision, market analysis, strategic planning, and financial forecasting. From understanding their audience and competition to defining their unique value proposition, planning their funding needs, setting goals, and assembling the right team, they have a roadmap that can guide their venture toward success.

As a fast-food entrepreneur, applying these principles and tailoring them to your context will set you on a path toward a successful venture in this highly competitive market. So get ready, set, and let your fast food business plan cook up a storm!

The conclusion reaffirms their unique approach and ties the entire plan together. When you conclude your business plan, summarize your unique value proposition and how each aspect of your plan contributes to achieving your goals.

If you are ready to write your plan, you can download our free  fast food restaurant business plan  from our library of  500+ sample business plan templates . 

See why 1.2 million entrepreneurs have written their business plans with LivePlan

Makenna Crocker is the Marketing Specialist at Richardson Sports. Her work focuses on market and social trends, crafting gripping and authentic content, and enhancing marketing strategy to foster stronger B2B and B2C relationships. With a master’s degree in Advertising and Brand Responsibility from the University of Oregon, she specializes in generating a strong and responsible brand presence through content that positively influences and inspires others.

Table of Contents

• Conduct a market analysis 

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Fast Food Restaurant Business Plan

Free Business Plan Template

Download our free business plan template now and pave the way to success. Let’s turn your vision into an actionable strategy!

• Fill in the blanks – Outline
• Financial Tables

How To Write A Fast Food Restaurant Business Plan?

Writing a fast food restaurant business plan is a crucial step toward the success of your business. Here are the key steps to consider when writing a business plan:

1. Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first section planned to offer an overview of the entire business plan. However, it is written after the whole business plan is ready and summarizes each section of your plan.

Here are a few key components to include in your executive summary:

Introduce your Business:

Start your executive summary by briefly introducing your business to your readers.

Market Opportunity:

Products and services:.

• For instance, your products and services may include menu items, combo meals, takeout and delivery services, combo meals, and catering services.

Marketing & Sales Strategies:

Financial highlights:, call to action:.

Ensure your executive summary is clear, concise, easy to understand, and jargon-free.

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2. Business Overview

The business overview section of your business plan offers detailed information about your restaurant. The details you add will depend on how important they are to your business. Yet, business name, location, business history, and future goals are some of the foundational elements you must consider adding to this section:

Business Description:

• Vegetarian fast food restaurants
• Pizza chains
• Mexican fast food restaurants
• Asian fast food restaurants
• Sandwich shops
• Fried seafood restaurants

Describe the legal structure of your fast food restaurant, whether it is a sole proprietorship, LLC, partnership, or others.

Mission Statement:

Business history:.

• Additionally, If you have received any awards or recognition for excellent work, describe them.

Future Goals:

This section should provide a thorough understanding of your business, its history, and its future plans. Keep this section engaging, precise, and to the point.

3. Market Analysis

The market analysis section of your business plan should offer a thorough understanding of the industry with the target market, competitors, and growth opportunities. You should include the following components in this section.

Target market:

• For instance, young adults, millennials, and busy professionals can be an ideal target market for a fast food restaurant.

Market size and growth potential:

Competitive analysis:, market trends:.

• For instance, there is an increasing demand for healthier food options; explain how you plan to cater to this growing market.

Regulatory Environment:

Here are a few tips for writing the market analysis section of your fast food business plan:

• Conduct market research, industry reports, and surveys to gather data.
• Provide specific and detailed information whenever possible.
• Illustrate your points with charts and graphs.
• Write your business plan keeping your target audience in mind.

4. Products And Services

The product and services section should describe the specific services and products that will be offered to customers. To write this section should include the following:

Fast Food Menu:

Beverages and desserts:.

• For instance, dramatic style involves using longer & thicker lashes for a glamorous look.

Food Preparation and Safety Measures:

This section should explain your food preparation process, cooking methods, and how your business aligns with food safety regulations.

Special Services:

In short, this section of your fast food restaurant plan must be informative, precise, and client-focused. By providing a clear and compelling description of your offerings, you can help potential investors and readers understand the value of your business.

5. Sales And Marketing Strategies

Writing the sales and marketing strategies section means a list of strategies you will use to attract and retain your clients. Here are some key elements to include in your sales & marketing plan:

Unique Selling Proposition (USP):

• For example, fresh and quality ingredients, unique menu items, sustainability, and ethical practices could be some of the great USPs for a fast-food restaurant.

Pricing Strategy:

Marketing strategies:, sales strategies:, customer retention:.

Overall, this section of your fast food restaurant business plan should focus on customer acquisition and retention.

Have a specific, realistic, and data-driven approach while planning sales and marketing strategies for your fast food restaurant, and be prepared to adapt or make strategic changes in your strategies based on feedback and results.

6. Operations Plan

The operations plan section of your business plan should outline the processes and procedures involved in your business operations, such as staffing requirements and operational processes. Here are a few components to add to your operations plan:

Staffing & Training:

Operational process:, equipment & machinery:.

• Explain how these technologies help you maintain quality standards and improve the efficiency of your business operations.

Adding these components to your operations plan will help you lay out your business operations, which will eventually help you manage your business effectively.

7. Management Team

The management team section provides an overview of your fast food restaurant’s management team. This section should provide a detailed description of each manager’s experience and qualifications, as well as their responsibilities and roles.

Founders/CEO:

Key managers:.

• It should include key executives, master chefs, senior management, and other department managers (e.g. operations manager.) involved in the fast food restaurant operations, including their education, professional background, and any relevant experience in the food industry.

Organizational structure:

Compensation plan:, advisors/consultants:.

Mentioning advisors or consultants in your business plans adds credibility to your business idea.

This section should describe the key personnel for your fast food restaurant, highlighting how you have the perfect team to succeed.

8. Financial Plan

Your financial plan section should provide a summary of your business’s financial projections for the first few years. Here are some key elements to include in your financial plan:

Profit & loss statement:

Cash flow statement:, balance sheet:, break-even point:.

• This exercise will help you understand how much revenue you need to generate to sustain or be profitable.

Financing Needs:

Be realistic with your financial projections, and make sure you offer relevant information and evidence to support your estimates.

9. Appendix

The appendix section of your plan should include any additional information supporting your business plan’s main content, such as market research, legal documentation, financial statements, and other relevant information.

• Add a table of contents for the appendix section to help readers easily find specific information or sections.
• In addition to your financial statements, provide additional financial documents like tax returns, a list of assets within the business, credit history, and more. These statements must be the latest and offer financial projections for at least the first three or five years of business operations.
• Provide data derived from market research, including stats about the restaurant industry, user demographics, and industry trends.
• Include any legal documents such as permits, licenses, and contracts.
• Include any additional documentation related to your business plan, such as product brochures, marketing materials, operational procedures, etc.

Use clear headings and labels for each section of the appendix so that readers can easily find the necessary information.

Remember, the appendix section of your fast food restaurant business plan should only include relevant and important information supporting your plan’s main content.

The Quickest Way to turn a Business Idea into a Business Plan

Fill-in-the-blanks and automatic financials make it easy.

This sample fast food restaurant business plan will provide an idea for writing a successful fast food restaurant plan, including all the essential components of your business.

After this, if you still need clarification about writing an investment-ready business plan to impress your audience, download our fast food restaurant business plan pdf .

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Frequently asked questions, why do you need a fast food restaurant business plan.

A business plan is an essential tool for anyone looking to start or run a successful fast food restaurant business. It helps to get clarity in your business, secures funding, and identifies potential challenges while starting and growing your business.

Overall, a well-written plan can help you make informed decisions, which can contribute to the long-term success of your fast food restaurant.

How to get funding for your fast food restaurant business?

There are several ways to get funding for your fast food restaurant business, but self-funding is one of the most efficient and speedy funding options. Other options for funding are:

• Bank loan – You may apply for a loan in government or private banks.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) loan – SBA loans and schemes are available at affordable interest rates, so check the eligibility criteria before applying for it.
• Crowdfunding – The process of supporting a project or business by getting a lot of people to invest in your business, usually online.
• Angel investors – Getting funds from angel investors is one of the most sought startup options.

Apart from all these options, there are small business grants available, check for the same in your location and you can apply for it.

Where to find business plan writers for your fast food restaurant business?

There are many business plan writers available, but no one knows your business and ideas better than you, so we recommend you write your fast food restaurant business plan and outline your vision as you have in your mind.

What is the easiest way to write your fast food restaurant business plan?

A lot of research is necessary for writing a business plan, but you can write your plan most efficiently with the help of any fast food restaurant business plan example and edit it as per your need. You can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less with the help of our   business plan software .

About the Author

Upmetrics Team

Upmetrics is the #1 business planning software that helps entrepreneurs and business owners create investment-ready business plans using AI. We regularly share business planning insights on our blog. Check out the Upmetrics blog for such interesting reads. Read more

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Fast Food Business Plan Template [Updated 2024]

Fast Food Business Plan Template

If you want to start a Fast Food business or expand your current Fast Food business, you need a business plan.

The following Fast Food business plan template gives you the key elements to include in a winning Fast Food restaurant business plan. It can be used to create a takeout restaurant business plan, a quick service restaurant business plan or a traditional fast food plan.

You can download our Fast Food Business Plan Template (including a full, customizable financial model) to your computer here.

Below are links to each of the key sections of a Fast Food restaurant business plan sample:

I. Executive Summary II. Company Overview III. Industry Analysis IV. Customer Analysis V. Competitive Analysis VI. Marketing Plan VII. Operations Plan VIII. Management Team IX. Financial Plan

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Fast Food Business Plan Outline

How to write a business plan for a fast food restaurant?

Writing a business plan for a fast food restaurant can be an intimidating task, especially for those just starting.

This in-depth guide is designed to help entrepreneurs like you understand how to create a comprehensive business plan so that you can approach the exercise with method and confidence.

We'll cover: why writing a fast food restaurant business plan is so important - both when starting up, and when running and growing the business - what information you need to include in your plan, how it should be structured, and what tools you can use to get the job done efficiently.

Let's get started!

In this guide:

Why write a business plan for a fast food restaurant?

What information is needed to create a business plan for a fast food restaurant.

• What goes in the financial forecast for a fast food restaurant?
• What goes in the written part of a fast food restaurant business plan?
• What tool can I use to write my fast food restaurant business plan?

Being clear on the scope and goals of the document will make it easier to understand its structure and content. So before diving into the actual content of the plan, let's have a quick look at the main reasons why you would want to write a fast food restaurant business plan in the first place.

To have a clear roadmap to grow the business

It's rarely business as usual for small businesses. The economy follows cycles where years of growth are followed by recessions, and the business environment is always changing with new technologies, new regulations, new competitors, and new consumer behaviours appearing all the time...

In this context, running a business without a clear roadmap is like driving blindfolded: it's dangerous at best. That's why writing a business plan for a fast food restaurant is essential to create successful and sustainable businesses.

To write an effective business plan, you will need to take stock of where you are (if you are already in business) and where you want the business to go in the next three to five years.

Once you know where you want your fast food restaurant to be, you'll have to identify:

• what resources (human, equipment, and capital) are needed to get there,
• at what pace the business needs to progress to get there in time,
• and what risks you'll face along the way.

Going through this process regularly is beneficial, both for startups and existing companies, as it helps make informed decisions about how best to allocate resources to ensure the long-term success of the business.

To anticipate future cash flows

Regularly comparing your actual financial performance to the projections in the financial forecast of your fast food restaurant's business plan gives you the ability to monitor your business's financial health and make necessary adjustments as needed.

This practice allows you to detect potential financial issues, such as unexpected cash shortfalls before they escalate into major problems. Giving you time to find additional financing or put in place corrective measures.

Additionally, it helps you identify growth opportunities, like excess cash flow that could be allocated to launch new products and services or expand into new markets.

Staying on track with these regular comparisons enables you to make well-informed decisions about the amount of financing your business might require, or the excess cash flow you can expect to generate from your main business activities.

To secure financing

Crafting a comprehensive business plan for your fast food restaurant, whether you're starting up or already established, is paramount when you're seeking financing from banks or investors.

Given how fragile small businesses are, financiers will want to ensure that you have a clear roadmap in place as well as command and control of your future cash flows before entertaining the idea of funding you.

For banks, the information in your business plan will be used to assess your borrowing capacity - which is defined as the maximum amount of debt your business can afford alongside your ability to repay the loan. This evaluation helps them decide whether to extend credit to your business and under what terms (interest rate, duration, repayment options, collateral, etc.).

Similarly, investors will thoroughly review your plan to determine if their investment can yield an attractive return. They'll be looking for evidence that your fast food restaurant has the potential for healthy growth, profitability, and consistent cash flow generation over time.

Now that you understand the importance of creating a business plan for your fast food restaurant, let's delve into the necessary information needed to craft an effective plan.

Need a convincing business plan?

The Business Plan Shop makes it easy to create a financial forecast to assess the potential profitability of your projects, and write a business plan that’ll wow investors.

Writing a fast food restaurant business plan requires research so that you can project sales, investments and cost accurately in your financial forecast.

In this section, we cover three key pieces of information you should gather before drafting your business plan!

Carrying out market research for a fast food restaurant

Carrying out market research before writing a business plan for a fast food restaurant is essential to ensure that the financial projections are accurate and realistic.

Market research helps you gain insight into your target customer base, competitors, pricing strategies and other key factors which can have an impact on the commercial success of your business.

In particular, it is useful in forecasting revenue as it provides valuable data regarding potential customers’ spending habits and preferences.

You may find that customers prefer meals with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. They could also be attracted to meals that are customized with different toppings and sauces.

This information can then be used to create more accurate financial projections which will help investors make informed decisions about investing in your fast food restaurant.

Developing the sales and marketing plan for a fast food restaurant

As you embark on creating your fast food restaurant business plan, it is crucial to budget sales and marketing expenses beforehand.

A well-defined sales and marketing plan should include precise projections of the actions required to acquire and retain customers. It will also outline the necessary workforce to execute these initiatives and the budget required for promotions, advertising, and other marketing efforts.

This approach ensures that the appropriate amount of resources is allocated to these activities, aligning with the sales and growth objectives outlined in your business plan.

The staffing and equipment needs of a fast food restaurant

Whether you are at the beginning stages of your fast food restaurant or expanding its horizons, having a clear plan for recruitment and capital expenditures (investment in equipment and real estate) is vital to ensure your business's success.

To achieve this, both the recruitment and investment plans must align coherently with the projected timing and level of growth in your forecast. It is essential to secure appropriate funding for these plans.

Staffing costs for a fast food restaurant might include wages for employees, the cost of workers' compensation insurance, and any other benefits the restaurant offers. Equipment costs might include the purchase and maintenance of kitchen equipment such as fryers, grills, ovens, and refrigerators, as well as the cost of smallwares such as pots, pans, and utensils.

To create a financial forecast that accurately represents your business's outlook, remember to factor in other day-to-day operating expenses.

Now that you have all the necessary information, it's time to dive in and start creating your business plan and developing the financial forecast for your fast food restaurant.

What goes into your fast food restaurant's financial forecast?

The financial forecast of your fast food restaurant's business plan will enable you to assess the growth, profitability, funding requirements, and cash generation potential of your business in the coming years.

The four key outputs of a financial forecast for a fast food restaurant are:

• The profit and loss (P&L) statement ,
• The projected balance sheet ,
• The cash flow forecast ,
• And the sources and uses table .

Let's look at each of these in a bit more detail.

The projected P&L statement

The projected P&L statement for a fast food restaurant shows how much revenue and profits your business is expected to generate in the future.

Ideally, your fast food restaurant's P&L statement should show:

• Healthy growth - above inflation level
• Improving or stable profit margins
• Positive net profit

Expectations will vary based on the stage of your business. A startup will be expected to grow faster than an established fast food restaurant. And similarly, an established company should showcase a higher level of profitability than a new venture.

The projected balance sheet of your fast food restaurant

The balance sheet for a fast food restaurant is a financial document that provides a snapshot of your business’s financial health at a given point in time.

It shows three main components: assets, liabilities and equity:

• Assets: are resources owned by the business, such as cash, equipment, and accounts receivable (money owed by clients).
• Liabilities: are debts owed to creditors and other entities, such as accounts payable (money owed to suppliers) and loans.
• Equity: includes the sums invested by the shareholders or business owners and the cumulative profits and losses of the business to date (called retained earnings). It is a proxy for the value of the owner's stake in the business.

Examining the balance sheet is important for lenders, investors, or other stakeholders who are interested in assessing your fast food restaurant's liquidity and solvency:

• Liquidity: assesses whether or not your business has sufficient cash and short-term assets to honour its liabilities due over the next 12 months. It is a short-term focus.
• Solvency: assesses whether or not your business has the capacity to repay its debt over the medium-term.

Looking at the balance sheet can also provide insights into your fast food restaurant's investment and financing policies.

In particular, stakeholders can compare the value of equity to the value of the outstanding financial debt to assess how the business is funded and what level of financial risk has been taken by the owners (financial debt is riskier because it has to be repaid, while equity doesn't need to be repaid).

The cash flow forecast

As we've seen earlier in this guide, monitoring future cash flows is the key to success and the only way of ensuring that your fast food restaurant has enough cash to operate.

As you can expect showing future cash flows is the main role of the cash flow forecast in your fast food restaurant business plan.

It is best practice to organise the cash flow statement by nature in order to show the cash impact of the following areas:

• Cash flow generated from operations: the operating cash flow shows how much cash is generated or consumed by the business's commercial activities
• Cash flow from investing activities: the investing cash flow shows how much cash is being invested in capital expenditure (equipment, real estate, etc.) either to maintain the business's equipment or to expand its capabilities
• Cash flow from financing activities: the financing cash flow shows how much cash is raised or distributed to financiers

Looking at the cash flow forecast helps you to make sure that your business has enough cash to keep running, and can help you anticipate potential cash shortfalls.

Your fast food restaurant business plan will normally include both yearly and monthly cash flow forecasts so that the readers can view the impact of seasonality on your business cash position and generation.

The initial financing plan

The initial financing plan, also known as a sources and uses table, is a valuable resource to have in your business plan when starting your fast food restaurant as it reveals the origins of the money needed to establish the business (sources) and how it will be allocated (uses).

Having this table helps show what costs are involved in setting up your fast food restaurant, how risks are shared between founders, investors and lenders, and what the starting cash position will be. This cash position needs to be sufficient to sustain operations until the business reaches a break-even point.

Now that you have a clear understanding of what goes into the financial forecast of your fast food restaurant business plan, let's shift our focus to the written part of the plan.

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The written part of a fast food restaurant business plan

The written part of a fast food restaurant business plan plays a key role: it lays out the plan of action you intend to execute to seize the commercial opportunity you've identified on the market and provides the context needed for the reader to decide if they believe your plan to be achievable and your financial forecast to be realistic.

The written part of a fast food restaurant business plan is composed of 7 main sections:

• The executive summary
• The presentation of the company
• The products and services
• The market analysis
• The strategy
• The operations
• The financial plan

Let's go through the content of each section in more detail!

1. The executive summary

The executive summary, the first section of your fast food restaurant's business plan, serves as an inviting snapshot of your entire plan, leaving readers eager to know more about your business.

To compose an effective executive summary, start with a concise introduction of your business, covering its name, concept, location, history, and unique aspects. Share insights about the services or products you intend to offer and your target customer base.

Subsequently, provide an overview of your fast food restaurant's addressable market, highlighting current trends and potential growth opportunities.

Then, present a summary of critical financial figures, such as projected revenues, profits, and cash flows.

You should then include a summary of your key financial figures such as projected revenues, profits, and cash flows.

Lastly, address any funding needs in the "ask" section of your executive summary.

2. The presentation of the company

As you build your fast food restaurant business plan, the second section deserves attention as it delves into the structure and ownership, location, and management team of your company.

In the structure and ownership part, you'll provide valuable insights into the legal structure of the business, the identities of the owners, and their respective investments and ownership stakes. This level of transparency is vital, particularly if you're seeking financing, as it clarifies which legal entity will receive the funds and who holds the reins of the business.

Moving to the location part, you'll offer a comprehensive view of the company's premises and articulate why this specific location is strategic for the business, emphasizing factors like catchment area, accessibility, and nearby amenities.

When describing the location of your fast food restaurant, you may find it beneficial to focus on the potential customer base that could be drawn in. You could emphasize the area's population, noting that it could be a great place for your restaurant to thrive due to the high amount of people that could visit. Additionally, it may be wise to point out possible advantages such as nearby retail locations, public transportation, and other amenities that could make the restaurant more attractive to customers. Lastly, you could discuss the potential for increased foot traffic due to the location's proximity to popular attractions, such as stadiums, museums, or parks. All of these factors could make the potential financier more interested in the restaurant's location.

Lastly, you should introduce your esteemed management team. Provide a thorough explanation of each member's role, background, and extensive experience.

It's equally important to highlight any past successes the management team has achieved and underscore the duration they've been working together. This information will instil trust in potential lenders or investors, showcasing the strength and expertise of your leadership team and their ability to deliver the business plan.

3. The products and services section

The products and services section of your business plan should include a detailed description of the offerings that your company provides to its customers. 

For example, your fast food restaurant might offer hamburgers, chicken nuggets, and salads to its customers. These items are common, quick to prepare, and appeal to a wide range of tastes. Additionally, your restaurant might offer a variety of sides such as french fries, onion rings, and coleslaw, as well as desserts like ice cream and milkshakes. To meet the needs of customers on the go, you could also provide online ordering and delivery services.

When drafting this section, you should be precise about the categories of products or services you sell, the types of customers you are targeting and how customers can buy them.

4. The market analysis

When you present your market analysis in your fast food restaurant business plan, it's crucial to include detailed information about customers' demographics and segmentation, target market, competition, barriers to entry, and any relevant regulations.

The main objective of this section is to help the reader understand the size and attractiveness of the market while demonstrating your solid understanding of the industry.

Begin with the demographics and segmentation subsection, providing an overview of the addressable market for your fast food restaurant, the key trends in the marketplace, and introducing different customer segments along with their preferences in terms of purchasing habits and budgets.

Next, focus on your target market, zooming in on the specific customer segments your fast food restaurant aims to serve and explaining how your products and services fulfil their distinct needs.

For example, your target market might include busy professionals in their late 20s to mid 40s. These people are looking for convenience, so they would be drawn to the quick service and affordability of a fast food restaurant. They might be looking for healthier options as well, so you could focus on providing them with a variety of lower-calorie and plant-based meals.

Then proceed to the competition subsection, where you introduce your main competitors and highlight what sets you apart from them.

Finally, conclude your market analysis with an overview of the key regulations applicable to your fast food restaurant.

5. The strategy section

When crafting the strategy section of your business plan for your fast food restaurant, it's important to cover several key aspects, including your competitive edge, pricing strategy, sales & marketing plan, milestones, and risks and mitigants.

In the competitive edge subsection, clearly explain what sets your company apart from competitors. This is particularly critical if you're a startup, as you'll be trying to establish your presence in the marketplace among entrenched players.

The pricing strategy subsection should demonstrate how you aim to maintain profitability while offering competitive prices to your customers.

For the sales & marketing plan, outline how you plan to reach and acquire new customers, as well as retain existing ones through loyalty programs or special offers.

In the milestones subsection, detail what your company has achieved thus far and outline your primary objectives for the coming years by including specific dates for expected progress. This ensures everyone involved has clear expectations.

Lastly, in the risks and mitigants subsection, list the main risks that could potentially impact the execution of your plan. Explain the measures you've taken to minimize these risks. This is vital for investors or lenders to feel confident in supporting your venture - try to proactively address any objection they might have.

Your fast food restaurant may face the risk of food contamination. This could occur if food is not stored, prepared, or served properly. Also, there might be potential legal risks if employees do not comply with local labor laws and regulations. This could lead to costly fines or other legal repercussions.

6. The operations section

The operations of your fast food restaurant must be presented in detail in your business plan.

Begin by addressing your staff, specifying the main roles and your recruitment plan to support the anticipated growth. Outline the qualifications and experience needed for each role and discuss your recruitment strategies, which may involve using job boards, referrals, or headhunters.

Next, clearly state your fast food restaurant's operating hours, allowing the reader to gauge the adequacy of your staffing levels. Additionally, mention any considerations for varying opening times during peak seasons and your approach to handling customer queries outside regular operating hours.

The key assets and intellectual property (IP) required to run your business should also be highlighted. If you rely on licenses, trademarks, physical structures like equipment or property, or lease agreements, ensure they are well-documented in this section.

You may have key assets such as unique recipes and proprietary food preparation methods. These could be a valuable source of intellectual property and give your restaurant an edge over the competition. You might also have a unique brand identity and logo that could be used to distinguish your restaurant from others in the industry.

Finally, provide a comprehensive list of suppliers you intend to collaborate with, along with a breakdown of their services and main commercial terms, such as price, payment terms, break clauses and contract duration. Investors often seek insight into the reasons behind your supplier choices, which may include a preference for higher-quality products or established relationships from past ventures.

7. The presentation of the financial plan

The financial plan section is where we will include the financial forecast we talked about earlier in this guide.

Now that you have a clear idea of the content of a fast food restaurant business plan, let's look at some of the tools you can use to create yours.

What tool should I use to write my fast food restaurant's business plan?

In this section, we will be reviewing the two main solutions for creating a fast food restaurant business plan:

• Using specialized online business plan software,
• Outsourcing the plan to the business plan writer.

Using an online business plan software for your fast food restaurant's business plan

Using online business planning software is the most efficient and modern way to create a fast food restaurant business plan.

There are several advantages to using specialized software:

• You can easily create your financial forecast by letting the software take care of the financial calculations for you without errors
• You are guided through the writing process by detailed instructions and examples for each part of the plan
• You can access a library of dozens of complete business plan samples and templates for inspiration
• You get a professional business plan, formatted and ready to be sent to your bank or investors
• You can easily track your actual financial performance against your financial forecast
• You can create scenarios to stress test your forecast's main assumptions
• You can easily update your forecast as time goes by to maintain visibility on future cash flows
• You have a friendly support team on standby to assist you when you are stuck

If you're interested in using this type of solution, you can try The Business Plan Shop for free by signing up here .

Need a solid financial forecast?

The Business Plan Shop does the maths for you. Simply enter your revenues, costs and investments. Click save and our online tool builds a three-way forecast for you instantly.

Hiring a business plan writer to write your fast food restaurant's business plan

Outsourcing your fast food restaurant business plan to a business plan writer can also be a viable option.

Business plan writers are experienced in writing business plans and adept at creating financial forecasts without errors. Furthermore, hiring a consultant can save you time and allow you to focus on the day-to-day operations of your business.

However, hiring business plan writers is expensive as you are paying for the software used by the consultant, plus their time, and their profit margin of course.

From experience, you need to budget at least £1.5k ($2.0k) excluding tax for a complete business plan, more if you need to make changes after the initial version (which happens frequently after the initial meetings with lenders or investors).

You also need to be careful when seeking investment. Investors want their money to be used to grow the business, not spent on consulting fees. Therefore, the amount you spend on business plan writing services (and other consulting services such as legal services) needs to be negligible relative to the amount raised.

The other drawback is that you usually don't own the business plan itself: you just get the output, while the actual document is saved in the consultant's business plan software - which makes it difficult to maintain the document up to date without hiring the consultant on a retainer.

For these reasons, outsourcing the fast food restaurant business plan to a business plan writer should be considered carefully, weighing both the advantages and disadvantages of hiring outside help.

Ultimately, it may be the right decision for some businesses, while others may find it beneficial to write their business plan using online software.

Why not create your fast food restaurant's business plan using Word or Excel?

Using Microsoft Excel and Word (or their Google, Apple, or open-source equivalents) to write a fast food restaurant business plan is a terrible idea.

For starters, creating an accurate and error-free financial forecast on Excel (or any spreadsheet) is very technical and requires both a strong grasp of accounting principles and solid skills in financial modelling.

As a result, it is unlikely anyone will trust your numbers unless - like us at The Business Plan Shop - you hold a degree in finance and accounting and have significant financial modelling experience in your past.

The second reason is that it is inefficient. Building forecasts on spreadsheets was the only option in the 1990s and early 2000s, nowadays technology has advanced and software can do it much faster and much more accurately.

And with the rise of AI, software is also becoming smarter at helping us detect mistakes in our forecasts and helping us analyse the numbers to make better decisions.

Also, using software makes it easy to compare actuals vs. forecasts and maintain our forecasts up to date to maintain visibility on future cash flows - as we discussed earlier in this guide - whereas this is a pain to do with a spreadsheet.

That's for the forecast, but what about the written part of my fast food restaurant business plan?

This part is less error-prone, but here also software brings tremendous gains in productivity:

• Word processors don't include instructions and examples for each part of your business plan
• Word processors don't update your numbers automatically when they change in your forecast
• Word processors don't handle the formatting for you

Overall, while Word or Excel may be viable options for creating a fast food restaurant business plan for some entrepreneurs, it is by far not the best or most efficient solution.

• Using business plan software is a modern and cost-effective way of writing and maintaining business plans.
• A business plan is not a one-shot exercise as maintaining it current is the only way to keep visibility on your future cash flows.
• A business plan has 2 main parts: a financial forecast outlining the funding requirements of your fast food restaurant and the expected growth, profits and cash flows for the next 3 to 5 years; and a written part which gives the reader the information needed to decide if they believe the forecast is achievable.

We hope that this in-depth guide met your expectations and that you now have a clear understanding of how to write your fast food restaurant business plan. Do not hesitate to contact our friendly team if you have questions additional questions we haven't addressed here.

Also on The Business Plan Shop

• How to write a business plan to secure a bank loan?
• Key steps to write a business plan?
• Top mistakes to avoid in your business plan

Do you know entrepreneurs interested in starting or growing a fast food restaurant? Share this article with them!

Founder & CEO at The Business Plan Shop Ltd

Guillaume Le Brouster is a seasoned entrepreneur and financier.

Guillaume has been an entrepreneur for more than a decade and has first-hand experience of starting, running, and growing a successful business.

Prior to being a business owner, Guillaume worked in investment banking and private equity, where he spent most of his time creating complex financial forecasts, writing business plans, and analysing financial statements to make financing and investment decisions.

Guillaume holds a Master's Degree in Finance from ESCP Business School and a Bachelor of Science in Business & Management from Paris Dauphine University.

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How to Start a Take Out Food Business: A Step-by-Step Guide

Sydney Kida | April 6, 2022 |

The take out food industry has experienced a massive boom throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. During the second and third quarters of 2020, the top four leading food delivery apps in the U.S. saw their revenues rise by $3 billion .

Even as life begins to return to normal, take out restaurant ideas continue to grow in prominence nationwide. What does this mean for the humble restaurant owner trying to get their business back on its feet?

Opportunity.

Dine-In vs. Take Out: How Take Out is Changing the Restaurant Business

Take out (sometimes spelled takeout and take-out) has altered the restaurant business irrevocably. While people like to point to the COVID-19 pandemic, take out changed the industry long before coronavirus became a thing.

Perhaps the main reason for takeout’s growth is the ease of ordering. Food delivery apps require a couple of clicks, and your order is already on its way. Giving people an entire list of choices and the option to order from the comfort of their sofas tends to encourage them to eat off premises vs. dining on site.

The younger generation of millennials is also driving growth among take out providers. They boast the most spending power and lean toward take out delivery more than other generations. For example, USA Today reported that 77% of millennials ordered food delivery compared to 51% of other diners during a three-month period in 2018.

Figuring out how to start a take out food business is, therefore, a viable option for companies looking to increase their revenues.

Finally, it’s essential to look at how people spend their evenings. If more people choose to watch Netflix over a night on the town, why wouldn’t they also order dinner at home?

How to Start a Take Out Food Business

Deciding how to start a new take out restaurant requires following several defined steps to put the infrastructure for success in place.

Before going into a takeout restaurant business plan, here are some tips for a takeout restaurant and what makes it successful.

Step One – Plan Your Concept

Take out restaurant design ideas must be optimized entirely for delivery, as this is your primary revenue generator.

Your kitchen’s layout, storage, and logistics must focus on the two key metrics of time and temperature. Get one of them wrong, and you risk killing any repeat business. Perfect your take out restaurant menu ideas and make sure they are optimized for time and temperature.

Most restaurants will maintain smaller menus for this reason. Not everything is suited for take out.

You should also think about your ingredients. Group dishes by the ingredients required to keep your workflow efficient. Remember, unlike dine-in customers, take out customers value speed over everything else.

Step Two – Choose Your Niche

Identify any gaps in the market. If Italian pizza take out restaurants have saturated your area, the chances are it’s not a wise investment.

Think about who you want to cater to and figure out an image of your ideal customer. Some examples of niches include:

• Office workers
• People with special diets
• Seniors with limited mobility

Talk to people on the street and find out what your local area lacks. Your take out restaurant design ideas may not be 100% unique, but you still need that underserved market.

Step Three – Set Up Your Physical Operations

Going through registering your business and applying for any licenses you might need in your state may take weeks, so think about these administrative burdens in advance.

Once you have your concept and your menu, it’s time to build the physical gears that will keep your take out food business turning.

Here are the primary considerations you’ll need to think about:

• Kitchen – Where will you produce your food? You may want to consider a low-rent area that's close to a densely populated place. Make sure it has the space and layout conducive to producing your unique menu.
• Point of Sale (POS) – Technology helps you to run your business. Choose a POS platform that allows you to easily take online orders, manage the payment side, and ensure your kitchen/delivery service runs efficiently.
• Staffing – How many staff do you need to run your kitchen? How much will it cost you to maintain that staff per month?
• Logistics – Do you have a place set up for collection or your own fleet of delivery drivers?

These tasks take longer than most people expect, so avoid setting a launch date before everything is in place. Furthermore, your state may have special requirements regarding commercial kitchen certifications and any required health inspections.

Step Four – Choose Your Distribution Providers

Getting your food to your customers requires a reliable distribution provider. Figuring out how to start a take out food business requires you to take the time to research and factor in distribution costs.

Whether you decide to opt for a third-party provider and eat the commissions or invest in creating your own delivery fleet is up to you.

Remember, your needs might change, so you can alter your distribution model later.

Step Five – Market Your Business

Take out businesses rely on the digital space to gain brand exposure. Craft a unique story that allows you to stand out from the crowd. What makes your take out restaurant special?

Focus on aspects like SEO, social media presence, and how you will convince those first customers to give you a try. Marketing begins from day one of coming up with your business idea. Save money during those initial months by drumming up interest before you officially open for business.

Innovative Take-Out Restaurant Ideas for Your Future Food Business

Staying on the cutting edge of the food industry is what will allow your business to thrive. Think about how you can integrate new ideas into your growing take out business for a better customer experience.

Here are some great tips for a takeout business in the future:

• Make-Your-Own Meals – Offer care packages, such as a build-your-own pizza kit to make ordering take out more fun and tailored to the customer.
• Creative Naming – Get creative with your naming, according to whatever is trendy at the time. Make people smile and make your meals memorable.
• Loyalty Schemes – Promote repeat businesses by bringing the classic retail loyalty scheme to the world of take out.
• Build Relationships – Handwritten notes, postcards, and formal loyalty programs help to bring the human touch to digital transactions.
• The Unconventional – Consider going beyond burgers and pizza and opting for more unconventional take out foods, such as omelets, steaks, and special sauce.

Think outside the box by examining your competitors and looking at what they aren’t doing. There are always openings for getting creative.

Starting Your Takeout Restaurant Business Plan

The pillar of how to start a take out food business is your business plan. Think of it as your professional roadmap to success.

Even if you already have a brick-and-mortar restaurant, your business plan provides direction, alignment, and orientation.

Take Out Restaurant Description

Outline what your take out place is going to be. Define the style of cuisine, the options available, the legal structure of your business, and operating hours.

It’s also the time to come up with a prototype menu. Include no more than 10-15 dish ideas at this stage.

Target Audience Analysis

Conduct market analysis of your target market. Form an image of your ideal customer, such as how old they are, their spending power, professions, interests, and what they expect from a take out establishment.

Understanding your ideal customer will help you give them the experience they expect when ordering take out.

Competitor Analysis

You also need to know who you’re coming up against, as you did with your target audience. A complete competitor analysis will examine a sampling of restaurants in your area.

Don’t just focus on the competitors offering the same cuisine as you. It helps to know what options customers have in the area, how much they charge, and the most common complaints they receive.

Either go out into the community and place orders yourself or make use of online reviews to find out more.

Organizational Sections

Labor, facilities, and associated financial costs and projections should also form a crucial part of your business plan. These are the hard figures that will tell you about the viability of your business and whether you need to make any changes.

You will also have a section dedicated to marketing, branding, and delivery models. The organizational sections are where you delve deep into the nuts and bolts of your business.

Starting a take out business for the first time doesn’t need to be intimidating. You’re moving into a booming industry with tremendous growth potential. How you establish your business and the tools you adopt will define whether you are a success or a failure.

Help with income stream diversification and creating a better customer experience with the revolutionary restaurant POS from Revel Systems®.

Find out why so many take out establishments are using Revel to transform their organizations by requesting a free product demo now.

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How to Start a Profitable Fast Food Business [11 Steps]

By Nick Cotter Updated Feb 02, 2024

Business Steps:

1. perform market analysis., 2. draft a fast food business plan., 3. develop a fast food brand., 4. formalize your business registration., 5. acquire necessary licenses and permits for fast food., 6. open a business bank account and secure funding as needed., 7. set pricing for fast food services., 8. acquire fast food equipment and supplies., 9. obtain business insurance for fast food, if required., 10. begin marketing your fast food services., 11. expand your fast food business..

Before diving into the fast food industry, it's crucial to conduct a comprehensive market analysis to understand the competitive landscape, consumer preferences, and key trends. This will inform your business strategy and increase your chances of success. Here are essential steps to guide you through the process:

• Identify Your Target Market: Determine the demographics and psychographics of your potential customers, including age, income level, eating habits, and preferences.
• Analyze Competitors: Research existing fast food businesses to evaluate their offerings, pricing, marketing strategies, and customer base.
• Assess Industry Trends: Stay abreast of the latest trends in the fast food sector, such as healthy eating options, technology integration, and sustainability practices.
• Understand the Regulatory Environment: Familiarize yourself with health codes, food safety regulations, and any local ordinances that may impact your business operations.
• Choose the Right Location: Analyze different locations based on foot traffic, visibility, accessibility, and proximity to your target market.
• Forecast Demand: Estimate the potential demand for your fast food products by considering factors like population growth, consumer spending patterns, and local economic conditions.

Are fast food businesses profitable?

Yes, fast food businesses can be very profitable depending on the business model, the location and size of the business, and other factors related to management and operations.

Creating a business plan is a crucial step in starting a fast food venture. It serves as a roadmap, outlining your business goals, strategies, and the operational structure to navigate the competitive landscape. Here's a guide to drafting your fast food business plan:

• Executive Summary: Begin with a concise overview of your business including the concept, location, and the unique selling proposition that sets you apart from competitors.
• Business Description: Provide detailed information about your fast food business, the type of food you'll serve, and the market needs you aim to fulfill.
• Market Analysis: Research your target market, analyze competitors, and identify customer demographics to tailor your offerings to the market demand.
• Organization and Management: Describe the structure of your business, including the organizational chart and profiles of the management team.
• Marketing and Sales Strategy: Detail your strategies for attracting and retaining customers, your pricing model, advertising, and promotional activities.
• Menu and Product Line: Outline your menu items, any signature dishes, and how they will be sourced, prepared, and presented.
• Operational Plan: Explain the daily operations of the business, including suppliers, equipment needs, staffing, and any other operational details.
• Financial Projections: Provide financial forecasts including startup costs, projected income, and a break-even analysis to illustrate financial viability.

How does a fast food business make money?

Fast food businesses make money by selling products to their target customers. For example, a fast food business may target families, college students, or busy professionals who need a convenient and affordable meal solution. By effectively marketing to these audiences and offering high quality products at competitive prices, businesses can generate significant revenue. Additionally, fast food businesses may also obtain income through franchising fees and other sources. For an air duct cleaning business, a target audience could include homeowner associations, real estate agents, and property managers looking for efficient and cost-effective air duct cleaning services.

Creating an inviting fast food brand is crucial for capturing the attention of potential customers and setting your business apart from competitors. It's about forging a unique identity that resonates with your target audience through consistent messaging, visuals, and values. Here's how to develop a dynamic fast food brand:

• Identify your niche: Determine what makes your fast food outlet unique. Is it the cuisine, the service speed, health-conscious options, or a fusion of culinary traditions?
• Define your target audience: Understand who your customers are. Tailor your brand to their preferences, age group, lifestyle, and dining habits.
• Create a memorable name and logo: These are key elements of brand identity. Choose a name that's catchy, easy to remember, and reflects your brand's personality. Design a logo that's visually appealing and recognizable.
• Develop a brand message and voice: Your message should encapsulate what you stand for, such as quality, convenience, or innovation. The brand voice, whether it's friendly, professional, or quirky, should be consistent across all communications.
• Design a thematic interior and uniforms: The aesthetic of your physical space and staff appearance should align with your brand identity to provide a cohesive customer experience.
• Implement a marketing strategy: Utilize social media, local advertising, and promotions to spread the word about your brand and attract customers.

How to come up with a name for your fast food business?

Coming up with a name for your fast food business can be a challenging but exciting process. First, research to discover what names and concepts have already been taken in the food and restaurant industry. Once you have established what names to avoid, look for relevant words, ideas, or themes that are related to your business. Consider the tone of the name; will it match the brand you want to create? Think about the symbols, colors, and designs that could be represented in the name. Finally, brainstorm with creative friends, family members, or even customers and see if any of the proposed concepts stand out. With some creativity and research, a memorable and effective name for your fast food business will emerge.

Once you've laid the groundwork for your fast food business, the next critical step is to make it official by registering your business. This not only legitimizes your venture but also provides necessary legal protections. Below is a guide to help you through the business registration process:

• Choose a business structure: Decide if you want to operate as a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), or corporation. Each has different legal and tax implications.
• Register your business name: Check with your local government office to ensure your business name is unique, then register it to protect the name from being used by others.
• Obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN): Apply for an EIN through the IRS, which is necessary for tax purposes and to hire employees.
• Apply for necessary licenses and permits: Depending on your location, you may need a general business license, a food service license, health department permits, and others.
• Understand and prepare for tax obligations: Register for state and local taxes, including sales tax and unemployment insurance tax, if you'll have employees.

Resources to help get you started:

Explore vital resources designed specifically for fast food entrepreneurs aiming to understand market trends, enhance operational efficiencies, and strategize for business expansion:

• National Restaurant Association (NRA): Offers comprehensive industry insights, advocacy, and resources for restaurant owners. https://www.restaurant.org/
• QSR Magazine: A leading source of news, information, and analysis for the quick-service and casual dining segments. https://www.qsrmagazine.com/
• Fast Casual: Targets topics on innovation and strategic insights in the fast casual restaurant industry. https://www.fastcasual.com/
• Restaurant Business Online: Provides news, trends, and ideas for profitable growth in the foodservice industry. https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/
• Foodservice Equipment & Supplies (FE&S) Magazine: Offers key insights into the best practices for equipment use and maintenance, as well as design and trends. https://www.fesmag.com/

When starting a fast food business, it's crucial to ensure that you are operating legally and safely by obtaining the necessary licenses and permits. This step can vary by location, but here are some common requirements you'll likely need to address:

• Business License: Register your fast food business with the local or state government to obtain a general business license.
• Food Service License: This is essential to prepare and sell food and is issued by the city or county health department after passing a health inspection.
• Employer Identification Number (EIN): Required for tax purposes if you have employees; obtain it from the IRS.
• Sales Tax Permit: Allows you to collect sales tax on food items; available through your state's revenue agency.
• Sign Permit: Some localities require a permit to put up business signage, subject to zoning laws.
• Building Health Permit: If you're constructing a new establishment or altering an existing one, this permit ensures your building meets health and safety codes.
• Liquor License: If you plan to serve alcohol, this is a must and can be one of the more complex permits to secure due to local regulations.

What licenses and permits are needed to run a fast food business?

In order to run a fast food business, you will need to obtain a variety of licenses and permits. These include a general business license, health department permit, food service license, liquor license (if you plan on serving alcohol), and any other local or state permits relevant to your particular business.

Starting a fast food business requires careful financial management from the outset. Opening a business bank account is essential for keeping track of your expenses and revenue, while securing funding ensures you have the capital needed to get your venture off the ground. Follow these steps to set up your financial base:

• Choose a Bank: Research and select a bank that offers business accounts with favorable terms, such as low fees, accessibility, and additional services that cater to small businesses.
• Prepare Documentation: Gather required documents to open your account, which typically include your business license, EIN (Employer Identification Number), ownership agreements, and a business plan.
• Apply for an Account: Visit the bank or apply online to set up your business bank account. Be prepared to make an initial deposit if required.
• Explore Funding Options: Consider various sources of funding such as business loans, investors, crowdfunding, or personal savings to finance your startup costs.
• Develop Financial Projections: Create detailed financial projections to present to potential lenders or investors, showing how you plan to generate revenue and manage expenses.
• Stay Compliant: Ensure that all your funding activities comply with local regulations regarding business financing and investor relations.

When setting pricing for your fast food business, it's crucial to find a balance that attracts customers and covers costs while providing a fair profit margin. Consider these key factors to ensure your pricing strategy is competitive and sustainable:

• Cost Analysis: Calculate the cost of ingredients, labor, rent, utilities, and other expenses to determine the minimum price needed to break even.
• Market Research: Study competitors' prices and understand what your target market is willing to pay to remain competitive without undervaluing your offerings.
• Value Perception: Price your items based on the perceived value to the customer, considering portion sizes, ingredient quality, and brand positioning.
• Dynamic Pricing: Consider implementing special deals, combo offers, or time-based discounts to attract more customers without permanently lowering prices.
• Psychological Pricing: Use pricing tactics like ending prices in .99 or .95 to make the cost appear lower and more attractive to consumers.
• Profit Goals: Set prices that ensure you meet your desired profit margins, keeping in mind future scalability and potential market changes.

What does it cost to start a fast food business?

Initiating a fast food business can involve substantial financial commitment, the scale of which is significantly influenced by factors such as geographical location, market dynamics, and operational expenses, among others. Nonetheless, our extensive research and hands-on experience have revealed an estimated starting cost of approximately $78000 for launching such an business. Please note, not all of these costs may be necessary to start up your fast food business.

Starting a fast food business requires careful consideration when selecting equipment and supplies. These elements are crucial for ensuring your kitchen runs efficiently and your service is swift. Below are the steps you should follow to acquire the right tools for your fast food venture.

• Identify Your Needs: List all the equipment necessary for your menu items, from cooking appliances to serving utensils.
• Choose Quality Over Price: Invest in commercial-grade equipment that can withstand heavy use and is less likely to break down.
• Consider Space: Opt for multi-functional equipment that saves space if your kitchen area is limited.
• Look for Efficiency: Energy-efficient appliances will save on utility costs in the long run.
• Buy in Bulk: Purchase non-perishable supplies in bulk to save money, but be wary of storage space and shelf life.
• Negotiate with Suppliers: Build relationships with suppliers for potential discounts and to ensure a steady supply chain.
• Ensure Compliance: Verify that all equipment meets local health and safety standards.
• Plan for Maintenance: Set up regular maintenance schedules to keep equipment in top condition and avoid unexpected failures.

List of software, tools and supplies needed to start a fast food business:

• Fryer ($500 - $1,500)
• Grill ($2,000 - $3,000)
• Refrigerator ($800 - $2,000)
• Freezer ($1,000 - $2,500)
• Point of Sale System ($750 - $2,500)
• Inventory/Food Tracking Software ($50/month subscription fee)
• Cash Register ($150 - $300)
• Food Holding Equipment (ranging from $200 - $1000)
• Dishwasher ($400-$1000)

(Optional) Refrigerated Display Case:

($1,500-$3,500)

Securing the right business insurance is a critical step in protecting your fast food venture from unforeseen events. It not only safeguards your investment but also provides peace of mind as you operate your business. Below are key guidelines to help you obtain the necessary insurance coverage:

• Assess Your Risks: Consult with an insurance broker or agent who specializes in restaurant or fast food businesses to identify potential risks specific to your operation, such as property damage, liability, or worker's compensation claims.
• Understand Mandatory Insurance: Determine which types of insurance are required by law in your area, such as workers' compensation for employees and general liability insurance for customer-related incidents.
• Consider Optional Insurance: Look into additional coverage options that can provide extra protection, such as property insurance for your equipment and premises, product liability for food safety, and business interruption insurance for potential loss of income.
• Compare Quotes: Obtain quotes from multiple insurance providers to compare coverage options and costs, ensuring you get the best deal that aligns with your business needs.
• Review Policies Regularly: As your business grows and changes, make sure to review and update your insurance policies accordingly to maintain adequate coverage at all times.

Marketing your fast food services is crucial for attracting customers and building a loyal following. A well-planned marketing strategy will help you stand out in a competitive market and can make the difference between a thriving business and one that struggles to gain traction. Here are some key steps to effectively market your fast food business:

• Identify Your Target Audience: Understand who your ideal customers are and tailor your marketing messages to resonate with them.
• Develop a Brand Identity: Create a strong brand that represents your values and appeals to your audience, including a memorable logo, catchy tagline, and a consistent color scheme.
• Utilize Social Media: Engage with customers on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to build relationships and keep your audience informed about promotions and new menu items.
• Local Advertising: Invest in local advertising methods such as flyers, local radio spots, and newspaper ads to reach potential customers in your area.
• Loyalty Programs: Implement a loyalty program to encourage repeat business and reward your regular customers.
• Collaborate with Delivery Services: Partner with food delivery platforms to widen your reach and make it convenient for customers to order from you.
• Host Events and Promotions: Organize special events or offer limited-time promotions to create buzz and attract new customers.

Once your fast food business is well-established and profitable, it's time to consider expansion. This could mean opening new locations, franchising, or diversifying your menu. Here are some key steps to help guide your expansion:

• Analyze Your Current Success: Identify what's working well in your existing operation and what can be replicated in new locations.
• Conduct Market Research: Look into different areas or markets to determine demand and find the best locations for expansion.
• Secure Financing: Determine the best financing options to fund your expansion, whether it's through profits, loans, or investors.
• Choose the Right Model: Decide if you want to open new branches, franchise, or license your brand.
• Develop a Scalable System: Ensure that your business model and operations are scalable for multiple locations.
• Train New Staff: Implement training programs to maintain quality and service standards across all locations.
• Implement Strong Management: Hire or promote capable managers to oversee the new locations and maintain brand consistency.
• Advertise: Create marketing campaigns to build excitement and attract customers to your new locations.

Sample Fast Food Restaurant Business Plan

Fast food restaurant business plan sample.

Fast food business all has to do with providing quickly prepared and served food which has low nutrition compared to other foods.

It refers to a restaurant that sells food with preheated or precooked ingredients served in a take away form for customers.

Here is a sample business plan for starting a fast food cafe business.

You can own a fast food business by starting it from the ground, buying an existing fast food business or buying into a franchise.

To start such fast food business, in-depth research and planning is important to achieve success.

(1) Decision Making

It is important to decide on which approach you want to use in having a small fast food business. Do you want to start from scratch? Do you want to buy a fast food business going into extinction and make it better? Or do you want to buy into a fast food franchise?

These are questions you should ask yourself in order to be able to decide on one approach out of the three for shaping your fast food business model. It all depends on you because the three approaches are good enough. The success of the business depends on management and not on the approach used in owning a fast food business.

(2) Feasibility Study

This will help in giving economic indicators to use in starting your fast food business. It states the start up and operating cost of a business and also shows if the business is worth all your efforts or not, that is, the profitability or failure of the business.

Feasibility study takes into cognizant the requirements of starting and owning a start up business like the manpower needed, the materials and machines that is needed.

Feasibility study also includes the cash flow analysis which deals with the money needed for the business and how to source for and regroup money for the business.

(3) Fast Food Business Plan

A restaurant business plan is an integral part of starting a fast food outlet. This helps in knowing the steps that will be taken in ensuring success of the business and also helps in determining the target audience of your fast food business.

A fast food restaurant business plan sample always include: business model, information on the product and services, market analysis, financial plan, objectives and method of implementation.

(4) Food Product

There is the need for you to decide on the type of food you want to be selling before opening the business. Although small fast food restaurants mostly sell hamburgers, you can make other products because you are not limited to hamburger. This helps in knowing the type of food you can sell to make money.

You don’t only decide on the type of products to offer but also develop your product for optimal satisfaction of the customers and high profitability.

To do this, you need to conduct a research to come up with a very good recipe that will attract many customers. Test should also be done to determine the final outlook of the product, to ensure that the color of the product doesn’t change due to chemical reactions and also to determine the ingredients that will make it healthy enough to consume.

(5) Location

In every business, location is an important thing that has to be considered carefully because it determines the success of your business and how well you will be patronized. A fast food business should not be situated in places with less traffic and visibility, such location will kill the business.

Highways, shopping centers, business areas, malls, colleges and universities are good locations where you can have your fast food takeaway business.  Easily accessed areas are also good for a fast food restaurant.

(6) Funding 

The feasibility study carried out earlier would have calculated the start up fund needed for the business. Here, all you have to do is to get the money either through your savings or loans and grants. The best way to get your capital is to locate potential investors with your business plan. To do this, you must have a good business plan and must be able to convince the investors.

(7) Registration

You should make inquiries from the health department in your vicinity to know the requirements of starting and owning a fast food restaurant and also the required permits and license. You will also need to be inspected by the health department before you can go on with your business.

In Texas, Florida, California and other states in the US, It is important that you meet both the state and federal requirements and also have the necessary license and permits before opening your healthy mobile fast food business.

Regulations differ from one state to another and from one country to another.

The following are other basic things that needs to be done when starting a fast food center business:

• Purchasing of all required and necessary equipment especially cooking utensils. • Staffs should be hired and trained for providing effective service.  Training is mostly important for staff in order to be aware of developments in the products they offer and also to become better at what they do. • Promote your fast food business through adverts on social media and other platforms.

FAST FOOD RESTAURANT BUSINESS PLAN EXAMPLE

Perhaps, you are keen on writing a business plan because you need it to help you obtain a loan from the bank; or maybe, you realize how really important a business plan could be to the success of your business.

Before we delve in, i believe you must have made inquiries and prepared for that business, and you are well aware of the necessary requirements and steps to be observed before starting up. This article will serve as useful template to help you draft your own fast food outlet business plan.

Other Fast Food Plans:

• Bubble Tea Business Plan
• Shawarma Stand Business Plan
• Cupcake Shop Business Plan
• Catering Business Plan
• Pizza Shop Business Plan
• Ice Cream Factory Business Plan
• Hot Dog Cart Business Plan
• Sandwich Shop Business Plan
• Frozen Yogurt Business Plan
• Cake Making Business Plan
• Donut Shop Business Plan

So without any ado, below is a fast food restaurant business plan sample.

BUSINESS NAME: Tantalizer’s Fries

• Executive Summary
• Vision Statement
• Mission Statement
• Business Structure
• Products and Services
• Market Analysis
• Target Market
• Sales and Marketing Strategy
• Sales Forecast

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Tantalizer’s Fries is a fast food restaurant business that is registered and fully licensed as a Limited company to operate in Singapore. It is a fast food restaurant business that has fulfilled the necessary requirements and obtained the required licenses and permits to legally operate in Singapore.

At Tantalizer’s Fries, we will be committed to tantalizing our customers with good, and quality food recipes at excellent prices with great packaging. We know that today’s world is a very busy one, and people have less time to properly prepare their meals; this is why we have become the answer to this pressing demand for fast food. We will offer a vast range of products, from sandwiches to Belgian fries.

Our fast food restaurant will be located at one of the crowded and populated areas of Singapore. The size of the establishment will range from 60 – 70 metres square and it will contain 20 – 25 guests.

Tantalizer’s Fries will be owned by Matthew Robinson and Jimmy McDonalds, both of whom will be having a 50-50 ownership. Both Matthew Robinson and Jimmy McDonalds have more than 15 years of experience in the fast food industry. We will expand our fast food restaurant business and offer franchise opportunity in the near future, probably after the first five years.

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES

At Tantalizer’s Fries, we have set out our business objectives as given below, to be able to cement our position as one of the leading fast food restaurants in Singapore and Asia as a whole. Our business objectives include:

• To establish a presence as one of the leading fast food restaurants in Singapore and Asia.
• To establish Tantalizer’s Fries as a fast food restaurant that anybody would love to come to.
• To expand the restaurant business and start offering franchise opportunity, before the last quarter of our third year of business, in Singapore, United States, and other parts of the world.
• To create an exciting and unique menu that will set us apart from every other fast food restaurant in Singapore.
• To provide more than a satisfactory service to our customers and maintain a high level of excellent services.

MISSION STATEMENT

Our mission is clear and straightforward, and it is in harmony with our business vision. Our ultimate goal is to be among the leading fast food restaurants in Singapore, offering franchise opportunities within and outside Singapore, and the United States.

Bearing in mind our ultimate goal, we will put in our best efforts to ensure that we provide top quality customer services to our wonderful customers. We will make our customers have more than a wonderful experience whenever they visit our fast food restaurant, and even when they visit our website. We will make sure we will have great quality packaging for our products, and have our brand label attached to all our products.

In a nutshell, our main focus is on serving our cherished customers great quality food at great and affordable prices in a very calm and soothing atmosphere.

BUSINESS STRUCTURE Tantalizer’s Fries will be owned by Matthew Robinson and Jimmy McDonalds. Matthew Robinson holds a Masters degree from the University Of Michigan, and had once been a project manager at several multinational companies while Jimmy McDonalds holds a BS degree. As the company expand over the years, we will need the services of:

• A director of store operations.
• Human Resource Manager (HRM).
• Marketing Manager, and
• Administrative Manager.

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Tantalizer’s Fries will focus solely on the sales of fries, sauces, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. We will offer the sales of our products at very affordable prices. We will open our fast food restaurant every day from 8am to 8pm.

We will offer some Belgian fries and sandwiches in various flavours, ranging from satay sauce, Thai chilli ketchup, pesto mayo, teriyaki sauce, creamy wasabi mayo, lava cheese, barbecue, Caribbean islands, etc.

MARKET ANALYSIS

In Singapore, the end of the year 2000 marked the immense growth of consumers’ expenses for fast food, and the subsequent bounce back of the nation’s economy. The number of fast food restaurants had increased tremendously over the years.

In a survey of people within the ages of 15 – 45 years old, 80% of them confirmed to like fast food. 90% of them confirmed to like eating fast food regularly, and 10% of them affirmed to having great love for fast foods.

TARGET MARKET

Our target market will include a host of adolescents and adults that fall within the age bracket of 15 – 38. This is because this group have very flexible budgets. We will make sure we offer our products at prices that are much more appealing than those of our competitors. Our target market will also include the family unit, the male adults –this is because they have very little dietary concerns; and the medium income earners.

SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

We will do well to employ the necessary sales and marketing strategies to be able to catapult our fast food restaurant business to the top and cement it there. We will locally market our brand by distributing colour brochures throughout the regions in our target market areas.

We will make use of the local media of newspapers, magazines, and direct mail campaign; and also establish a website for our fast food restaurant business. We will also not hesitate to move our brand to the social media world such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.

FINANCIAL PLAN

Startup requirements

Startup expenses:

Legal fee                                 $2,000 Rent fee                                  $20,000 Interior equipment                  $17,000 Kitchen equipment                 $23,000 Packaging                               $10,000 Contingencies                         $5,000 Startup asset                          $60,000 Total                                       $137,000

Startup funding:

The initial startup investment sum required to startup Tantalizer’s Fries fast food restaurant business is $137,000.

Both Matthew Robinson and Jimmy McDonalds will contribute a 50-50 percent sum of investment to make up the startup capital. Matthew Robinson and Jimmy McDonalds will both contribute $68,500 as the startup investment.

SALES FORECAST

Our sales forecast for Tantalizer’s Fries for the next three years is as follows. This sales projection is however based on a number of factors that have been considered.

Year 1             $100,000 Year 2             $170,000 Year 3             $350,000

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How to Start a Food Takeaway Business in England and Wales

By Jake Rickman

Updated on 12 July 2022 Reading time: 5 minutes

This article meets our strict editorial principles. Our lawyers, experienced writers and legally trained editorial team put every effort into ensuring the information published on our website is accurate. We encourage you to seek independent legal advice. Learn more .

• Business Plan 

Financial Considerations

What business structure will you adopt.

• Know Your Tax Liability 

Regulations, Licenses, and Certifications

Key takeaways.

• Frequently Asked Questions 

Do you like cooking for others? Or, are you interested in starting a restaurant without the hassle of hosting sit-down dinners? If so, creating a food takeaway business may be an excellent option for you!

This article will explain the key commercial and legal matters you should consider before starting your own food takeaway business.

Business Plan 

Many businesses will benefit from a well-thought-out business plan. In their simplest form, a solid business plan will outline your business model, including how you will: 

• finance your business;
• operate it; and 

Indeed, there are specific things unique to a food takeaway business that you may want to consider. For instance, it would be helpful to consider the kind of cuisine that will you serve. Further, you may also consider whether your takeaway business will be predominantly vegetarian or vegan. In addition, you must consider the location of your shop. You may decide to operate out of your house as a takeaway business. Alternatively, you could rent a kitchen from a commercial landlord.

Another thing that may be helpful to consider is how your will customers order from you. For example, you could offer:

• online ordering options;
• phone orders; or
• can guests walk up to your premises and order in person?

Moreover, you will also need to think about:

• delivery services;
• how you intend to market your business;
• to what extent you will need to develop an online ordering system; and
• which suppliers you use. 

To execute your business plan, you will need adequate access to money. Many food delivery businesses begin with owners who save their personal money and invest it into the business. 

You may also borrow money from a bank or your network of family and friends. If you are raising money from family and friends, you may want to give away some of the equity in your business. In addition, it is vital to understand the longer-term dilutionary effect this may have.

Regardless of how you raise your finances, you need to ensure you understand the best investment options for that money. To do so, you need to determine your expenses and then price your food accordingly to make an adequate profit.

Startup costs

As part of your expenses, you must identify those necessary to get your business up and running. Some typical upfront costs include:

• how much it will cost to rent premises (if you are renting); 
• what sorts of equipment you will need (for example, gas ranges, fryers, storage hardware, counter equipment, serving equipment, and any office or accounting equipment); 
• licensing and certification fees ; 
• fees for legal or consulting services;
• websites and marketing fees; 
• recruitment and training fees; 
• the cost of insurance policies; 
• waste disposal;
• point-of-sale (POS) systems;
• phone, internet, and the cost of other utilities (like heating and gas); and
• the cost of your startup inventory including meat, veggies, pantry items, and condiments. 

Your business structure is the legal framework your business trades through. 

The four most common business structures are:

• the sole-trader;
• an unincorporated partnership;
• a limited company; and
• a limited liability partnership ( LLP ). 

There are several advantages and disadvantages to each business structure. However, as a takeaway owner and operator, you should be especially aware of the implications of being a sole trader compared to trading through an incorporated company. This is important to your business as it limits your liability. 

Sole-traders and unincorporated (general) partnerships are unincorporated. Limited companies and LLPs are incorporated.

The main benefit of an incorporated company is that you tend to benefit from the legal principle of limited liability, which means that the assets and liabilities of your business are separate from your personal ones. 

The downside to trading through incorporated structures is that they require more administration and management. The more money you bring in and the larger your business, the more your liabilities grow, which increasingly justifies the expense and admin of an incorporated business. 

Know Your Tax Liability 

The amount you will pay in tax will depend on what business structure you trade through, in addition to your income and expenses. Moreover, you will want to check if the Value Added Tax ( VAT ) is payable, considering that your customers will not be eating food on the premises. 

Insurance 

If your takeaway business is open to the public, you should obtain a public liability policy suitable for occupiers. Even if your customers come in to order food and then leave, it is always a good idea to prepare for the worst. Furthermore, if you have any employees, the law requires you to obtain employers’ liability insurance. 

Finally, it is a good idea to obtain an insurance policy that covers your equipment in the event they face damage by:

• fire; 
• flood; or 
• vandalism. 

If you serve food, many important regulations exist to protect consumers . If you fail to abide by these regulations, you may be criminally and civilly liable for damages. In addition, your local authority will likely enforce most of the laws for sanitation and food service.

Additionally, depending on your equipment, you may need to obtain specific safety certificates, such as a gas certificate. Usually, the local authority regulates certifications as well. 

You should ensure that you have a well-thought-out business plan before opening your takeaway business to the public. Further, you will also want to consider how you will pay for your business. For instance, will you raise money from outside sources or invest your personal savings? Other critical things to consider are the business structure you will use and which insurance policies you should obtain. Moreover, you will want to check with your local council to ensure you comply with their licensing laws regarding the sale of food. 

If you need help with your startup business, our experienced  commercial lawyers  can assist as part of our LegalVision membership. For a low monthly fee, you will have unlimited access to lawyers to answer your questions and draft and review your documents. Visit our  membership page .

Frequently Asked Questions 

No law says you cannot sell food to the public from your own home. However, you might run into problems if you rent from a landlord or if there are certain restrictive covenants in your freehold or leasehold agreement that ban operating a commercial kitchen. 

While the law may not obligate you to get insurance, it is always a good idea to have a suitable policy. In some cases, it may be a requirement to obtain insurance, such as if you employ others. 

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Fast Food Service Business Plan

Start your own fast food service business plan

QuickBite Express

Value proposition.

QuickBite Express offers delicious, high-quality fast food options with a focus on speed, convenience, and affordability. Our diverse menu caters to various tastes and dietary preferences, ensuring a satisfying experience for all customers.

The Problem

Many fast food chains compromise on quality, taste, and healthiness, leading to a poor dining experience for customers who desire quick and convenient meal options.

The Solution

QuickBite Express addresses these challenges by providing a fast food experience that combines quality, taste, and health-conscious options. Our menu features fresh ingredients, diverse flavors, and a selection of vegetarian and vegan choices.

Target Market

Our target market includes busy individuals and families seeking quick, delicious, and affordable meal options. We cater to a wide range of tastes and dietary preferences, making our services appealing to a broad audience.

Competitors and Differentiation

Key competitors include other fast food chains and local quick-service restaurants. QuickBite Express differentiates itself through:

• A diverse menu with a focus on quality and taste
• Health-conscious options, including vegetarian and vegan choices
• A commitment to exceptional customer service

Our team is passionate about providing customers with an exceptional fast food experience that doesn’t compromise on quality or taste. We are committed to maintaining high standards in food preparation, presentation, and service, ensuring customer satisfaction at every level.

Funding Needs

We are seeking an initial investment of $500,000 to secure a prime location, purchase equipment, and cover initial marketing expenses. This investment will enable us to establish a strong brand presence and attract a loyal customer base.

Sales Channels

Our primary sales channels are our physical restaurant location and online ordering through our website and mobile app. In the future, we will consider partnering with food delivery services to expand our reach.

Marketing Activities

To attract customers and build brand awareness, we will:

• Utilize local advertising channels, including billboards, radio, and print media.
• Offer grand opening promotions and discounts.
• Leverage social media platforms to showcase our menu and engage with the community.
• Establish partnerships with local businesses for cross-promotions and referrals.

Financial Projections

• Year 1: $750,000
• Year 2: $1,000,000
• Year 3: $1,300,000

Expenses/Costs

• Year 1: $600,000 (includes rent, utilities, food costs, equipment maintenance, and marketing)
• Year 2: $700,000
• Year 3: $800,000
• Year 1: $150,000
• Year 2: $300,000
• Year 3: $500,000
• Secure initial investment and establish business structure.
• Identify and secure a prime location for the restaurant.
• Successfully launch the business and attract a loyal customer base.
• Continuously refine and expand the menu to cater to customer preferences.
• Explore partnership opportunities with food delivery services.

Key Team and Roles

• Owner/Operator: Oversees the day-to-day operations, manages finances, and leads marketing efforts.
• Restaurant Manager: Supervises staff, ensures quality control, and maintains equipment.
• Chef: Develops and refines the menu, manages food preparation, and ensures food safety standards.
• Customer Service Representatives: Provide exceptional customer service and process orders.

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THE 10 BEST Restaurants in Moscow

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• Lyubov Pirogova
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• Moscow, Idaho /
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