How to start a roadside food stall business?

[AamirH]

Hello All,

I am 22 years old small town rider/engineer who loves only two things in his life - travelling and eating. I am into my first job since last 6 months in IT industry and by now I have realized its not what I want to do in my life. Zero level of satisfaction and huge losses on physical, emotional and mental levels. I always wanted to do a job I love. But obligations to earn a bread and shelter for myself left with no choice but to take up the job of Software developer in an IT giant where now I earn a mere salary and fight my way in and out of office to survive.

Anyways back to the topic. My aim is to establish a chain of roadside/pavement stalls (or carts) where I can sell delicious snacks in a hygienic way at reasonable prices which delights my customer. My USP will be 'Food Globalization'. I can take care of marketing, finance and sales. I want to understand my customer, his demands and prospective markets; and slowly grow and expand. After stabilization and payback period, my plan is to quit my code-crunching job and expand business to other cities.

Now problem is - how should I start? Since I have not much idea on operations and HR, please help me find solutions of the following doubts -

* What are the legal formalities involved in setting up a roadside stall (which looks more organised and cleaner)?

* How does a small scale restaurant business recruit cooks/chefs? Suppose I want to open a samosa stall or Momo stall. How and where shall I find a guy who knows well to make delicious samosas or Momos?

Please start helping me by pouring in your valuable suggestions. If everything falls in place, I will kick-start my first shop before June next year.

Thanks & Regards,
Aamir

P.S.- I don't have loads of money because I have started earning recently so the idea is to start with a basic stall (and hence not shop - I m poor) selling only couple of items on menu and observe the success/failure of first setup and carry on accordingly.

 

[jeetcp]

Wild guess. Work for McD for few months and gain experience.

 

[Prasham]

First think about what time is convenient to you. If you will be open only in evening better go for "wholesome" meal like setup like Punjabi or Chinese. While its more demanding but it will also reward you better. If you will be open for few hours during day, its better to serve some snacks. Checkout the places where there is concentration of this kind of stalls. See what's selling, how's the quality, hygiene etc.

Easiest job could be opening up a desert parlour. Keep few icecreams, sauces, nuts and some canned fruits. Use them in different ratios and you have a desert. Not much of hassle.

If you can arrange for finance, get a Chota Hathi sort of rickshaw as its much easier to move it around and will save lot of time since you'll be working double shift.

 

[Raj ROVER]

Hello All,
Now problem is - how should I start? Since I have not much idea on operations and HR, please help me find solutions of the following doubts -

* What are the legal formalities involved in setting up a roadside stall (which looks more organised and cleaner)?

* How does a small scale restaurant business recruit cooks/chefs? Suppose I want to open a samosa stall or Momo stall. How and where shall I find a guy who knows well to make delicious samosas or Momos?

Please start helping me by pouring in your valuable suggestions. If everything falls in place, I will kick-start my first shop before June next year.

Thanks & Regards,
Aamir

P.S.- I don't have loads of money because I have started earning recently so the idea is to start with a basic stall (and hence not shop - I m poor) selling only couple of items on menu and observe the success/failure of first setup and carry on accordingly.

Amir ! 1-initially just approach local municipal office or Panchayat office whichever is applicable to area where you want to start, with a written application stating eatery/outlet name and kind of business ie: cooked meal/prepack or fast food, and if possible with layout plan (if it is a concrete shop then, for toilet purpose as authority may ask) and no- objection letter of land owner.
2- Once you have a permission you are king, give some advertisements or approach personally cooks/helper etc as it will be better idea so that you can convince them with your future plan and offer them some percentage apart from salary.
3- once everything is ready, grocery,oil, spices, gas and crockery etc and ready to serve your meal/snacks, call ME:grinCMT members for business.
Rest I will tell you when you will disclose as from where exactly you are as all Lucknowities are Nawaab by nature and shaokeen for....kabab, shabaab

 

[kprixie]

Aamir...congrats ..u know now and acknowledge what u really want from life and must say u realised it fast. lots of talented guys here with lots of experience who can give u gud advise. just wanted to tell u about getting cooks or guys who make great samosas etc...for this u will have to ask around ..eat at various places to get a better taste distinction and also find out who the cook is and ask them if they will work for u or they can suggest.
best samosas i ever had was in Kolkata...they make the best samosas..
all the best

 

[DKay]

In the year 1993, when I was in 2nd year of my catering college at Mumbai, we started something on the same lines. We actually started selling veg sandwiches on a cycle at the crowded Dadar Beach. The idea was to generate extra pocket money for us. We kept it very simple. We had a big chopping board fixed on the cycle back seat for chopping and preparing sandwiches. We used to buy fresh loafs of bread, butter, cucumbers, cheese, tomatoes etc etc as per requirement.

Our college used to get over by 1700 hrs and by 1730 hrs we used to reach the beach and within 10 mnts we used to start delivering sandwiches. Within two days we were a hit with the visitors. Though the product was very very basic but since the sandwiches were fresh and prepared in front of them and also the fact that we turned out in our chef coats, well groomed and with plastic gloves also made a huge impact in the mind of the customers. By the end of the week within 2 hours we managed selling sandwiches from 10 loafs. It was a cool profit of Rs500/- every day for us. (big money for students that time)

But the happiness never lasted for long. Why? Because, we had no permissions whats so ever. The local gang of stalls reported us to the cops because they were lossing quite a bit of money due to us. So we had to back off.

Now the essence of the story is

1. Have all your bases covered with the govt departments. The municipality, the food authorities, the local unions etc etc. Have all your licenses in place.

2. Whatever you do, make sure your presentation is the best. With presentation I include the staff as well. Plastic gloves for instance maybe a small thing but this kinda hygiene the public notices.

3. Know your client. I believe you will be catering for masses, so price your stuff accordingly. You could reduce your profit margin, but if you selling in numbers it will make up for it. So pricing strategy is also important.

4. think of a logo and a name. I always believe that if a chain can be identified by its Logo, then you have a successful business.

Regards

 

[oriole12]

DKay, Excellnt advice! Getting all the paper work done before you start is important. Otherwise you will be victimised by Municipal Corporation, Health Department, Police, PWD, and who not! Also, the hygiene and appearance matters. I have two examples to quote.

1. Thomas a childhood friend and classmate had a successful business of plywood in Kerala before he played in the Stock Market recklessly and lost everything and had to leave Kerala to settle down in Bangalore. He was finding it difficult to sustain his family in the meagre income he was earning as a n accountant. He hit upon the idea of taking advantage of his wife's excellent culinary skills. He will make a big degchi full of Biriyani and take it on his scooter near an industrial area and sell mid-day meals, dressed in an apron, paper cap and gloves. His business boomed and later he got some contracts to supply lunch to a few factories and earned a decent income till he died of cancer a few years ago.

2. The son of one of my teachers was a foodie. He studied for engineering and was well employed but he was keen to give a try at food stall. I am talking of the days when Gurgaon was still a gaon and Udyog Vihar was the main area with large number of employees. He set up a kitchen at home employing just one cook and a delivery boy and trained the guy and his wife to produce delicious mid day meals, mostly Idli and Sambar which was not easily available those days. He would supply to one or two companies and also cater to kitty parties.
The USP of both these guys was the clean food and different menu than what was being offered by the competition.

 

[anupmathur]

While it is very logical to say that all the paperwork should be in place, I am wondering if such a thing is at all possible without having tons of money to pay as 'speed money' or plain bribes!
Being the totally corrupt country that we are I would bet that this 'paperwork' is not as easy to obtain as is being made out here!

It would be enlightening to know what the ground realities are, from someone who has worked the mill.

 

[DKay]

While it is very logical to say that all the paperwork should be in place, I am wondering if such a thing is at all possible without having tons of money to pay as 'speed money' or plain bribes!
Being the totally corrupt country that we are I would bet that this 'paperwork' is not as easy to obtain as is being made out here!

It would be enlightening to know what the ground realities are, from someone who has worked the mill.

You dont need tons of money for all this. I have gone through it and go through it every year for renewels. But licenses and other paper work is the utmost important thing without which you will be shelling out more money to keep the authorities at bay than you would spend in getting them. My experience says that if you run a "clean" business no one really bothers you. So it is indeed a must.

 

[anupmathur]

... So it is indeed a must.

I agree it is a must.
The question is different.
A small food vendor versus an immovable property like a hotel!
I do not doubt that large businesses will get their papers; it is the SMALL and 'poor' man who will face most difficulty.
Even here, reference to the level of difficulty of doing business in India cannot be glossed over. We rank way down toward the bottom of the list!