Cheap Takeaway Menus

How to start a takeaway

By Kevin Moyse

How to start a takeaway

If you’re thinking of starting a takeaway business Cheap Takeaway Menus can offer you great deals on many of the things you’ll need. We deal with takeaway menu design and takeaway menu printing. So we can design your takeaway menus for you or help you with takeaway menu design and we can sort out cheap menu printing through our menu printers. We can also offer you advice on branding and marketing, not to mention one of the fantastic food ordering websites we provide for free with your cheap menu printing order. Click on any of the links on this page and you will find a wealth of information on takeaway menu design, takeaway menu printing, and lots of offers from Cheap Takeaway Menus to help you.

Of course there are many other things besides takeaway menu printing which you need to think about when you decide you want to open a takeaway business, so although we’ve got you covered when it comes to cheap menu design and cheap menu printing, here are some of the items you’ll need to tick off the list before you get going. If only takeaway food was as simple for the takeaway business as it is for the customer. Takeaways are designed with the customer in mind. Their half of the transaction is what makes them attractive: they have a takeaway menu, they choose what they want, they place an order (online or by phone), they pay, their food is delivered or collected. Simple.

What the customer doesn’t see, and what they shouldn’t see if your takeaway is set up correctly, is the organisation that has gone into getting that tasty food to their door. So first…

 

Do you have the will?

Before we get into the nuts and bolts of it, you need to ask yourself if you know what you are getting into. New takeaways are a high risk venture and a large percentage of new businesses fail in their first year. Usually this is because they have jumped in with both feet and not taken their time to research their market and build something which has a chance to succeed before they roll it out.

In today’s market you need to have a website or an online ordering facility (see articles on online ordering websites), you need great branding (so a great logo is needed), you need well-designed takeaway menus which are attractive, user-friendly and hardy, Luckily you’re already at our site so high quality takeaway menu design and cheap menu printing is already just a mouse click away - start by choosing the size of menu you want from the list on the right. You’ll also need an electronic point of sale system set up, and you need an awareness of your potential customer base. All of this is in addition to everything else below, not to mention the quality of the food you will be providing.

So you need to ask yourself if you have the will to do this, because it will be hard work, long hours, and it will take a lot of mental and physical effort. But it will be rewarding (financially and professionally) when done right. So if the answer to that question is ‘yes’, then take a minute to familiarise yourself with what cheap takeaway menus can offer you because we love to do business with takeaways who are serious about being successful.

Now, on to the rest.

1. Your idea

Do you have a clear idea of what you are going to do? What sort of food will you provide? What sort of service do you want to give to your customers? How can you make it different from other well-established businesses in the area? Simple questions, but you would be surprised to learn how many (failed) takeaway businesses don’t have a clear idea of what they want to give to the public. Ideas spiral out of control, the whole venture becomes top heavy, starts haemorrhaging cash and before you know it the premises is to let again and the kitchen equipment is on eBay. So write yourself a little mission statement and stick to it. You may have a thousand more ideas but let your takeaway learn to walk before you ask it to start winning medals for running.

You can get general business start-up advice from the government at one of the following:–

• England - National Enterprise Network
• Scotland - Business Gateway
• Northern Ireland - NI Business Info
• Wales - Business Wales

2. Premises

You’ll need the best location you can find. Passing trade is as important to a new venture as cheap takeaway menus through letterboxes. Try to place yourself in the geography of a customer’s day.

Renting is probably more advisable than buying, so you can keep hold of as much of your vital working capital as possible (you’ll have already saved money by ordering one of our great cheap menu printing packages, so why not continue to save). The best locations are probably going to be a little more expensive but if you utilise it that location, the extra cost will be more than worth it to your takeaway.

Try to find a property that’s been used for a similar purpose in the past. Sorting out change of use can be expensive and time consuming.

 

3. Equipment

Make a list of everything you’ll need – from fitting out your kitchen to your front of house to your needs for delivery – then try to find the best deal on all of them. All those businesses we mentioned that failed through lack of preparation will be offloading their nearly new equipment on eBay. Their loss could be your gain.

4. Staff

How many people will you need? The minimum to make it work, the better (at first). You’ll need delivery drivers (with their own vehicles or in yours) of course, but if you plan your deliveries well, the number of these can also be kept low whilst you establish yourself.

And above all you’ll need a great chef. Don’t promise anything on your takeaway menu which you can’t deliver (literally). Your hardest working member of staff is your takeaway menu, but they are low maintenance. Keep your human staff happy and they will work hard and well too.

5. Suppliers

You’ll need food suppliers you can count on to give you good produce when you need it. You’ll also need containers, bags, napkins etc.

We also number ourselves amongst your suppliers, and you can most definitely count on us to offer you an excellent product in good time. We want your business to succeed almost as much as you do.

Which brings us to...

6. Printed Menus

A great takeaway menu is your calling card. Quite often it’s the only part of your business your customers will see (apart from the food, of course).

Cheap takeaway menus can provide you with everything you need to produce a successful takeaway menu. We specialise in takeaway menu design and cheap menu printing. We can provide you with beautifully designed menus which our menu printers will painstakingly prepare, not to mention food ordering websites (see below), logo design and if you need any advice on all of the above we would be happy to help. We are constantly running special offers, offer a money back guarantee on your deposit, and there are no hidden costs.

7. Website

Our food ordering websites – which we will throw in free when you place a takeaway menu printing order – are just what you will need to bolster your takings. They are a fantastic way of providing your customers with a takeaway menu wherever they are. They are fully responsive and if you buy an EPOS (Electronic Point of Sale) system through us we can link it to your site and your customers can pay for their food online. Even if you don’t buy an EPOS through us we can hook up one you’ve purchased elsewhere providing it’s compatible. Click for much more info on our food ordering websites.

And did we mention they’re free? I think we did but we’re so proud of them it’s worth mentioning again: They’re free!!

Ok. That’s all the physical stuff. Here’s the rest:-

8. HMRC

You’ll need to register as a business for tax and National Insurance purposes. This can be done online and for free.

9. Licences

You’ll also need to register with your local council for a licence to trade as a food business and possibly one which approves your premises to prepare and serve food. You’ll also need food hygiene and health and safety certificates which are an absolute must.

10. Insurance

Having this in place before you start trading is essential. You can hunt around for the cheapest business insurances but you should be looking at public liability, employer’s liability, stock, contents, building and perhaps business transport and delivery insurance. If you’re serious about your business you should accept these as a necessary expense. One unfortunate incident for which you are not insured and you could be shutting up shop for good.

11. Business Rates

Contact the business rates section of your local council to register, but check the latest info on the gov.uk website to see if there are any current reductions or subsidies which might save you some money.

12. Utilities

You’ll know from your household energy bills that there is a lot of choice out there when it comes to who supplies your energy. Business tariffs are no different. Hunt around for the best deal, just like you have done to arrive here for your cheap menu printing.

Starting a takeaway can be a daunting prospect, but anyone who goes as far as making the decision to do so should already be aware of that. Like any new business venture, the better prepared you are, the more chance you have of your business being successful. Having everything in place before you open the doors lets you hit the ground running. To help you further Cheap Takeaway Menus has compiled a basic checklist for you to run through as you go. You can download it and print it off to carry around while you’re sorting things out.

So good luck, and as you’re already here why not have a look at the cheap menu printing and takeaway menu design offers and place an order before you go. Or bookmark us and come back when you get to ‘Order cheap takeaway menus’ on the checklist.

Our takeaway menu design team and menu printers will be ready and waiting to provide a great service to your new takeaway business.

Remember

Good menu design makes you money!
Cheap menu printing saves you money!

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