How to open Indian Restaurant in USA ?
Despite accounting for less than 2% of the ethnic food sector in the US, Indian food has had the highest expansion. Large American cities make it simple to observe this tendency; just walk into any Indian restaurant, and you’ll see that most diners are not even Indian. The American public is becoming increasingly accustomed to eating Indian food. This is because Indian culture and food are becoming more well-known in the media, and many Indian immigrants are arriving in the United States.
Therefore, there is great potential and a bright future for the Indian restaurant industry in the USA.
1. Plan Your Investment
The average cost to rent an Indian restaurant in the United States is $300,000, ranging from $50,000 to $600,000. The Restaurant Owner Survey revealed that the cost per seat for leased premises ranged from $3,000 to $4,000, which gives an idea of how much it costs to get a restaurant property for lease. The cost of an Indian restaurant might range from $120,000 to $350,000. You might discover that some Indian eateries and Food Trucks have lower start-up costs. You may occasionally be able to purchase a piece of a restaurant without making a down payment.
Also Read: How to Start Food Truck Business in USA?
There are countless details surrounding a restaurant business; if you want it to succeed, you must be familiar with them.
We will outline the top 6 things you need to know before starting your Indian restaurant in the USA to address all of this and to act as a mentor for you as you take your initial entrepreneurial steps.
The owner’s first step is to conduct some research on the competition to determine what other Indian restaurants are succeeding at and what they could be lacking. Create a strong business plan that can be presented to potential lenders or investors clearly and concisely. Getting a loan to build a restaurant can be challenging, so riding a well-oiled financial roller coaster is not always a good idea.
Also Read: How to Create a Restaurant Business Plan in 2022?
2. Work on Basic Stuffs
Try to come up with as many catchy names for your Indian restaurant as possible. Examples: Apna Dhabha, Baba Ka Dhaba, etc. To obtain a federal EIN in the USA, businesses must fill out the appropriate forms, verifying that the name they select is not already in use (since doing so could land you in hot water and result in a plagiarism report) and determining whether they are a limited partnership, corporation, or sole proprietorship.
3. Construction of Interior and Ambience
This is the most challenging step. You may always choose to acquire a plot of land and construct the entire infrastructure from scratch (which will always be significantly more expensive), or you can buy or rent a suitable existing location and rebuild it entirely to suit your demands. The second choice is what new, inexperienced entrepreneurs prefer.
When the restaurant’s entire infrastructure has been constructed, you have the freedom to choose the design. You need to have a clear concept of your restaurant. The Indian style design should be vibrant and create a welcoming atmosphere. After deciding on these factors, you will need to recalculate all of the costs associated with converting the space into your restaurant, including paint and cement prices, tables and lighting costs, workers’ salaries, and so on.
4. Hire Good Employees and Equipment:
You must hire workers, begin training them, and pay them before your restaurant may open. Invest in cooks with experience and understanding of Indian food. Recall to check their credentials, put them through efficient training, and make sure they always treat consumers with respect.
Also Read: How to hire employees and build a team for Restaurant Business?
Investing in the best standard equipment will save you money in the long run because these kitchen components will be very significant. Before you purchase them, get down with your head chef and executive chef so that you can better use your starting budget.
The most expensive equipment is a professional blender, industrial blender, food processor, microwave, and commercial meat cutter. Using fine fabric tablecloths and napkins, usually made in India, is another feature of an Indian restaurant.
Any restaurant owner should keep an inventory with a list of all the items that come into and go out of their establishment every day, ensuring they always have enough of each item to cover each service. It might be challenging for a restaurant to train and educate customers and staff because many Indian cooks are accustomed to producing only one sauce and using it in various meals.
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5. Make sure to follow state food regulations:
Know the rules and regulations of the Departments of Health, Business and Regulation, and Agriculture and Consumer Services. You must comply with their laws to serve food to the general public. You should arrange with the suppliers to ensure that you have a consistent supply of the ingredients for the dishes on the menu.
6. Advertising and Marketing Strategy:
Any firm, regardless of its sector, needs a strong marketing strategy to spread the word about them and guarantee awareness among the general public.
Before launching your restaurant, you should consult a marketing expert. For your restaurant, develop a unique brand through Branding, get a website, set up an online presence, get listed on restaurant apps, create a Google business profile, ask and respond to reviews, and release an email newsletter through Email Marketing. Whatever form of advertising you decide to use, be sure that it is compelling and captures the consumer’s attention. Don’t forget, effective advertising is always associated with profit.
Marketing Tips
- Make your eye-catching logo stand out. Put it on your truck, flyers, and online.
- Create a colorful menu board. You will want to make sure that your menu is readable, appealing, and clearly shows your food.
- Create a website that includes your common places, photos, and the “About Our Company” section.
- Create social media accounts where customers can be notified about events, see photos, and engage with your business.
- Find different places for your food truck. Initially, you will want to explore different areas to find out where your business fits. Once you have determined the best places, visit them regularly to get the recognition of your customers’ names and backgrounds.
- Just for public events like cooked parties and local food truck festivals. These events will make customers familiar with your business.
- Sell the product with your logo or slogan on it. You can donate T-shirts, travel cups, and stickers for customers to purchase from your truck or online.