Food Restaurant Business in Nigeria: Guide on How To Start (2024)

Last updated on August 3rd, 2023 at 12:16 am

Food restaurant business is a popular business idea that is on the peak in Nigeria. This venture is very profitable due to the high demand of food service of restaurants in the country. Since eating food is very vital to all, its not a surprise to see many patronize food stores at times other than their homes. With the high patronage of this market, it has made people inquire about starting the food restaurant business. To this effect, we’ve elaborated the prerequisites and what’s involved in establishing a food restaurant business in Nigeria where you can sell food and make money from it.

There are many reasons why a lot of businessmen align to businesses of this category. One key reason is because, it is one of the type that isn’t influenced by any economic/financial influence or factor. This means that people must eat regardless of how poor they are, regardless of the circumstance they find their selves in, either jobless or not having money handy. Everyone eats regardless of whether it is with the last money he/she has or can manage. With all these factors, the restaurant business is extremely attractive and a profitable business idea to start.

Now you know what is in the business, let’s delve into what to come up in terms of cash, so as to set up a food restaurant, either small or in big scale.

COST OF SETTING UP A RESTAURANT BUSINESS IN NIGERIA (2024)

Just like every other business set up, the expense of setting up a food restaurant depends on what you have in hand, i.e. your financial capability. The size of how your business will be is what will also influence the cost of starting up. For a retaurant of small size, N250,000 can do to begin the business. Be that as it may, whereby you need to purchase collosal things and make the business in a large scale, you would need about N700,000 for setting up the restaurant minus the cost of accommodation.

GUIDE TO START THE FOOD RESTAURANT BUSINESS IN NIGERIA

Here is what to look at before commencing the food restaurant business in Nigeria this 2024:

GET A GOOD LOCATION

The business environment is obviously the first thing to consider in this type of business set up. It is preferred to arrange your restaurant in a commercial and populated location where there is high demand for foods. You can set up it in a commercial area, school, motor park and near offices where the workers will patronise your service.

FIND A SPACIOUS ACCOMMODATION

There’s obviously no doubt that the restaurant business requires an accommodation as a shop or a long hall/room. This shop should depend on the type of restaurant you are setting and the funding available. If you are looking for a big one, then it will require a large hall and a kitchen. Same is for small restaurants, as it will need even a vendor or a beer parlour to start with.

Depending on your satisfaction of customers, the small size does not matter at inception.
Also, there ought to be a space for washing of utensils and a washing hand basin to serve clients after meal.

CAPITAL TO START

In this type of business, you need to get a sufficient funding within your reach before initiating your restaurant. Why this is because you will need to buy the materials and the staff stipends expenses. All these may be burdensome without the running source of capital. Start with what you have and develop it or get a credit. Before getting advances, work out your restaurant strategy by concentrating on what to gear at in line with the capital you have.

For a low income earner who wants to enter the business, you can approach friends or collect loans for your start up capital.

PREPAREDNESS

Regardless of whether you are setting up your restaurant business for work in place for you, there is a serious need to get some information on how the business is run. It will enable you to comprehend what’s in store and what it involves, thereby giving you the first knowledge experience on it. As training is essential, you should seek for advice from bosses in the business and ask them all about, including the pros and cons.

EMPLOYING GOOD CATERERS

Have you ever revisit a restaurant that cooked an absurd food for you in the first time. No, it certainly doesn’t make sense having a restaurant without good food, cus that is what will attract the flow of customers into your business. In restaurant, it’s not a one man business, if not you will not service all your clients. The number of people you should work with depends upon the size and how booming your restaurant is. At the very least, two people plus you should be if its a small scale.

You won’t like to keep people sitting tight for a long time before serving them. Paradventure if it happens, at that point you are loosing customers in light of the fact that such huge numbers of people can’t stress for waiting for you any longer.

PURCHASING EQUIPMENT AND FOOD MATERIALS

One of the most essential things before starting a restaurant is the equipments. They include: Utensils (pots,kettles, etc), Cutlery (spoons, forks, blade, etc.), Tables, Chairs, Mats, Hand towels, Toothpicks, and food materials with condiments.

Some equipments are not preferable except if you have the money to purchase them. Here are the list of equipments for your restaurant: Stove or gas cooker, Fridge, Freezer, Buckets, Bowls, Scapula, Fan/Air conditioner and Television or radio set for entertainment.

THE KIND OF FOODS TO COOK

What you cook is what makes people to visit your restaurant. Make variety of many Nigerian delicacies from afang (which is the most popular among the Ibibios in Akwa Ibom) amala, ekpang nkukwo, edikang ikong soup, white soup, ohia soup, gbegiri, miea nkuker, twoo, egusi and many moreof them. Sell other things from food like drinks, snacks, water, eggs, seared meat, chicken, etc.

As said by a marketer many years back, ‘a good product will sell itself’, restaurant foods doesn’t require a lot of advert, as it will certainly publicize itself. People that have tasted and made the most of your food will lead others to your shop. You can promote via web-based networking media, for example, Facebook, Instagram, if you want to make your business known widely.

CLEANLINESS OF WORKPLACE

Normally, people are attracted to eating in a neat, tidy and clean environment. So this should be you focus as you should set up your restaurant to be enviromental friendly. Also maintain hygiene with your staffs, sew outfits for them; appron and hair covers.

With all these protective measures, it should pull great admiration by customers.

CONCLUSION

With all we have explained about the food restaurant business, it isn’t left for the rich only as you can begin from your house provided you have the traffic, it will expand. On new set up, moderate your charge so as to get customers attraction first. The cost ought not to be too high. The more the customers flock in, the resultant will be in having an augmented income. Also viewing the lucrativeness in the restaurant business, it’s time to set up one in the country.