Opening a Take Away Hot Food

robbie williams · Mar 13, 2009

Hi Everyone,

I have been lurking on here for a few years and drop the odd post here and there but generally do read the majority of posts - some highly amusing and light relief from the hard work I am normally doing.

I have a great idea for a take away hot food business, have a great property in my sights, in a prime location which is up for sale (freehold) at a good price. I have been in the telecoms industry all of my working life and I have no experience in the catering field apart from a part time job when I left school in 1990!

Does anyone have experience in this field on here who can point me in the right direction and give me a few valuable pointers?

I am working on my running costs atm and will be buying produce locally.

All the best
Robbie

TotallySport · Mar 13, 2009

What sort of take away food?

robbie williams · Mar 13, 2009

Good Food - no take away crap

-

TotallySport · Mar 13, 2009

But there is a massive difference between a really good Pizza, and a really good lunch time sandwich.

vvaannmmaann · Mar 13, 2009

Robbie,use the search function.There are lots of threads about catering they may help.You will require planning permission to operate a hot food take away,so bare that in mind.
Good luck with it.

stevon · Mar 13, 2009

Simple business to run. If you stick to pizzas/kebabs/burgers etc. then there's no real 'skill' involved in cooking that sort of stuff... You'll need to pay a chef a good 300-400 a week if you're doing Indian food etc.

Give me a PM if you need any specific advice.

One important note - do deliveries, you can double your takings most nights.

ginantonic · Mar 13, 2009

stevon said:
Simple business to run. If you stick to pizzas/kebabs/burgers etc. then there's no real 'skill' involved in cooking that sort of stuff...

Are you in the real world? Of course there is skill involved! Yes, of course, anyone can cook a solitary bacon sandwich to perfection, but cooking 15 in one go does require a certain amount of skill and dexterity...you are probably also cooking 10 sausages, 6 eggs, 4 slices of toast, 8 tea/coffees - all at the same time. I get really annoyed when people come in our shop and say stupid things like "I'd love a little shop like this", when they haven't a clue what it involves.
We have a takeaway, certainly not an easy job running this - there's the other stuff like buying ingredients, costing (that's not that easy, either, especially now, as prices have gone up a lot recently), not forgetting the paperwork, HAACP forms, cleaning...and all that after getting up at 5.30am to open at 7. You rarely get to bed before midnight, as, of course, there's all the normal day to day family stuff to do as well.
What are derisively called "Builder's Breakfasts" are a staple of takeaways, and yes, there IS skill involved, if there wasn't, and you churn out badly cooked food, you wouldn't have customers coming back for more.

Subbynet · Mar 13, 2009

ginantonic said:
What are derisively called "Builder's Breakfasts" are a staple of takeaways, and yes, there IS skill involved, if there wasn't, and you churn out badly cooked food, you wouldn't have customers coming back for more.

I agree... But I have to say it tastes much better when called an ENGLISH BREAKFAST... Remove the PC and add the HP (sauce!)

stevon · Mar 18, 2009

ginantonic said:
Are you in the real world? Of course there is skill involved! Yes, of course, anyone can cook a solitary bacon sandwich to perfection, but cooking 15 in one go does require a certain amount of skill and dexterity...you are probably also cooking 10 sausages, 6 eggs, 4 slices of toast, 8 tea/coffees - all at the same time. I get really annoyed when people come in our shop and say stupid things like "I'd love a little shop like this", when they haven't a clue what it involves.
We have a takeaway, certainly not an easy job running this - there's the other stuff like buying ingredients, costing (that's not that easy, either, especially now, as prices have gone up a lot recently), not forgetting the paperwork, HAACP forms, cleaning...and all that after getting up at 5.30am to open at 7. You rarely get to bed before midnight, as, of course, there's all the normal day to day family stuff to do as well.
What are derisively called "Builder's Breakfasts" are a staple of takeaways, and yes, there IS skill involved, if there wasn't, and you churn out badly cooked food, you wouldn't have customers coming back for more.

I thought you meant a takeaway, as in a kebab shop. There's really no skill involved with that (I've worked for kebab shops)... The food practically cooks itself. Just a matter of skinning it or turning the burgers... And not burning the pizzas.

Obviously there's a bit more skill in cooking fry ups simultaneously...

Techy · Mar 18, 2009

The only key to this type of business, is don't tell the taxman about it!

If you make crap grub no one will come back. If your grub is edible then you will make a a few £'s tax free until it tastes crap.

A burger van type is one of the most profitable business providing you meet my opening statement, which I don't recommend.

stevon · Mar 18, 2009

Definately, burger vans are wee goldmines... At least they can be.

abdulmalik · Jun 1, 2010

robbie williams said:
Hi Everyone,

I have been lurking on here for a few years and drop the odd post here and there but generally do read the majority of posts - some highly amusing and light relief from the hard work I am normally doing.

I have a great idea for a take away hot food business, have a great property in my sights, in a prime location which is up for sale (freehold) at a good price. I have been in the telecoms industry all of my working life and I have no experience in the catering field apart from a part time job when I left school in 1990!

Does anyone have experience in this field on here who can point me in the right direction and give me a few valuable pointers?

I am working on my running costs atm and will be buying produce locally.

All the best
Robbie

Hi Robbie,
I have read your quote on catering and wanted to let you know that i have 30 years experience in the catering field, if you need any help please feel free to contact me for advice.

Many Regards
Abdul Malik

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