Why Opening A Takeaway Restaurant In India Is Easier Now

Opening a takeaway restaurant has become easier than ever before over the years. Since 2018, the takeaway business in India has grown by approximately 17% every four months. To put that into perspective, for every existing 100 takeaway joints, 17 more pop up every four months. As a result, thousands of carry-out dining establishments open daily. 

The pandemic has changed the world, and it has brought significant changes to the food and beverage industry as well. Several restaurants have had to shut their doors either permanently or long-term, but the lockdowns globally were a boon to the QSR (Quick Service Restaurants), making it painless to open a takeaway restaurant.

4 Ways Opening A Takeaway Restaurant Has Become Easier Now

Takeaway businesses are characterized by their agility to adapt to a shifting environment, and this was further enhanced by the pandemic. More emphasis on everything digital and lower overhead costs has made opening a takeaway restaurant in India straightforward. And if you’re looking to open your takeaway business, here are a few ways it’s now gotten easier now:

1. Marketing Of Your Takeaway Restaurant

By this point, you would have certainly thought of the basics like location, uniform design, a logo, a beautiful menu, kitchen staff and the equipment required, and marketing in general. If not, let’s pause to think about marketing a QSR.

Luckily for the restaurateur, old-fashioned forms of marketing continue to remain relevant. In this digital age, flyers, and pamphlets can go a long way for QSR owners in terms of brand awareness. Even billboards continue to attract diners, but how can you attract and capture the next generation’s attention and loyalty?

If you’re interested in striking a chord with Gen Z, consider setting up social media accounts and using them as a customer service channel. It’s fairly simple, wouldn’t take much of your time, and most importantly, it’s absolutely free. The best way to engage your audience is to create personalized content and promote customized offers across all your digital channels. 

2. Secure Licenses And Registrations

Every restaurant must have proper licensing. And although this can be a headache, most of it now can be done online so that takeaway restaurant owners can focus on crafting exquisite dishes. The following licenses and registrations are required for opening a takeaway business:

• FSSAI License

Obtaining this license ensures that food is safe for human consumption. It certifies that your business complies with the recommended safety standards in the manufacturing, distributing, and storing of food products.

• Fire License

Anyone who is working with fire, and a stove, should obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the local fire department. However, this is not a necessary step in getting your takeaway business off the ground, just a procedure to keep from burning it to the ground. 

• GST Registration

A NOC may not be necessary, but paying taxes is a must-do for any takeaway restaurant owner whose annual income is greater than 20 lakhs. If so, you must register under GST. There are many tax specialists in India that specifically work with food industry startups.

• Police Eating House License

All public places in which any kind of food or drink is served must obtain a Public Eating House License. It’s provided by the Licensing Police Commissioner of your city.

• Shop and Establishment License

All restaurant businesses are required to obtain a Shop and Establishment License. 

3. Changing Customer Behaviour

The COVID-led disruption enhanced a takeaway’s revenue immensely. With everyone forced to stay within the confines of their homes, people became comfortable with the idea of ordering online. A steady increase in the number of customers and order frequencies meant a steady increase in the GMV (gross merchandise value) of restaurants. 

The change in the lifestyles and eating habits of consumers were also responsible for the growth of takeaway businesses. Rising digitalization, increased convenience, and growth in the disposable income of Indians has made takeaway businesses more lucrative and profitable and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 28.94% during 2020-2026. Hence, it is more lucrative to open a takeaway restaurant now.

4. Lower Operational Costs

During the lockdown, most businesses were short-handed and had to migrate their operations online. Cloud-based software helped takeaway restaurants reduce operating costs and the number of employees needed for the smooth functioning of their restaurants. This helped takeaway restaurants lower their overhead costs, and it also streamlined their operations.

You can also automate operations by choosing a Point of Sales (POS) software that suits your business requirements and can be easily integrated with your existing devices. But what are the steps involved in choosing a POS software? 

• Determining Your POS Budget

It’s best to look for a scalable POS system. Start out with something affordable – a system with basic features, like billing, and add on advanced features, such as CRM, and Reporting & Analytics, and inventory management as your business and budget get bigger.

• What Are The Features You Need?

A POS system can do more than just ring up sales. It can store data, integrate with other platforms, as well as streamline employee, customer, and inventory management processes. Some systems even include features like online ordering, delivery options, customer loyalty programs, delivery modules, mobile reporting, and gift cards.

• How Much Does A Pos System Cost?

The total cost of a POS includes hardware, software, and payment processing. The exact cost will depend on what type of hardware you need, what payment processor you use, how many registers and locations you have, and what software features you want to deploy.

For example, POS software usually starts at INR 40000/year. The pricing increases with added features. 

Conclusion

No matter how far you have come in creating your takeaway restaurant, it’s essential to consider the Return on Investment (ROI). For example, if your business is a seedling, it might be best to purchase the most affordable POS system and focus on offline marketing. For those who are scaling up, it’s time to integrate features into your POS, start a newsletter, and hit it hard in the digital realm.