Restaurant business in Pakistan is one of those businesses that capture a lot of interest and seeks passion. Opening a fast food joint or a multi-cuisine restaurant, both are lucrative business options in many aspects.
But opening up a restaurant in metropolitan cities like Karachi, Lahore and, Islamabad needs a well-researched business plan that covers every aspect of making the restaurant successful.
How to start with a restaurant business?
There are plenty of questions that one may have in mind before getting into the restaurant business such as; how much investment is required? What should be the location of my restaurant? How can I reach more foodies? Should I work with web designing companies in Lahore, Karachi or Islamabad for my website promotion and brand building? Should I take bookings online? etc.
To tackle such questions, it is best to do the research beforehand in order to increase the chances of success for your restaurant. Here we are going to provide you a detail guide to improve your chances of building a successful restaurant.
How much investment is required for restaurant business in Pakistan?
A well-established restaurant needs quite a lot of investment, to begin with. However, a rough estimate would be at least 1 million to anywhere up to 50 million rupees.
This is just an estimate of investment that would be required to start a small to medium scale restaurant. The investment for a restaurant business also depends upon a few of the factors such as,
- Location of business
- Rent of building
- Certification and license fee
- Number of employees and chefs
- Interior of the restaurant
Types of restaurant business that you can run
There are various business models that you can adopt when it comes to capital investment. Here we are going to explain 3 business models that are easy to adopt.
1. Sole Proprietorship
This is the best business model to work with as you become the sole owner of the business. You can hire an administration team that runs the restaurant under your supervision.
Similarly, you can hire a restaurant manager who can look after the administration of the restaurant. You are the one who is going to invest his money and resources to start a restaurant.
2. Partnership
For the investment, if you lack funding then you can also start a restaurant with partnership business model.
In such a business model, you can either take funds from a sleeping partner who would invest in your restaurant business or you can invest in the business and join hands with someone who has the expertise to run a restaurant.
3. Franchise
You can also invest in a franchise business model that gives you the right to use a well-established brand name that is already popular amongst the masses.
However, you should remember that for a franchise business model, you will be required to operate under the terms and conditions of the franchisee.
How to register for a restaurant in Pakistan?
To register your restaurant business in Pakistan, you may have to fulfill the legal requirements of the government. Here are few of the steps that you should follow to register a restaurant in Pakistan,
- The owner of the restaurant should comply with the standard of health, maintain hygiene and ensure the issuance of medical certificates of staffs.
- Restaurant building should be safe and in accordance with governmental laws for safety and hygiene.
- Restaurant owner is also required to get a license from the controller. Typically, the registration of restaurant and license issuance is done simultaneously.
- A license granted to the restaurant only covers a period of one year. Restaurant license is renewable every year and it also requires you to submit the government fee upon renewal of the restaurant license.
Related: How to Register a Business in Pakistan?
How to attract customers to your restaurant?
1. Traditional Media
The traditional media includes newspaper and TV. These offline marketing channels require a lot of marketing budget but one of the downsides of marketing through traditional mediums is that it lacks analytical accountability. You don’t know exactly how many people have come across your ad and how many actually took an action.
Read Also: 10 Simple Tips for Advertising in Print Media
2. Digital Media
The modern digital mediums allow you to track the interests and actions of your target audience. It includes Facebook marketing, website promotion, pay per click advertising campaigns or seo services in Pakistan.
All these digital mediums are effective in building a profitable business. However, the best approach for your restaurant business would be to start a Facebook campaign and invest in an attractive website.
3. Facebook Marketing
With Facebook marketing, you are able to see how many people have engaged with your ad, how many have taken an action such as commented to ask for more details or even book a table.
But that’s not it,
Facebook marketing also allows you to re-target the people who have shown interest in your offering but due to the overload of information they didn’t take an action. You can also design a re-targeting campaign for such people.
If you don’t have time to develop the Facebook campaigns for your business then you can hire digital marketing companies that can strategically build a Facebook campaign which ensures an increase in your restaurant’s footfall.
For instance, in your grand launch campaign, you asked people to like your Facebook page to get 20% off on the menu for the first time. Some people saw this ad, commented and asked about the discount in the post or liked the post but they didn’t like your Facebook page.
After a week of the launch of your restaurant, you can design another re-targeting campaign for such people who didn’t like your Facebook page (but commented/engaged on the post), offering them an exclusive discount on the menu in exchange of liking your Facebook page.
Such strategies work great for increasing brand awareness and online followers for your restaurant.
4. Website Promotion
By developing a website, you build your digital footprint. Many people explore the menu, ingredients, prices and book reservations through the website. With the help of a website, you can also promote online delivery and bookings for your restaurant.
A restaurant without a website doesn’t seem to be serious about the business that is why it is important to invest in your online footprint so that people know that you are following the modern trends and technologies to promote your restaurant.
5. Search Engine Optimization
SEO or search engine optimization is another digital strategy to promote your restaurant by targeting the right audience. By investing in SEO, your website comes in front of people when they search for nearby restaurants in their cities. This enhances credibility and brand image of your restaurant. SEO seems to be an integral part of the digital marketing strategy for businesses.
These are some of the unique ways to promote your restaurant business in Pakistan. Many of us dream of opening a restaurant but when it comes to promotion, we head over to traditional advertising mediums. But, if you are thinking over to start a restaurant business in Pakistan, then follow the modern trends and invest in a brand image that can sparkle the interests of your target audience.
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Author Bio: Aisha Alia is a web developer at Brand AdvoKates for 2 years. She is an energetic person who believes in getting things right the first time. She has a solid understanding of how to design websites that converts visitors into clients. Alia loves to write and share her insights so other can learn from her own experiences.
