Children's cafes are a business sector that is just beginning to gain momentum in Russia - not only in large but also in small cities. We would advise you to pay your attention to this niche, since this business is quite interesting and will certainly be in demand.
The restaurant business is generally a very profitable business. Organization of children's leisure is a little less inferior to it in terms of monetary turnover. Well, if you combine these two directions, consider that you have guessed a profitable niche. The only thing that is required in this business is to prepare truly high-quality food from fresh ingredients, be sensitive to preferences and draw up a competent business plan for a children's cafe before opening.
The costs of the cafe must be carefully taken into account in the business plan; special attention will undoubtedly need to be paid to the kitchen and interior of the establishment itself.
Be sure to watch the video in which real owners of children's cafes talk about the structure of the business from the inside:
We think it becomes clear right away that the cafe will be noisy, children will play there, run around and have fun. Parents will invite animators, magicians and other various show programs to the establishment. You yourself can offer this as an additional service, having previously agreed on a percentage with the children's presenters. This is like a big children's center, but with good cuisine. Parents would really like this, since usually all food is ordered “outside”: cafes, restaurants, or they have to prepare large portions of food at home themselves and bring everything in containers. In a children's cafe, such a tedious function for them disappears by itself.
Renting premises
It is best to rent the premises for a cafe. It should be very spacious, and don’t forget about the kitchen - there should also be enough space there.
In order for you to be able to accommodate 3 birthday parties at once in your cafe, you will need an area of more than 200 m², this must be taken into account when developing a business plan. For now, let’s consider the 200 m² option to get an idea of the cost. The price, of course, will vary throughout Russia - in a small town it could be 100,000 rubles or 500,000 rubles per month. Let's stop at the figure of 200,000 per month.
There is no need to rent premises “from scratch”, that is, not intended for a cafe. It will be easier to convert an existing facility into a children's cafe. The premises will need to be renovated taking into account the design solution; at least 300,000 rubles will be included in the business plan expenses.
The room must have a good exhaust hood and air conditioning so that unpleasant odors do not stagnate in the children's cafe.
In addition to custom birthday parties (and these will be held mainly from Friday to Sunday), the children's cafe can work as usual, for example from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., to bring in additional income. In your business plan, take into account the fact that the cafe should be located in a high-traffic area where families walk. For example, central alleys, squares. Or just in the center, but put a small board somewhere in a crowded place, such that a children's cafe, for example, is right around the corner. A sign above a cafe also costs money - from 20,000.
Cafe interior and furniture
The children's cafe should be spacious enough, there should be plenty of space for children to play. Obviously, even if you have a specially designated “game room” in the cafe, the children will not limit themselves to it and will run around the entire establishment. Therefore, pay great attention to the furniture: it should not contain sharp corners, should not be bulky, but at the same time it should be strong enough, and also light. We would not recommend buying plastic furniture, as this will not give a pleasant ambience to the establishment. Plastic furniture is undoubtedly associated with summer cafes, barbecues, and certainly not with children's cafes.
Buying all the necessary furniture for the hall, children's playroom and kitchen is probably the biggest initial expense in a children's cafe business plan. If you buy at least 50 chairs, 10 tables, all the necessary cutlery, tablecloths, a bar counter, a dry children's pool, toys, etc. The cost of purchasing furniture in the business plan is from 500,000 rubles.
The room should look bright enough, but not so bright that children want to add something of their own to the interior by drawing a picture with a felt-tip pen on the wall.
Before opening a children's cafe, you need to become closely acquainted with children's interests: what cartoons they like now, what they are interested in. We think there is no point in decorating everything in the style of old, Soviet cartoons, which modern children don’t even know about. Drawings of these cartoon characters may be in a children's establishment, but not in the foreground.
The main visitors to the cafe are still children, and they are the ones who will boast to each other that they were in your cafe, passing this information on to each other, and they, in turn, to their parents. A kind of “children's word of mouth”.
Hiring one designer to decorate a children's cafe will not be enough; you also need to invite artists who will paint the walls with your favorite cartoon characters. You can hire professional artists, but this is a fairly large expense in a business plan at the start. The best option is to find aspiring artists who need a place to practice and a portfolio. It is necessary to first carefully select candidates so that it doesn’t turn out too bad. A simple scheme of work: you just pay for the consumables, and they draw.
The cafe must have a games room, where at least a minimal amount of some items for children's entertainment will be provided: wall bars, balls, toys, ropes, a dry pool with balls.
How are children's cafes organized abroad? See for yourself and adopt experience :
Legal issues
We must not forget that before opening any business, it is necessary to register as an individual entrepreneur or LLC, obtain all the necessary documents, pay state fees, obtain permits from the fire service, from the SES.
In terms of business plan expenses, it is not as expensive as everything else (from 5,000 for an individual entrepreneur, from 11,000 for an LLC), but it still takes a lot of time. You can ask some outsourcing company to do all this for you, even if you pay twice as much. But this is the case, of course, if you are running out of time to open a children’s cafe or you want to quickly get down to business and not paperwork (which is actually the right idea).
Menu and additional services
You must be able to cooperate with people who are directly involved in organizing children's leisure: animators, soap bubbles, master classes, making custom birthday cakes and much more. This will be a separate line in the business plan for the establishment. Find out what is popular with children now and offer different services based on these preferences. For example, a birthday cake with the image of your favorite cartoon character.
The menu of a children's cafe should be very well thought out. Even if you love Caucasian cuisine and are going to feed your children barbecue, you need to approach this matter creatively. You don't have to serve them like you would in an expensive restaurant, of course. You can come up with interesting names for dishes and ensure beautiful presentation.
The child first of all pays attention to the appearance of the dish, and then to the taste. Your products should always be as fresh as possible, since children do not have such a strong stomach, and it can be poisoned even by yesterday’s tomato. And if a child suddenly becomes ill in a children’s cafe, their reputation will be instantly ruined. Moms will instantly spread this information around the city before you have time to wait for the end of the work shift.
The dishes should not only be tasty, but also healthy; parents also monitor this. Let the menu, in addition to soda, include fresh juices, vegetables, fruits, and juices. Prices should not be inflated so that parents of almost any income can come to the children's cafe.
Children's cafe staff
The staff of the children's cafe should include an administrator, who can be you yourself at first, in order to closely monitor everything. It is the administrator who will have to negotiate all orders, answer phone calls, be responsible for the supply of products and for all children's entertainment.
For a cafe you will need 2 waiters per shift (4 people in total), two cooks per shift (4 people in total), a cleaner - one per shift (2 people in total), an accountant, and a loader.
The waiter's salary here should be higher than in other establishments. Why? Firstly, in a children's cafe the waiter will not receive any tips. Secondly, it will not work on a percentage basis, since all orders are discussed with parents and administrators in advance. The waiter only needs to serve the guests well so that they are satisfied. Don’t hire waiters with a “sour face” on their faces, because working with children always requires a smile!
So, the average costs for a business plan for personnel:
- waiter - 20,000 rubles (40,000 for two people);
- cook - 20,000 (40,000 for two people);
- cleaning lady - 12.5 000 (25 000 for two people);
- administrator - 25,000 (it can be you);
- accountant (based on outsourcing) - from 10,000;
- loader - from 5,000.
Total, personnel costs per month - from 135,000.
Advertising
In order for a children's cafe to work, it is necessary to conduct a competent advertising campaign; monthly advertising costs in the business plan range from 20-30 thousand rubles per month.
To begin with, it is wise to use all the free promotion methods: create groups on social networks, tell friends, friends of friends, photograph the interior, dishes, menu. To do this, you don’t have to hire a professional photographer; you can ask your friends for a good camera for a couple of days, or use your own, if you have one.
It is necessary to warn everyone in advance about the official opening, to invite some bright presenters to it, for example, a science show, magicians or people on stilts. Play several discount cards with a 10% discount on upcoming orders. It is important to treat all children with something very tasty, for example, unusual chocolates, so that they remember this place.
Over time, it will be necessary to create a website with easy navigation across all sections. Today, parents use the Internet to search for children's cafes, because... You can choose a convenient location, evaluate the interior without leaving your home, and also find out the menu and the average bill for an order.
Print business cards and distribute them to your friends, acquaintances, and just people on the street who are walking with their children. Print your menu and cafe address on a small format of advertising leaflets, ask to leave these leaflets in kindergartens, children's clubs and children's centers, as well as in family cafes. In return, you can offer to keep their leaflets with you. In general, mutual advertising is always good and beneficial for both parties.
Starting capital and payback
So, having calculated the total cost of opening a children's cafe in the business plan, we calculate the amount - it is approximately 2 million rubles. The amount, of course, is not small, but you will be able to see the return from the cafe within a few months after the start of work.
If, on average, you predict in your business plan monthly revenue from 400,000 rubles, and monthly expenses - 300,000, the business will pay for itself in a couple of years. Don’t forget that at the start, revenue is always lower than after at least six months of work, when you will already be recognized. In addition, working with children is a noble cause and remains “afloat” in any season, in any year.
We hope everything works out for you!
Roman Agarkov specially for Intellectis
Children's cafes, as a separate, highly specialized catering establishment, are gaining great interest among visitors of all ages. The relevance is due to the wide range of services that allow parents to make a holiday for their children without putting much effort into it. Children get an emotional boost in the playroom, and the dining room offers both a children's menu and a universal menu. Therefore, it is worth thinking about starting activities in this area - there is an opportunity to make a good profit. For everything to work out, you need to draw up a detailed business plan for a children's cafe and determine what investments will be required and how long it will take for the enterprise to generate income.
Indicative project
For general information, we present here a business plan for a children's cafe with calculations to understand what costs arise at the initial stage (before opening the establishment) and how much more time will have to be invested in order for the cafe to break even. As an example for calculations, let’s take the existing children’s cafe with a playroom “Penguin”, located in the Republic of Mari El, the city of Yoshkar-Ola.
general characteristics
Type of activity: cafe for children, entertainment for children.
Address: Republic of Mari El, Yoshkar-Ola, Chavaina Blvd., 41A. A separate 2-story building with a central entrance. The establishment is located in the city center on the boulevard, where there is a large flow of people, especially on holidays.
Premises: 1st floor – dining room 90 sq.m. m, bar counter with display case, hot food dispensing point, kitchen, washing room, utility rooms; 2nd floor – game room 50 sq.m. m, sofa waiting area for parents, administrative premises, smoking room. The total area of the building is 400 sq. m. m.
Premises for rent.
Opening hours: daily from 10 to 20 hours.
Number of visitors: up to 100 people can be in the dining room at the same time. For this purpose, there are 15 tables with 5 seats and 5 tables with 3 seats. For children under 2 years old, there are high chairs for feeding in the hall. Provided there is a large flow of customers, the cafe can serve up to 1000 visitors throughout the day.
The game room is designed for entertainment events and a festive table for up to 30 people. One event usually lasts about 2 hours. A flow of up to 300 children is possible per day.
Service list
Dining room:
- Breakfasts.
- Lunches.
- Dinners.
- Tea parties.
- Cooking, desserts.
- Takeaway food.
Game room:
- Games for children.
- Matinees, birthdays, other celebrations.
- Thematic shows, animators.
- Photoshoot.
The main menu of the cafe is represented by European cuisine, which includes:
- Different kinds of ice-cream).
- Sweet syrup (assorted).
- Cakes.
- Sweet pastries, meat, fish, vegetables.
- Birthday cake.
- Milkshake (assorted).
- Juices, drinks.
- Tea coffee.
- Salads, cold appetizers.
- Porridge.
- Soups (hot and cold).
- Meat, fish, chicken (various cooking methods).
- Side dishes.
The daily menu is compiled in accordance with the season, Lenten and dietary meals are possible.
Legal form
To start a project, you need to register a legal form. In this case, there was an LLC consisting of 4 founders - individuals who had their own share in the business. One of the founders is appointed director.
To register, select and indicate OKVED codes:
- The main type of activity is code 56 “Activities for the provision of food and beverages.”
- Additional: 93.2 “Activities in the field of recreation and entertainment.”
Taxation form: simplified tax system (income minus expenses). We indicate at the time of LLC registration.
Equipment for children's cafe
It is planned to open a cafe in which all food will be prepared in a personal kitchen. The kitchen room must be equipped with various items, which we list in the table:
| Type of equipment for kitchen hall/bar | Quantity | Price for 1 piece. | total amount |
| Refrigeration units for food | 1 | 45 000 | 45 000 |
| Refrigerator cabinet | 2 | 22 000 | 44 000 |
| High power electric stove | 1 | 70 000 | 70 000 |
| Ventilation umbrella | 1 | 15 000 | 15 000 |
| Electronic balance | 3 (one per bar) | 4 500 | 13 500 |
| Cutting table | 2 | 21 000 | 42 000 |
| Microwave | 2 (one for the bar) | 7 000 | 14 000 |
| Kettle (electric) | 2 (one for bar) | 2 100 | 4 200 |
| Oven | 1 | 75 000 | 75 000 |
| Washing compartment | 2 | 11 850 | 23 700 |
| Racks for dishes and equipment | 3 | 8 500 | 25 500 |
| Refrigerator display for ice cream | 1 | 27 640 | 27 640 |
| Refrigerated display case for desserts and salads | 1 | 34 700 | 34 700 |
| Household appliances (blender, meat grinder, vegetable cutter, etc.) | – | – | 350 000 |
| Dishes, pots, pans | – | – | 150 000 |
| Total | 934,240 rubles |
In addition to production-type equipment to equip a children's cafe, you must purchase:
| Name | Quantity | Unit price in rub. | Total amount, rub. |
| Cash register with card payment terminal | 1 | 60 000 | 60 000 |
| Light box | 1 | 30 000 | 30 000 |
| Furniture for the dining room: | |||
| Dining table | 20 | 8 600 | 172 000 |
| Dining chair | 60 | 1500 | 90 000 |
| Children's chair | 10 | 1 200 | 12 000 |
| Soft sofa | 10 | 9400 | 94 000 |
| Clothes hanger | 10 | 1350 | 13 500 |
| TV | 2 | 32 000 | 64 000 |
| Game room: | |||
| Soft sofas | 8 | 9 400 | 75 200 |
| Cabinet furniture (racks for toys) | |||
| High open | 4 | 8 000 | 32 000 |
| Low open | 2 | 3 500 | 7 000 |
| Closed low | 2 | 4 700 | 9 400 |
| Children's tables with chairs (set) | 4 | 6 000 | 24 000 |
| Toys | a lot of | 250 000 | 250 000 |
| Total | 933,100 rubles |
We have deduced the total costs that will be required to equip the kitchen, dining room and game room. In addition, administrative premises need to be furnished. This may cost at least 500,000 rubles, the cost depends on the agreement with the furniture company.
Organizational aspects
Equipping a children's cafe is not the only expense item for business owners. In order for the establishment to start operating, it is necessary to go through authorities that will require certain fees for projects and permits. If the room has not been renovated or the chosen concept does not coincide with what we would like, funds will be required for designer services, repair work and materials:
So, before the opening, we have to make investments in the amount of 5,157,840 rubles without purchasing the necessary raw materials for cooking, preparing events for the opening of the cafe and additional expenses. You can safely budget 1,000,000 rubles for this. Additionally, you should add your own investments to the costs (about 1,500,000 rubles), which will have to be used for the smooth operation of the cafe until the establishment reaches the self-sufficiency stage. You may have to purchase additional equipment as you work.
To summarize, to launch a project for a children's cafe with a playroom, you need to invest 7,660,000 rubles. But this data may change depending on current circumstances, the choice of partners, prices, discounts and other advantageous offers.
Project launch plan
The cafe is scheduled to open in early summer. This is the most active period for family relaxation, the opportunity to eat ice cream, and sit in a cozy place. Children's Day is a good reason for opening. Let's present all stages of preparation in a monthly schedule:
| January | February | March | April | May | June | |
| LLC registration, documentation preparation | + | |||||
| Order a project to a designer | + | |||||
| Work of designers on technical and engineering equipment | + | + | ||||
| Purchase of finishing and building materials | + | |||||
| Repair work | + | + | + | |||
| Installation of systems | + | + | ||||
| Equipment, furniture, appliances, related products | + | + | ||||
| Coordination and receipt of permits for opening a cafe from the fire service, SES and energy sales | + | + | ||||
| Staffing, searching for agencies for organizing children's parties | + | + | ||||
| Approval of menu and price list | + | |||||
| Equipping a cafe with a cash register and software | + | |||||
| Equipment of premises with cabinet and upholstered furniture, interior items | + | |||||
| Order a printing company to produce a printed version of the menu and price list | + | |||||
| Marketing campaign | + | |||||
| Drawing up contracts for the supply of necessary products, first deliveries | + | |||||
| Opening of a children's cafe with a playroom. Organization of a free holiday on the occasion of Children's Day | + |
In order to meet the scheduled deadline, you should not put off the start of design and work with the designer. As work progresses, unforeseen circumstances may arise that may delay the next stages. There is no need to hire a separate person for control. It is better to take personal responsibility and negotiate everything yourself. Only then will there be no additional costs and the cafe will open on the appointed day.
We are staffing
Despite the fact that the cafe is just starting its work, it needs to be fully staffed. The establishment is open every day for 10 hours. People need to rest. Two full shifts needed. The work schedule may be rotating or alternating. We are recruiting employees for the kitchen, dining room, and children's room.
- Chef: 1 unit, 5-day work week from 11 to 19 hours, days off on Sunday and Monday.
- Cook: 4 units, 2 people per shift, work 2/2.
- Confectioner: 2 units, 1 per shift, 2/2.
- Cook and pastry chef assistants: 4 units, 2 per shift, 2/2.
- Warehouse manager: 1 unit.
- Salesperson-cashier in a bar: 2 units. in shifts.
- Waiter: 4 units, 2 per shift, 2/2.
- Administrator: 2 units, in shifts.
- Teacher in the children's room: 2 units, in shifts.
- Technical employee: 2 units, in shifts.
- Dishwasher: 2 units, in shifts.
- Support workers: 4 units, in shifts.
Additionally, you can invite an animator to host the holidays on a part-time basis or under an agency agreement. Each employee performs duties in accordance with the job description signed upon employment.
Salary costs are shown in the table:
| Job title | Number of units | Salary of one employee, rub. | Total amount, rub. |
| Chef | 1 | 40 000 | 40 000 |
| Cook | 4 | 30 000 | 120 000 |
| Confectioner | 2 | 30 000 | 60 000 |
| Chef and pastry chef assistant | 4 | 15 000 | 60 000 |
| Warehouse manager | 1 | 18 000 | 18 000 |
| Salesman-cashier | 2 | 15 000 | 30 000 |
| Waiter | 4 | 15 000 | 60 000 |
| Administrator | 2 | 20 000 | 40 000 |
| Educator | 2 | 10000 | 20 000 |
| Part-time accountant | 1 | 12 000 | 12 000 |
| Cleaning woman | 2 | 12 000 | 24 000 |
| Helper worker | 4 | 8 000 | 32 000 |
| Dish washer | 2 | 12 000 | 24 000 |
| Total | 30 | 600 000 | |
| Tax deductions | 180 000 | ||
| Consumption | 780 000 |
At first, employees are given a fixed salary. When the profitability of the enterprise is visible, salaries may be revised. You can introduce a reward system to motivate employees based on good feedback from visitors. But it is worth keeping in mind that a sharp increase in employee income can negatively affect the cafe’s income.
Children's cafe profit indicators
To assess the profitability of the project in the business plan, we will show calculations of monthly revenue for the year:
Based on the fact that the children's cafe will open during peak visitation, then in the first months the revenue will be higher than in the cold period. The following indicators were used for calculations:
- The average bill is 300 rubles.
- Number of visitors to the dining area in the summer season (June-September): weekdays - 500 people x 300 = 150,000 rubles; weekends and holidays – 800 x 300 = 240,000 rubles.
- Number of visitors from January to May: weekdays – 300 x 300 = 90,000 rubles; weekends and holidays – 400 x 300 = 120,000 rubles.
The game room will generate a profit of about 700,000 rubles per month, provided that 5 events are held per day for children with an average bill of 5,000 rubles. To determine the period when net profit will appear and profitability will be visible, it is necessary to calculate the monthly net profit.
Let's take as a basis for calculations a monthly profit of 3,500,000 rubles. Let's subtract the costs of salaries, taxes, rent (400 sq. m x 700 rubles = 280,000), food, utility bills, advertising campaign. The total cost may be 2,500,000 rubles. The balance is 900,000 rubles. Of these, it is worth setting aside part of the funds for unforeseen circumstances, for example 300,000 rubles. Investments for opening the cafe amounted to 7,660,000 rubles. In 12-13 months the cafe will reach its breakeven point. The funds invested in the project will be spent.
The next summer season will bring a net profit of 1.5-2 million rubles. Revenue will grow because the establishment will gain recognition. High traffic also plays a role, because the cafe is located on the central boulevard of the city.
Competition and the need for advertising
To understand what marketing strategy to choose for the project owner, you need to study possible competitors and understand whether there is a threat from them. There are cafes, coffee shops and bars in the same area. But they are aimed at adult visitors or youth. For family leisure, where it will be interesting and useful not only for adults, but also for children, there are no similar establishments. Therefore, fierce competition is not expected.
- Business cards and booklets can be placed in children's institutions.
- Advertising in the media (newspapers, advertising catalogs that are posted on racks in retail outlets).
- Creation of a website and page on social networks.
- Beneficial cooperation with companies organizing children's parties. They themselves will recommend the cafe for birthdays or other events.
- Attracting regular customers using a bonus system - a fixed or cumulative discount.
In addition to organizing ways to attract visitors and increase profits, do not forget about constant monitoring of the enterprise’s activities, searching for new ideas for the holiday, recipes, adjusting the menu, and carrying out anti-crisis measures. For example, reducing the check amount in the morning, when the flow is minimal, will attract more people and increase profitability.
You also need to monitor how the staff works. The specificity of the cafe is serving children and their parents, with the main focus being on the child. If he likes it, his parents will not be able to refuse to relax only in this place. The staff must be polite and kind so as not to displease visitors. It is also worth considering the original design of the uniform, which will correspond to the interior and specifics of the establishment.
The more satisfied visitors, the more positive recommendations and new faces. Word of mouth is the best advertising.
After conducting a series of studies, assessing the amount of investment and possible profit, we can summarize: opening a children's cafe with a playroom in the center of Yoshkar-Ola was an excellent investment and provided constant profit for many years. It is quite possible that similar success awaits you in your region.
There are many catering establishments, but not all of them are suitable for visiting with children. Today, those in which a child can not only have a tasty and safe meal, but also celebrate his birthday, play with animators, take part in a themed children’s party, etc. are especially in demand. In order to successfully compete with fast food chains, you need to take into account their advantages and disadvantages, as well as analyze the positive experience of entrepreneurs who have implemented children's cafe projects from scratch.
The legislation does not divide catering establishments into “children’s” and “adult” ones, however, there are nuances that need to be understood by those who are looking for an answer to the question of how to open a children’s cafe from scratch.
Forecasts and prospects
How promising is the idea of creating a cafe for children, which is quite expensive in terms of investment, but does not immediately begin to make a profit?
The market capacity can be represented by fertility statistics (see Fig. 1). As can be seen from the graph, the measures taken by the government to level out the demographic situation are bringing a positive effect, despite the economic crisis. By 2025, the birth rate is expected to approach the levels of the mid-80s, when there was a surge. This means that in the near future all areas of business related to motherhood and childhood will be in demand by society.
Thus, the market for goods for children from 2009 to 2012. grew by $32 billion, which means that in difficult times, parents prefer to save on their own needs, but not on their children. By the way, the majority of visitors to catering establishments, according to marketing research, are also people with children (see Fig. 2)
In large populated areas, family confectionery shops, canteens, and fast food establishments equipped with high chairs and offering special menus for young visitors, as well as those aimed only at children, are becoming increasingly popular. For example, in the Nizhny Novgorod region, 83 such enterprises are actively promoting their services. Most of them are open as franchises: sushi bars “Yakitoria” and “Sushimin”, cafe “New York”, etc.
Fast food or “healthy eating”?
According to sociological research, the catering market in Russia in 2015 was dominated by demand for the services of fast food restaurants (see Fig. 3).
Knowing this, many investors avoid investing in children's cafes as a business, fearing competition with such “monsters” as McDonald’s, Shokoladnitsa, Rostiks, Baskin Robbins and others offering a branded range of dishes and services.
In 2012, the largest research holding Romir identified the TOP 10 factors of attractiveness of fast food establishments, popular among parents with children, and market leaders according to these indicators (see Table 1)
| Value for money | "Little Potato" |
| Food quality | "Il Patio" |
| Polite and friendly staff | "Planet Sushi" |
| Availability of prices | "Little Potato" |
| Drink quality | “Il Patio”, “Chocolate Girl”, “Coffee House” |
| Assortment of dishes | “Chocolate Girl”, “Il Patio”, “Planet Sushi” |
| Service speed | "Little Potato" and "Baskin Robbins" |
| General atmosphere | "Planet Sushi" |
| Waiters' knowledge of menu items | "Planet Sushi", "Chocolate Girl" |
| Comfortable interior | "Planet Sushi" |
*the study was conducted in cities of 8 federal districts with a population of 100 thousand people or more. Sample - 1,000 people. aged from 16 to 50 years.
It is noteworthy that the factor of having a menu for children was not included in the top ten most significant, although McDonald's, which tops the attendance rating, relies specifically on young visitors and successfully deals not only with food, but also with the sale of toys in Happy Meal sets.
The success factors of fast food chains should be taken into account by those planning to open their own family cafe. However, recently society is increasingly leaning towards healthy natural foods:
“The principle of less is more has recently been found in catering organizations - eat simply and quickly. This is a shorter menu, smaller portions, the ability to vary their size, change the menu taking into account personal preferences, which allows you to focus on the uniqueness of the dishes.”
(Akhmadeeva O. A., Idrisova A. I. Development trends of the public catering market in Russia // Young scientist. - 2016. - No. 8)
Thus, you can start a business using ready-made models (franchise), or establish your own brand based on the principles of natural baby food.
Requirements for a cafe for children
Not all entrepreneurs know exactly what is needed to open a children's cafe; most doubts are related to the requirements of regulatory authorities: is there any special specificity in this?
No, the lawyers answer. Regardless of the age audience of the catering establishment, the requirements are clearly regulated, since in any case your clients will be adults - parents who are responsible for their children. You, in turn, are responsible to them for the quality of food and provision of services.
Here are the regulations that will guide you:
- Law on Consumer Protection
- Government Decree No. 1036 “On approval of the rules for the provision of public catering services” (dated 08/15/1997)
- Resolution of the Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Russian Federation No. 31 “On the implementation of sanitary rules” (dated November 8, 2001)
- Government Decree No. 584 “On the notification procedure for the start of certain types of business activities” (dated July 16, 2009)
Important! This list of documents reflects the requirements of Rospotrebnadzor and other authorities for a cafe that does not offer an “adult” assortment, including alcohol-containing drinks and alcohol. This type of activity does not require licensing.
You can collect permits for opening a children's cafe yourself or entrust this to a law firm. Its content and speed of execution will depend on the choice of premises.
There are two options: rent a room adapted for catering or equip it yourself. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages (see Table 2)
| Premises adapted for cafe | Premises from scratch |
|---|---|
|
|
|
|
Practitioners advise: if you decide to open an enterprise in a premises that is not suitable for catering, agree in advance with the owner on a long-term lease and include the costs of repairs, re-equipment and re-registration in the rent.
Family Club
The most risk-free project is a franchise project, but before a franchise appears, someone must be the first to implement the concept. Today, more and more entrepreneurs are implementing original ideas. For example, two successful businesswomen figured out how to open a children's cafe with a playroom in the Ribambelle club they created (the forbes.ru portal told readers about it).
The concept was invented by young mothers Yu. Fedorishina and O. Musakhanova and implemented in 2013. A room that was not adapted for catering was chosen for the club, so more money was spent on its equipment than originally planned: for example, it was necessary to lay communications under the kitchen.
The girls advise those who open such a business to check all the calculations of the hired “specialists” from the very beginning, since they have repeatedly had to deal with inflated estimates. For example, firefighters set an estimate of 2 million, but in the end the costs amounted to 1 million rubles.
The total cost of opening a family club with a dining room and a play area of 800 m2 in a large shopping center costs, according to startup estimates, approximately 700 thousand euros.
Ribambelle immediately introduced a number of innovations that allowed it to successfully compete with other enterprises:
- ban on fast food
- strict requirements for preserving the beneficial properties of products on the menu for children
- adaptation of popular dishes for a children's audience (kids want to be like adults!)
- emphasis on holding holidays and culinary master classes for children and their parents
- the presence of a playroom in the form of a children's town with animators
- catering
In 2014, the girls achieved a monthly profit of 11 million rubles, but in the first 2 years, as they admitted, they were unable to return their initial investment. Today, for those who are close to the idea of Ribambelle, they offer a franchise: this allows the franchisee to avoid financial losses when starting a business.
Children's cafe at the zoo
A cafe for children can be a successful addition to your existing business. In Nizhny Novgorod, this was organized on the territory of the private zoo “Limpopo”. Its owner V. Gerasichkin has several “adult” projects under his belt.
In an interview with a correspondent of the Entrepreneur's Arsenal (No. 10, 2010), when asked about the profitability of the enterprise, he answered:
“...It’s really impossible to make big money at a children’s cafe, so business sharks are not interested in this topic. But if you have a thriving business and have the opportunity to run a project without charging large percentages, then you can create conditions for children to celebrate birthdays in a cafe and meet with classmates.”
A distinctive feature of catering at the zoo is its seasonality: the hottest time is summer and early autumn. Hence the format - a small pastry shop or street restaurant with a children's menu. Entertainment is nearby: these are animals that you can feed, and some of them you can interact with, and attractions. During the summer peak of attendance, it is possible to earn funds that allow you to support the business during the autumn-winter lull.
These examples show that with the right organization, a business that is not very profitable at first glance can actually bring not only income, but also pleasure to its owner.
Recently, this type of business as a catering establishment has become increasingly popular. And this is not surprising, because cafes and restaurants can bring good profits. But there are already too many competitors on the market, and in order to earn trust, you need to try, for example, to choose the right concept for the establishment.
One of the promising options is a children's cafe. It will be an excellent place where service and entertainment will be aimed only at small clients. But like any other business, organizing such a business requires drawing up a detailed business plan.
Opening stages
It is important for a novice owner to follow all the stages of opening and not forget anything:
- The first step is to register your business.
- Then decide on the concept.
- Based on the previous point, a room is selected and appropriate repairs are made to it.
- Purchase all necessary equipment, furniture, products and consumables.
- Then you need to hire staff for quality service.
- Create an attractive menu.
- After which you can set an opening date. To attract your first customers, you can organize an interesting holiday or show program.
Interesting information about this type of activity is presented in the following video:
Registration of activities
Before organizing any business that generates income, you must register with the tax service. Otherwise, carrying out activities without registration will result in criminal, tax and administrative liability.
There are several design options, but most suitable for catering. You also have the right to choose your tax system. The most profitable will be in which the legal entity will pay 6% of total income or 15% of net profit.
Market and competitor analysis
Before opening, you need to thoroughly study your direct competitors. Look at what places such establishments are located, what they feed there, what programs and entertainment they offer, identify all the strengths and weaknesses.
You should try to find out as much as possible about competing cafes, this also includes the interior of the premises and additional services provided to parents and their children. All this will help in choosing a strategy to obtain greater profits and the ability to eliminate mistakes made by competitors in your establishment.
Format options
The popularity of the cafe and the number of customers also depend on the format. You can choose different concepts that will attract the attention of not only children, but also adults:
- Cartoon themed cafe. You can make an establishment designed only for little princesses and decorate it in pink colors, like, for example, the only cafe in the world for Barbie. Or, conversely, for super heroes. If you want both girls and boys to be among your clients, then choose a neutral theme in the form of a popular cartoon designed for all guys. Don’t forget about the themed menu, which will complete the format.
- With a games room. This is a place where you can play while you wait for your order. You can choose both mobile and tabletop games. For active people, you can install a sports complex or a playground with soft surfaces, swings, labyrinths and slides. And to prevent children from running around unsupervised, you can hire an animator who will entertain little visitors with various games. Among board games, puzzles, mosaics, and construction sets are perfect.
- With children's menu. It is not necessary that the establishment have a gaming area, and the interior resembles a cartoon. The main thing is that there is a healthy menu for children. There can be regular tables with soft sofas or chairs, a neutral design suitable for adults and children. And the menu should contain only healthy dishes and, of course, sweets.
Organizational plan
In this section, you need to clearly distribute the responsibilities of the staff and describe your steps to start a business step by step. Then things will go faster and easier.
Describe what each employee of your cafe will be responsible for. Then you will know exactly how many waiters, cooks, animators and cleaners you should hire. Write down the menu, based on this item you can calculate the specific quantity of certain products. Arrange all the actions taken to open an establishment in order, then you will always know what to do next.
Production plan
First you need to select suitable place for implementation activities. The premises can be rented or purchased, or a separate building can be built. It all depends only on the financial capabilities of the beginning entrepreneur. The size of the establishment must comply with the current law of the Russian Federation, that is, 10 square meters. m for two seats.
Accordingly, if in the future you plan to increase the capacity, then the area of the hall should expand.
The second stage is to decide cafe design. As mentioned earlier, it can be thematic or classic. It all depends only on your imagination. You can resort to the services of professional designers.
Once you have decided on the room and its design, you should proceed to drawing up list of required equipment for the kitchen and living room. At the same time, you need to choose only high-quality equipment.
For kitchen:
- Refrigerators and freezers.
- Small kitchen appliances. This includes meat grinders, coffee makers, blenders, and so on.
- Cooking plates.
- Ovens.
- Grill, if the menu is designed for such dishes.
- Comfortable tables for chefs.
- Large sinks and dishwashers.
For the hall:
- Tables where visitors will eat.
- Chairs or sofas.
- Beautiful dishes and cutlery.
- All the necessary equipment for the gaming area, if you have chosen this format.
As for kitchen appliances, it is better to choose them among imported ones and not skimp on the price. And to decorate the room you can purchase Russian tables and chairs; here the main role is played by aesthetic appearance.
The next step includes menu development. It should have a wide selection of dishes, and since the cafe is for children, it should also be useful. Be sure to include a dessert section with a large variety of sweets and children's cocktails. Then every client will find something to their liking and will definitely come back again.
Then you need to implement selection of person servicing the establishment. The standard list of hired workers should consist of:
- Several cooks, but for the first time one may be enough.
- Waiters. Their number depends on the size of the room.
- If there is a play area, an animator will be required.
- And a cleaning lady, so that the cafe is always clean.
You can do the selection yourself or entrust this work to a professional agency for a fee, which will save your time and provide a high-quality result.
Marketing plan
To attract customers, you need to pay special attention to signage and a variety of effective promotion. As for advertising, these could be:
- Advertisements in local media (newspapers, television, radio).
- Advertising on city blogs, forums and websites.
- Distributing leaflets in public places. It is advisable to choose places where there is a high chance of meeting parents with children.
- Introduction of a discount system, bonuses and promotions.
Financial plan
Any business requires initial and monthly investments:
- Rent of premises is about 60,000 rubles, depending on the city and size. You will have to pay monthly.
- Its purchase, if the budget allows, is about 2-4 million rubles.
- Renovation of the premises - 150,000-200,000 rubles.
- Purchase of equipment – 150,000-200,000 rubles.
- Furniture for the hall - 100,000-150,000 rubles.
- Staff salaries are 80,000-100,000 rubles, which is a monthly cost.
- Purchase of ingredients for dishes - about 50,000 rubles, also monthly.
- Advertising to attract customers – 10,000-20,000 monthly.
- Monthly taxes to the state are about 30,000 rubles.
- Monthly utility and other expenses are approximately 30,000 rubles.
Estimated total revenues are 500,000 rubles per month. Subtracting all costs from this, you can get the average net profit - 100-200 thousand rubles. Based on this, we can say that your children's cafe will pay for itself in less than a year his works. 
Risk analysis
By making calculations of all possible dangers, you will always be prepared for anything and will know how to avoid problems.
The calculation of the risk table consists of:
- Possible increase in prices for products used for cooking.
- Insufficient demand for products or its absence at all.
- Competitors may lower prices in order to attract customers.
- Poor solvency of potential consumers.
- Increasing state business taxes.
- Deterioration in the quality of raw materials due to which you will have to switch to more expensive options.
- Insufficient amount of finance in circulation.
To increase income, you can introduce additional services, for example, baking cakes to order, holding children's parties, outdoor services or at home. The main thing is to remember that in any place where catering services are offered, all standards must be observed, and then you are guaranteed regular customers.
Absolute majority parents are ready to do almost anything for the pleasure of their child. Of course, what kind of mother agrees to stay at home when her child is bored? A much better option would be to take your child to a park or cafe, where he can play interesting games with his peers.
True, the weather does not always allow spending time outside. Unfortunately, not every city has children's cafes. And as a conclusion from this it follows that opening such an establishment will be very profitable.
Where to start
Of course, with the choice of a suitable place. The best option would be an area where children's institutions are concentrated. This means hospitals and clinics, kindergartens and schools.
After visiting such places, the child will probably want to eat. And an establishment designed for kids will come in handy.
Buildings located near parks and children's stores are also perfect.
Individual entrepreneur or LLC
After a suitable area for a children's cafe has been selected, the business should be registered.
This process can take a lot of time and nerves. Firstly, the cafe is a food service, and secondly, the establishment is intended for children.
Inspections and permits from the fire service and SES will be simply necessary. Naturally, it will be necessary to register the trading activity and obtain the status of an individual entrepreneur. But this, let’s say, is the technical part of the question.
What should a children's cafe be like?
As for the children's cafe itself, you need to think about not only the location. The design of the room and its general atmosphere must correspond to its purpose.
That is, standard tables and chairs will not work, even if the walls are painted with bright paint. A children's cafe from which serious profits are expected must be extraordinary.
Children should strive to visit again. For this you should not spare money and imagination. A magical land, no matter how small, can be created by anyone.
It is definitely worth taking care of seats for children and parents, which will be comfortable for both the first and the second. A play corner where you can have fun should be equipped with a large number of educational toys.
The place should be safe, bright and very spacious so that several kids can fit in it at once. Parents will certainly appreciate the children's product if there is a teacher in it. You can leave your child under his supervision - both adults relax and children spend time usefully.
Children's cafe menu
As for the menu, it shouldn’t be ordinary either. It should combine regular cuisine with children's dishes. You can come up with unusual names.
For example, children will be much more interested in ordering “Porridge from the cow Mashka” than “Millet porridge with milk.”
Naturally, there must be sweets and drinks. It is advisable to decorate all dishes in an unusual and colorful manner.. They will arouse interest and a desire to try.
Staff
If we return to the staff, then You should think about hiring animators dressed as fairy-tale characters. This creates a festive atmosphere, so beloved by children. You can create themed days that will be dedicated to a specific cartoon or fairy-tale character.
This way you can increase attendance, because some children are delighted with Luntik, others with Kolobok. Naturally, the parents know the child’s preferences and simply cannot refuse him to visit the establishment.
In general, a children's cafe can be developed indefinitely. The main thing is to take into account the wishes of the children and look at the competitors - a cafe that is excellent in all respects will clearly be a success.
