Many shops are willing to put up some cakes to display to offer more variety to their customers. Before investing in the courses, equipment, and staff, there are many factors to consider before starting the journey.
Want to put some cake up for display at your new shop?
Opening a restaurant might be a dream for many people. Of course it is not going to be an easy one, but it is not too far away to grab either. For those who have the plan, let’s check with the follow points to see if you are prepared.
Why do you want to open a restaurant?
What kind of food do you offer?
Who do you want to sell the food to?
What do you want your customers to get from your restaurant?
Where is your restaurant located?
Who will do the cooking?
Have you set an overall pricing?
How many dishes do you have to sell per day to break even?
Will the net profit be enough to sustain?
If you have clear answers for all these questions and you are still eager to do it. Then let’s get started with the branding and business plans :)
For those who have a clear picture or those who just started the business and looking for some cakes to display. Before investing in the courses, equipment, and staff, there are many factors to consider before starting the journey
How to choose the right cake for the right restaurant
Types of restaurants
Is your restaurant an authentic cuisine and a fashionable one? What style and fashion it accommodates. Cakes that will fit in an authentic cuisine should be the one originated from the nation, for example, an Italian restaurant might put Tiramisu in the menu, or an American restaurant would put Cheesecake in. If you run a fusion restaurant then you might want to bring up what’s best from both sides. Like using Thai fruit in a Cheesecake for instance.
Are you a dine-in, a kiosk or a Food truck? Selecting a cake to put in the menu requires you to understand the user experience as well. A dine-in restaurant will have more options when it comes to dessert, whether it’s the cake, plating or even serving. Kiosks and Food Trucks usually offer takeaway only and the cake suitable for this scenario would be packaged ready cakes.
Are you a finger-food restaurant? Do you offer on-the-go food? Or you are a dine-in? On-the-go or finger food might not need you to use cutlery. So the cake you want to put in should be the kind of cupcakes or cookies that would match with the style of the food.
Target you customers
Clear target persona would make you deliver the right products to the right people. For example,
Office workers usually come as a group. They want a quick meal before getting back to work. Cake that would fit the case is the one that doesn’t need to decorate as much and can be shared in a group. Or a single serve with an appropriate portion.
Family, whether it’s a small or a big one with grandparents and grandchildren. They want a cake with more variety. Kids might love a chocolate cake. While the mother prefers something more sour and the elderly choose a low calories dessert.
A group of friends who come for a meal after work or on a holiday might be looking for a detailed, well-presented cake. They would take pictures of the moment. The cake well-suited for this one should be in a bigger portion, capable of sharing.
Overall Pricing
Defining the price of the main dishes is crucial for a restaurant and cake options. If you price your meal at a lower rate, such as 50 baht, you might consider a range of cakes at 60-75 baht. If you are running a premium restaurant with an average of 350 baht per dish, you may look for 120 baht of cake choices for your customers. Plating and presentation also play a big role.
Brand Personality
Imagine the restaurant to be a person. How would it be? What personality it may have? Then make it clear. If you have a masculine Brand Personality, you may want to serve a classical cake, not too sweet. On the other hand, an office lady who wants to freshen up her life might want to choose a fruity, sweet dish for herself.
Resources (funds, equipment, knowledge, people)
Apart from the above topics, resources are to be evaluate as well, including
People, whether it’s production, chef, baker, or even yourself.
Knowledge of the people you have. Expertise level of production and recipe. Consider taking more courses if you need to.
Equipment or tools. Do you need a new one? How much would it cost?
When an overall investment has been calculated, you can think of the price of your cake when it’s on sale. Is it appropriate for the average cost of your restaurant? If not, try to figure if the main cost of the cake comes from fixed or variable cost. If it’s a fixed cost, a high amount of sales can cover that. If it’s a variable cost, you might want to find a way to reduce part of it.
Another important thing to consider apart from the initial investment is the Break Even point, which is the amount of transactions needed to regain the investment back.
Cake Supplier
If baking your own cake is not doable. There are a few suppliers that offer selections of cakes without any extra costs or time invested. First thing you need to look into is the appearance if it’s suitable for the restaurant. Next, consider the amount and price. Taste is also an important factor to look for.
It might be advantageous to choose a supplier instead of an in-house bakery. It reduces costs in learning and equipment and staff training. It is also less complicated from start to finish.
A good thing to keep in mind is a long term relationship with your supplier. If the cake catches on a trend, maintaining a good connection with the supplier can carry you both for a long time.
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