When looking for information on how to open a bar, there are many suggestions as well as bureaucratic confusion. However, there are some fundamental rules to follow if you want to start a business in the restaurant world. Having these key points clear will allow you to embark on a launch process without problems and worries. Check out our ultimate guide to opening a café.

1) I think therefore I invest: the initial evaluations

Before you act, ask yourself questions and give yourself answers. Many businesses are already born with important defects because errors of evaluation were made during the study and analysis phase. For this reason, the first thing to do to start a business is to ask yourself three questions: 1) What will the venue offer again? How to open a bar that differs from the competition? It is essential to study the strengths on which you want to focus to promote the place and the originality that distinguishes it. Bar and brand identity: our advice 2) Are the funds enough to start? Opening a restaurant means investing. And it is essential to deal with various expenditure items including: rent, furniture, equipment, suppliers and personnel. Professional kitchen for small rooms: how to optimize space 3) What is the location of the club? A variant on which the general expenses and the success of the bar also depend. At best, the place should be in a central location, close to places that are already popular. 4) What is the target? A question that is often not included in guides on how to open a bar, despite being one of the main voices in the matter. Thinking about the public to whom you want to offer your offer allows you to have a complete picture not only of the menu, but also of the very position in which to open the restaurant. If the formula is designed for students, locate yourself near schools, universities and libraries. If, on the contrary, you want to focus on workers, locate areas near industrial poles.

2) How to open a bar and not go crazy in the bureaucratic process

A restaurant is in every sense a business, and as such the law obliges you to regulate your business position with a VAT number. Rely on an expert accountant in the catering sector to guide you through the bureaucratic process and decide which type of company is right for you. The chosen form of company will then be registered with the relevant Company Register. The venue itself must be up to standard. The property must have the appropriate permits and requirements, most of which are municipal or regional legislation. When you have put the company and premises in order, you can proceed with the bureaucracy. Usually it is an aspect that scares a lot, but over the years the process has fortunately been simplified. The documents required to open a bar are:
  • municipal form for communication of start of activity (which includes data of the owner, of the company, opening hours, practicability, ASL compliance)
  • authorization to display the banner
  • authorization from the Revenue Agency for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages
  • SIAE rights payment form for the diffusion of music and images
  • application for fire certification to the Fire Department (for premises of dimensions equal to or greater than 450 m2)
After the bureaucratic race between forms, requests and acceptances, the time comes to attend the courses that are mandatory by law. We are obviously talking about the SAB, HACCP and safety at work certifications. These courses must be followed by all employees working in the premises. HACCP self-control: tips for managing food allergens

3) The business plan: you will learn to love it

In the period preceding the opening of the restaurant you will have to learn how to draw up the first business plan. This tool, sometimes underestimated due to its apparent difficulty, allows you to have an overview of costs and earnings over a period of time. Drawing up a market analysis plan, studying investments and profits helps to evaluate the best path to take for your establishment. The business plan allows you to prepare for any difficult periods, for unexpected surprises with the certainty of having a clear vision of the whole. How to draw up a business plan? Find out now There are many indications on how to open a bar, and they are all necessary for guaranteed success. It is a demanding journey in every aspect, and for this reason Techfood has studied a solution capable of lightening the load for those who want to open a business. Pic Nic is the turnkey corner shop. You won't have to worry about contacting suppliers because it's already started by Techfood itself. In addition, the machinery present in the corner does not require an extractor hood, reducing the permits to be requested from the municipal administration. Find out more about the Pic Nic formula .
April 15, 2024