The popularity of pizza in American culture has remained strong for decades. Starting a pizza shop has the potential to produce huge profits, but the process of starting and executing a successful operation requires planning and patience. With a large number of pizza stores in the United States, entrepreneurs who want to start new pizza restaurants have to bring something unique to the market. Pizza shop owners have to follow state health regulations, and failure to do so results in fines and license revocation. Starting a pizza shop is an exciting adventure and knowing the steps will prepare you to open a successful business.
- Choose the type of pizza shop you want to operate. Decide if you want an establishment to eat on the spot, from homes or to buy and carry. The amount of retail space needed will depend on the type of store you start.
- Choose a location to decide if you want to select a location that was previously a restaurant. If that is the case, investigate whether the previous restaurant had health violations and find out the reason why it closed.
- Obtain the necessary permits to handle food in your state. Contact the state health department to request a food permit. Each of state requires pizza restaurants to obtain permits and pass an inspection before operating.
- Produce capital for your pizza shop. Applies for business loans through banks, credit unions and with the Small Business Association. Create a business plan to present with your loan applications to show your operation plans.
- Buy equipment and inventory. Choose pizza ovens, serving dishes, dough prey and other equipment necessary for your store. You can buy used equipment to save money.
- Create your menu Select the menu items you want to serve your customers. The type of pizza shop you operate will play a role in the menu items you choose. Consider serving foods that complement pizza, such as chicken wings, pasta, and cheese sticks.
- Set your prices. Look for prices of similar products offered by competitive pizza stores in your area. Pizza is relatively cheap, so you don’t want to price your food much higher than the competition.
- Hire chefs and waiters. Place online or print ads to interview and hire people for your store staff. You’ll want to choose experienced people working in pizza shops or in the restaurant industry.