The trend of buffet noodles: How to start to make a profit

Noodles sold by the bowl may be too ordinary! The current trend is “buffet” noodles. They are easy to sell and sell more than before. It sounds like a lot of investment, but if you plan and manage your shop well, you will definitely make a good profit.

Why do you need buffet noodles?
Because it fits the Thai character. Thai people like value for money, pay a little and get a lot, or pay once and eat unlimitedly. Therefore, Thai people easily accept buffet restaurants. It is not difficult for newly opened buffet restaurants to become well-known. In addition, with the economy that has not yet recovered much and the cost of goods increasing, value for money at an affordable price is what Thai people are looking for, such as small plates of rice with curry, free rice porridge, rice with curry and unlimited refills, and even buffet restaurants that are not expensive.

Noodles are a basic food that Thai people eat regularly. There are many price levels depending on the ingredients and recipes, but it is still considered a food that is not very expensive. When it is in the form of a buffet, it is not difficult to attract the target group to open their minds to try it. In fact, buffet noodles are not new. There are many restaurants that have already made them or are similar to buffets. The ingredients of the noodles are, for example, chicken noodles, free spare parts, pork noodles, unlimited vegetables, etc.

How to start a shop?
Start by analyzing the location and target audience first. If the location is near an educational institution, a working community, or a large government agency, there will be a special opportunity for sales. The nature of a buffet restaurant is that the target audience must be people who can travel to the restaurant. Generally, it is not more than 10 kilometers from the restaurant. If it is a location with cars passing by, on the road or in a small alley, with parking and motorcycle parking, it will be an even greater advantage.

The target group, in addition to the original noodle eaters, also includes customers who like value for money. They are not fancy and are willing to pay a bit more to eat as much as they want. They have a middle-income.

Store management and profit making techniques
Buffet restaurants must have conditions for using the service, such as time limits, containers, fines, etc. The main rule of a buffet noodle restaurant is that customers must eat noodles, not a bowl of shabu or a bowl of noodles. Therefore, every bowl must have “noodles” as an ingredient. Having employees stand and boil noodles at the beginning of the food line before letting customers add their own toppings in the line will control this matter.

Arrange the food line according to the ingredients of the noodles, in order, starting from noodles, vegetables, meat, then add soup and seasoning at the end. There are many types of meat depending on the type of noodles, starting from chicken noodles, pork noodles or beef noodles. The meat should be arranged according to price, starting from cheap to expensive. Separate the soup into pots so that customers can choose to scoop as they like.

Normally, a person can eat 1-2 large bowls of noodles per person, which is considered an average. Try setting a target number of people per day, such as 300 people per day, with a total consumption of 600 bowls per day. Then calculate the ingredients from this point, by determining what each bowl will consist of and how much, such as 100 grams of noodles, how much meat and vegetables, in case the customer takes the most in the bowl. Then calculate how much ingredients are needed to sell 600 bowls and calculate how much money it will cost. Consider it as the cost of ingredients per day. Then add a profit of 40-50% to get the price per person, which is generally 99-120 baht.

It is not necessary to open the shop all day long. Just find the time when there are the most customers and sell during that time. For example, if the lunch break is the busiest time because there are many government employees and shops coming to eat, then you should open the shop from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or until the products are sold out. This will also reduce the risk of not having customers coming to the shop.

- Manage raw materials well. There should be a regular supplier to order raw materials at special prices because running a buffet restaurant requires daily cost management. Raw materials must be discarded as little as possible. Food should be gradually taken out and added gradually when the restaurant is about to close. If any machine is almost out of stock, there is no need to add any more. Or if raw materials run out before closing, put up a sign saying they are out of stock so customers will understand.

There are still many techniques for making a buffet restaurant. And there are many types of restaurants that can be made into buffet restaurants as well. Anyone who has an idea for a buffet restaurant, please share it. It is an idea for those who are interested in continuing the restaurant business. Or study more at the website www.makrohorecaacademy.com for free! For Makro members