Are you thinking of opening a burger restaurant? The time is ripe, as consumption of fast and practical food has continued to grow in recent years (source: SEBRAE). The customer's concern to consume quality food is a challenge, but it can also be a great opportunity.
It's worth knowing the basics of the history of the hamburger, brought to America by the Germans in the 19th century as a rustic food. This was a period of great industrial growth when workers needed food that could be produced and served quickly for very little cost. In 1921, the first American cafeteria was created and in the 1930s the first Drive-Thru was created. In Brazil, hamburger restaurants arrived in 1952, first in Rio de Janeiro and three years later in São Paulo.
By differentiating themselves from the “traditional” fast food model, hamburger restaurants are gaining more and more prominence and becoming increasingly profitable businesses. According to a survey carried out by the Gastronomy Institute, this food niche has grown by more than 570% in the last decade, a market that in Brazil alone has a turnover of more than 20 billion reais and is growing by 7% a year, according to Exame magazine. But what really makes a hamburger restaurant successful?
Snacks with different names, cool, decorated environments, modern lighting and surround sound with a playlist of well-selected songs are all elements that may please customers, but are not enough to attract them to your establishment.
Every day we receive visits from consultants, partners and clients who already operate in the market to our experimental kitchen to test equipment or the menu and, by talking to them, we were able to list a few points that are often mentioned as factors to increase the chances of your burger shop succeeding.
Bet on the basics VERY well done!
We know that a well-made snack is directly linked to the quality of the ingredients: the meat, the cheese, the sauces and especially the bread, so look for reliable suppliers.
It is also interesting to always work with the same ingredients, opting for options with 1, 2 or 3 burgers so that customers can choose according to their hunger. As a result, a greater variety requires extra work such as weighing, shaping, sales estimates and, of course, the risk of waste.
Differentials on the menu
Why should customers choose your burger restaurant over other options? What will keep customers coming back? What sets you apart from the competition?
The burger is the flagship, its production and presentation must be impeccable, but there are other points to be explored such as the setting of the environment, a differentiated service and special seasonal options on the menu.
To avoid being just one of the crowd, invest in sauces or a special ingredient, regional items with a distinctive flavor, something that can be noticed as a special and unique touch.
Similarly, it's a mistake to overuse an ingredient under the pretext of innovation. It's common to see burger restaurants today that overdo the amount of an ingredient in the same snack. Ideally, consumers should be able to identify the flavor of each ingredient.
Try to find out what is successful in the competition and get to know the menus of the big chains, there are sure to be reasons for the success of your burgers. In addition, try to attend events and courses, which will give you enough knowledge to always innovate.
One combination that has been making headlines is the combination of hamburger and beer. The drink attracts older consumers, who tend to be more attentive to the quality of what they consume and generally have greater purchasing power.
Kitchen structure
There's no point in having the best chef, who knows how to put together the perfect blend of meats, but not having the tools to prepare them in the right way. An ideal structure includes efficient grills with a thicker cooking surface, char broilers to give the burger that barbecue taste, high-performance professional fryers that guarantee dry and crispy fries, a refrigeration line with a stainless steel interior that is more durable and does not impregnate odors and, of course, a safe and efficient exhaust system.
Want to learn how to choose the right fryer for your business? Check out our guide.
Delivery
The delivery menu should only include products that have been tested and proven to deliver excellence. At this point, special attention should be paid to the choice of packaging, which should preserve the temperature and textures of the food.
Invest time in creating family-sized kits, as they increase the ticket and have a higher profit margin, considering that a single delivery can bring a kit with 10 or 20 combos.
Trends and innovations
Plant-based foods
Don't leave anyone out, a vegetarian customer has to have the chance to come with their family or friends to your establishment and have alternatives to eat satisfactorily.
More and more people are looking for vegetarian, plant-based or even mixed options with lighter burgers, such as a mix of meats and mushrooms.
Pick and go system
During the pandemic, the pick and go system has been one of the fastest-growing modalities, where the customer places the order remotely and then picks it up at the establishment's address. This service alternative is on the rise, mainly because consumers are increasingly looking to save time.
Social networks and geolocation
Consider having a strong presence on social media. It's worth saying that if you're not seen, you're not remembered. Create a brand and a visual identity so that the burger restaurant is remembered. Establish a line of communication with your target audience.
Use attractive, high-resolution photos, invest in a cell phone with a good camera and learn how to edit photos using apps like Canva, for example.
Make your customers salivate when they see your photos, don't leave your networks abandoned, as they are a channel for your customers to interact, dedicate small amounts of time to checking and replying to comments and messages.
Use geolocation and advertise with small investments. Geolocation ensures that only residents of the neighborhood or region where your burger joint is located see your ads.
These points do not eliminate the need, as with any well-planned new business, to have a good business plan.
It's important to include a study of the hamburger market, financial planning, defining the target audience, defining the business format, hiring staff, choosing a business location, developing a menu and prices, creating a brand, investing in marketing and a management system. For these items we recommend hiring consultants, Sebrae can also help you draw up this plan.
Macom is recognized as a leader in the professional kitchen equipment segment. Having been in the market for 48 years, we strive to meet our customers' needs with highly efficient equipment that can withstand the day-to-day running of the kitchen!
We invite you to visit our factory, visit our MacomLab experimental kitchen and find out how our equipment can help your business!
