Takeaway concept - your opinion appreciated

paulwf

avantra wrote: »

Actually some numbers by Mintel tell a rather good story: the majority of people cooked at home from ingredients before the recession. More are do it now due to the recession.

Do you mind if I play devils advocate for a minute? Your post (of which I quote a fraction above) could be seen as people getting back in the kitchen and turning away from takeaways, of which you will be one, albeit a bit different to the rest.

Firstly it suggests people are learning how to cook again, perhaps all the Delia and Jamie shows are turning the tide and people are starting to get back in the kitchen and will have less need of your outlet?

Secondly people are cooking at home in the recession due to cost. The golden rule of catering is to keep the cost of goods within set levels. Most of the time the cost of goods is kept to a third, i.e. you have to roughly treble to ingredients cost to get the retail price. Hot takeaway food also has VAT added.

I'd love to see a few menu ideas that you have fully costed then we can all get a feel for how it would work.

MrsE_2

flea72 wrote: »

but the sarcasm, was only implied if the person had more money than time. It wasnt an all-encompassing comment

Flea

Some (many) people do have more money than time.

Why would you see the need to imply sarcasm to that

ROXYANNA_2

I think its a great idea! I hate cheap nasty takeaways and will only have them if i have had enough alcohol so that i don't really notice the taste!

It would be fantastic to be able to order fresh traditional english dishes to be delivered to the house!! Maybe you should be looking at a franchise so we can all benefit!!

Good Luck!!!!:j

Alikay

The pensioner's complex my mum and MIL live in have deliveries from this company: http://www.wiltshirefarmfoods.com and another similar company (can't remember the name)

Apparently the meals are very tasty, and healthier than normal supermarket ready meals. Don't know if a takeaway for home-style meals would take off as the price would be quite high. If I ever splash out on a takeaway it's partly because I don't want to/ haven't got time to cook, but also because I specifically fancy Chinese/pizza/fish n chips and home-made just isn't the same.

MrsE_2

Alikay wrote: »

The pensioner's complex my mum and MIL live in have deliveries from this company: http://www.wiltshirefarmfoods.com and another similar company (can't remember the name)

Apparently the meals are very tasty, and healthier than normal supermarket ready meals. Don't know if a takeaway for home-style meals would take off as the price would be quite high. If I ever splash out on a takeaway it's partly because I don't want to/ haven't got time to cook, but also because I specifically fancy Chinese/pizza/fish n chips and home-made just isn't the same.

She tried them, she didn't like them.
She would happliy not eat, so it has to be something really tempting.

edinburgher

I like your basic concept and like to think that it could work if you gave plenty of thought to your business model.

If you're planning to cook essentially 'good British grub' with decent quality ingredients, you will have to realise that there will be a natural tipping point between quality, perceived value and price.

While healthy, home-style food cooked to order (or near enough) is definitely a good thing, it definitely wouldn't command the high prices paid for a restaurant experience (in my humble opinion). This will curtail your profits as too expensive and your potential customers will just give up and make the dishes themselves!

On the flip side of this argument, many of the cr**** takeaways make profits because they sell low quality ingredients at (relatively) cheap prices. I'd continue with the market research, to see the sorts of prices that could be borne before your potential demographic decides that they'd be better off just going for the rubbish junk food option.

I agree with some of the previous posters that location would seem to be key for such a venture - I can see this business doing very well as a 'hole in the wall' type venture in a busy commuter spot, but can't really see it working with a seated area. Excuse me if I'm simplifying too much, but the prospect of eating 'average' meals (even if well cooked) in a sub-restaurant environment doesn't really appeal. On the other hand, it would appeal to me if it was more of a takeaway/home delivery style business (and I didn't love cooking).

While I freely admit to not having run my own business hopefully these ideas might help you crystallise exactly what sort of business it is you want to offer? All the best :beer:

hayley11

I started a thread in DT a while ago about British Cuisine takeaways, I would love one to open near me! I'd love to do it myself actually but I don't know the first thing about catering. My thread is here, might be useful to see what peoples thought on it are.

I definitely think there is a market for it, there are loads of pizza, indian and chinese takeaways near me but not one selling real british food. Sometimes I crave something proper, meat and two veg but I either don't have it in or I just can't be bothered.

edinburgher

I'd love to do it myself actually but I don't know the first thing about catering.

You, me and Avantra should set up in business - bagsy me go chef!

hayley11

edinburgher wrote: »

You, me and Avantra should set up in business - bagsy me go chef!

:j Yay lets! I can do websites! Well not great ones but ok ones! And I can do admin!

I don't have a penny to my name though! :rotfl:

edinburgher

Yay lets! I can do websites! Well not great ones but ok ones!

That's a start - I can help with the copy writing as I have to do marketing blurb for my library all the time

I can bring £9.25 in savings and a big pot o' change to the project!