A healthy fast food restaurant serves nutritious food and beverages in a timely manner. This type of business is quickly gaining market share from traditional fast food restaurants as the healthy variety improves consumer well-being. Such nutritious food is offered at low prices, served rapidly and satiates cravings without compromising physical health.
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Start a healthy fast food restaurant by following these 10 steps:
- Plan your Healthy Fast Food Restaurant
- Form your Healthy Fast Food Restaurant into a Legal Entity
- Register your Healthy Fast Food Restaurant for Taxes
- Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
- Set up Accounting for your Healthy Fast Food Restaurant
- Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Healthy Fast Food Restaurant
- Get Healthy Fast Food Restaurant Insurance
- Define your Healthy Fast Food Restaurant Brand
- Create your Healthy Fast Food Restaurant Website
- Set up your Business Phone System
We have put together this simple guide to starting your healthy fast food restaurant. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.
Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.
STEP 1: Plan your business
A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:
- What will you name your business?
- What are the startup and ongoing costs?
- Who is your target market?
- How much can you charge customers?
Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.
What will you name your business?
Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Healthy Fast Food Restaurant Name Generator
If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.
When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:
- Your state’s business records
- Federal and state trademark records
- Social media platforms
- Web domain availability
It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.
What are the costs involved in opening a healthy fast food restaurant?
The restaurant itself must be built or leased. Food prep stations, cookware, dishes, silverware, dishwashers, napkins, trays, refrigerators, ovens, cash registers and ingredients are necessary. The business requires insurance, utilities, employees, advertising and possibly a drive-thru lane. Plan on spending tens of thousands of dollars for all of the equipment listed above. Building a fast food restaurant will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Alternatively, you can lease/rent a space on a monthly basis.
What are the ongoing expenses for a healthy fast food restaurant?
The facility’s mortgage/rent payment will likely run between $500 and several thousand dollars per month. Budget in upwards of $500 per month for insurance. However, if your healthy fast food restaurant sells strictly raw food, there won’t be a need for ovens. As a result, you will enjoy a considerable insurance break as the odds of a fire are dramatically reduced. Utilities will run a couple hundred dollars per month. Budget several thousand dollars per month for ingredients. Facility maintenance will run at least a couple hundred dollars per month. Budget $500 to $1,000 or more for monthly marketing. Cashiers, cooks, and food prep workers will earn $8 to $12 per hour. If you do not want to handle marketing and accounting duties, budget an annual salary of $30,000 to $50,000 for these professionals. Plan on paying a maintenance expert $15 to $25 per hour.
Who is the target market?
The target market is individuals who are health-conscious yet do not have the time or skill necessary to make delicious food at home. These individuals tend to be busy full-time workers who are looking for a quick meal after leaving work, heading home from the gym and so on. These individuals tend to be young, well-educated and savvy about the nuances of health and nutrition. Shape your menu so it appeals to this demographic and you will enjoy a steady stream of customers.
How does a healthy fast food restaurant make money?
This business makes money by selling high-quality, delicious and nutritious food and beverages to customers.
How much can you charge customers?
In general, healthy fast food restaurant meals typically cost between $5 and $15.
How much profit can a healthy fast food restaurant make?
It is possible to make millions of dollars. Build a successful initial restaurant, reinvest the proceeds in additional restaurants and you will have quite the profitable business. In general, aim to make $50,000 to $100,000 per year at each of your locations. Strive to increase this per-restaurant profit year-by-year and you will gradually build a business empire that rakes in millions of dollars.
How can you make your business more profitable?
One of the best ways to enhance profitability is to brand your products and sell them on the web or at local stores. As an example, consider Taco Bell’s popular hot sauce products. These hot sauces are available at Taco Bell restaurants as well as WalMarts and other stores throughout the country.
Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!
STEP 2: Form a legal entity
One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your healthy fast food restaurant is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.
This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.
In practice, this means that if your healthy fast food restaurant were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.
More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We’ve negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.
Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).
STEP 3: Register for taxes
You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.
In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!
You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?
There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.
STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card
Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.
When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.
Open a business bank account
Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:
- Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
- Makes accounting and tax filing easier.
Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.
Get a business credit card
Getting a business credit card helps you:
- Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business’ expenses all in one place.
- Build your company’s credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.
Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.
STEP 5: Set up business accounting
Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.
Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.
STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses
Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.
Federal Business Licensing Requirements
There are federal regulations regarding what can and cannot be added to, sold as, and processed with food. Attached is a resource from the Food and Drug Administration detailing the process of starting a food business: How to Start a Food Business
State & Local Business Licensing Requirements
Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a healthy fast food business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.
Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.
Certificate of Occupancy
A healthy fast food restaurant is generally run out of a storefront. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.
- If you plan to lease a location:
- It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
- Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a healthy fast food restaurant.
- After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
- If you plan to purchase or build a location:
- You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
- Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your healthy fast food restaurant will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.
Food Regulations
When selling food, you will need licensing from a local health department; all establishments serving food are required to pass a health inspection. Tips for faring well on a health inspections
STEP 7: Get business insurance
Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.
There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.
Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.
Find out what types of insurance your Healthy Fast Food Restaurant needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Healthy Fast Food Restaurant.
STEP 8: Define your brand
Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.
If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.
How to promote & market a healthy fast food restaurant
There is no foolproof means of marketing a healthy fast food restaurant business. Market the business across an array of mediums to reach as many locals as possible. Advertise on social media, through pay-per-click advertising, on local radio, in local newspapers, on billboards and elsewhere. The key is to make the public aware that a healthy fast food restaurant is open for business in their community. Most people are willing to give healthy fast food a try. However, people can’t patronize a business they do not know exists in the first place. Invest in a robust and widespread initial marketing push across numerous channels to heighten awareness of your establishment and word will gradually spread about your healthy offerings.
How to keep customers coming back
Young people are particularly drawn to healthy fast food. Market your establishment through flyers, billboards and other ads near local schools and universities to attract the young demographic. Locate your restaurant in a part of town frequented by young adults so they do not have to go out of their way to enjoy your delicious food. In terms of customer retention, strive for the perfect combination of food quality and price. Tasty food that is reasonably priced and served quickly will inspire return visits.
STEP 9: Create your business website
After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.
While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.
Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:
- All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
- Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
- Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.
Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.
Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.
STEP 10: Set up your business phone system
Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.
There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.
Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com
Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.
Is this Business Right For You?
If you are looking for a way to improve the eating habits and consequently, the health of those in your community, start a healthy fast food restaurant. This is your chance to alter the way people eat, reduce sickness, combat cancer and generally improve the human condition. A healthy fast food restaurant is also ideal for those who have culinary skills, an interest in human health and a passion for delicious but nutritious food.
Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?
Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!
What happens during a typical day at a healthy fast food restaurant?
Customers place orders, wait a brief period of time for their food to be made and served and enjoy a satisfying meal. Healthy fast food restaurant employees take customer orders, prepare food, cook food, serve customers and clean the facility. Managers delegate work to cashiers, cooks, the maintenance crew, and custodians. Marketing professionals and accountants handle the advertising and financial aspects of the business. The owner oversees each of these employee groups, researches possible additions to the menu, changes recipes, modifies prices, and establishes/manages relationships with suppliers.
What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful healthy fast food restaurant?
An individual who has experience in the fast food industry or as a traditional restaurant owner, manager, chef or server will make a fairly seamless transition to owning and operating a healthy fast food business. The entrepreneur should have a sincere passion for healthy food, providing his community with nutritious meals and filling customer orders without delay. It will also help if the entrepreneur is interested in organic food and vegetarian/vegan fare. Most important is an understanding of basic business principles. Nutritious food that is fresh and delicious tends to cost a significant amount of money. Furthermore, such food usually takes a considerable amount of time to prepare. High costs and extensive preparation/cooking time are direct threats to the profitability of healthy fast food restaurants. In order to turn a consistent profit, this business requires a delicate balancing of costs, customer service and diverse offerings.
What is the growth potential for a healthy fast food restaurant?
This is the best time to start a healthy fast food restaurant business. People are looking for healthy alternatives to traditional fast food offerings. If your employees can make and serve tasty food in little time, your business will thrive. If your business is especially successful, you can expand operations across the country or even the world. The growth potential is truly limitless.
Take the Next Step
Find a business mentor
One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.
Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.
Learn from other business owners
Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.
Resources to Help Women in Business
There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:
- Funding
- Events
- Guides
- Support
If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.
What are some insider tips for jump starting a healthy fast food restaurant?
Though all of the offerings should be healthy, taste should not be sacrificed. When in doubt, err on the side of delicious rather than uber-healthy. Do not restrict your menu to organic, vegetarian, or vegan fare. The menu should have diverse offerings that appeal to a wide variety of customers. Furthermore, you should not hesitate to alter the menu based on the ingredients that are in season. Serve fresh, high-quality food that satisfies cravings without sacrificing health and customers will return. More importantly, they will spread the word about your healthy fast food restaurant to friends, family, co-workers and others. Do not lose sight of the fact that those who patronize your restaurant are looking for prompt service. Invest heavily in food preparation efforts so the cooking and serving times are as short as possible.
How and when to build a team
Build a team right away. Your healthy fast food restaurant requires cashiers, cooks, food prep workers, a maintenance expert, cleaners, and a manager. You can probably handle the marketing and accounting duties at first. However, professionals for these specialties will be necessary as the business expands.