Burger Stall Small Business

Burger is a very popular food among Malaysians. It is one of the cheapest foods around. (I am not talking about those fast food chains; I am referring to roadside burger stalls.)

What is the market potential for operating burger stalls?

We all need food. If we have more money, we go for more expensive food, if our money is running low,we go for cheaper food. No matter how bad the economy is, affordable food business is the least affected.

A normal burger costs about RM2.50 each and the cost is about RM1.50 each. So your profit margin is about RM1.00 each. Let’s say you open a stall at 9pm and end at 12pm, 6 days a week, if you can sell 20 burgers a day, your income for a month is about 20 x 6 x 4 = RM480.00. Of course if you work harder and operate 7 days a week, with longer hours during weekends, you may be able to sell more burgers. Let’s say 20 burgers during weekdays and 40 burgers during Saturdays and Sundays. Your potential income will be something like (20x5) + (40x2) =180x4=RM720.00 a month.

Success in this business depends on the location of the stall. Since your business starts at 9pm, ideally the location must be near some school or factory hostel where your target customers are mostly singles and like to hang out at night.

How to Start a Part- time Burger Stall?

If you operate in front of your house, all you need, to start a part- time burger stall is, a metal plate, a gas stove, a solid table, a fluorescent light and some cooking utensils. If you plan to operate elsewhere, then you may need a cooler to keep the food cold and a battery operated fluorescent light.

All the above cost less then RM500.00 and you might also need a spare cash of RM200.00 to buy burger supplies.

Before you can start, you need to know how to prepare burgers. Fortunately, most of the ingredients are ready-made and all you need to do is, learn how to control the cooking time.

Just remember, practice makes perfect.

My opinion

It is one of the easiest food businesses to start as not much cooking skills are needed. The start up cost is as low as RM500.00 depending on the items you purchase. I strongly suggest those who stay near colleges or factory hostels to start this business. Although you may start an illegal business, as long as you keep the place clean and your food is hygienic, you should not face any problems.

Start by making some burgers for family or friends and master the time to cook a tasty burger. You might also try your own recipe as well or pay a visit to some burger stalls that operate at night; observe the business and how the owners prepare their burgers to get some ideas. You may also sell some drinks to generate more profit.