I want to open a (cheap) (Thai) steak restaurant, any idea ?

[GSFGSF]

hello,

 

As many people on this forum seem experienced, can you tell me what do you expect from a cheap Thai steak restaurant.

The same kind that you find in the street for 49 thb, but indoor, and still cheap, hopefully less than 100 thb for any dish.

 

Do you think that all meats should be available ?

Fish also ?

Salad ?

What else ?

Maybe also propose rice for those who do not want French fries ?

 

If you also have ideas to bring customers to my restaurant, please tell me. I know that social media is important in Thailand, but maybe other reasons could bring customers ? (I am not a dreamer and I know that Thai can eat anywhere and that you need to offer something special to drag them to your place)

 

And no problem about laws and work permit, as it will be in Thai name and I won't be in this restaurant when it will be opened.

 

Thank you for your ideas if you can help.

 

 

[NanLaew]

If you own the premises, give it a go. If you are renting, forget about it.

[Peterw42]

I dont think you would get steak on the table for under 200 baht a serve, then you are in competition with sante fa, sizzler etc. Where are you buying a steak for 49 Baht ? 

[GSFGSF]

14 minutes ago, NanLaew said:

If you own the premises, give it a go. If you are renting, forget about it.

 

The rent will be only 10000 tb / month.

We won't spend more than this or I know that it won't be possible to have profit.

 

 

 

 

[GSFGSF]

2 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

I dont think you would get steak on the table for under 200 baht a serve, then you are in competition with sante fa, sizzler etc. Where are you buying a steak for 49 Baht ? 

 

Thai eat steak for 49 thb t0 69 thb in ALL supermarket food courts and ALL street steak restaurants (including some famous franchise).

 

I have 2 of these restaurants in my area in Bangkok and within the last 2 years I have NEVER seen them empty, and most of the time the 10 tables are full, form 6pm to 11pm.

 

Of course I won't open near them, and we do not want to sell in the street, this is why we want a cheap rent.

 

Thank you to all for your replies.

 

 

 

 

 

[Denim]

Best advice ..... don't do it.

 

If you are doing it for a hobby or to keep yourself busy and don't mind about not making any profit ....then go ahead.

 

But if you are doing it with a mind to make money ...forget it.

 

If you are doing it where there are many foreigners it won't work unless you can offer alcohol and eye candy.

 

If you do it where you are relying on Thai customers , expect an ok first week while locals check it out then death.

 

I have seen scores of steakhouse go bust within 6 months.

 

If you absolutely must try selling food stick to what sells. Noodles , khao man by , khao moo deng , phat Thai , khao ka moo etc.

 

If you do just this in the right place at the right time and make it aroy dee you might do well.

 

But steak business is not known to be easy because this is Thailand and poor Thai people like what they are familiar with.

[GSFGSF]

Sorry, about this forum notifications, someone can tell me how to get notification on this website (when logged) and also by Email ?

It seems that we have to choose online or Email ?!

 

 

[poanoi]

for me, it all about the sauce that goes with it,

i am so tired to death of the non existing sauces here.

most of all i want a nice bearnaise sauce

[Fex Bluse]

I agree with you, OP. Thais do eat steak for those prices, but, from a Westerner perspective, that meat is terrible quality. Thai beef (even Thai French) is the worst I've had in any country. And, Thais generally don't know how to cook it western tastes. 

 

To answer your questions about business plan, it would help to know alot more detail you are considering such as:

1. Location (province, urban vs rural?) 

 

2. Competition (other similar restaurants?) 

 

3. Management (will you manage or perhaps leave it to Thai lady) 

 

4. Target customer profile (farang/age, Thai/age) 

 

5. Property (established already or will build) 

 

It's not easy to really say much of anything useful without seeing a draft business plan. There are a few farangs who have been wildly successful in Thailand in Food & Beverage. The Wishbeer guys are a great example. A few years ago when they were putting their business plan together, they did some research on thr forums. You might be able to search and find the forum topics. 

 

Good luck 

[jenny2017]

44 minutes ago, GSFGSF said:

 

The rent will be only 10000 tb / month.

We won't spend more than this or I know that it won't be possible to have profit.

 

 

 

 

Do you think that all meats should be available ?

Fish also ?

Salad ?

What else ?

Common sense

  How many 49 baht dishes do you have to sell to pay for the rent without electricity and water? Only 204, that's easy???

Did love make you blind? . You're dreaming and I mean it. 

Edited July 9, 2018 by jenny2017

[jenny2017]

33 minutes ago, poanoi said:

for me, it all about the sauce that goes with it,

i am so tired to death of the non existing sauces here.

most of all i want a nice bearnaise sauce

For 49 baht? ?

[naboo]

There are 3 of these places in my town. One appears to be a hobby operated out of the front room of the house, one is in a shack by the side of a busy road, tables and chairs on the street, rent about 3000B/month and the third is a buffet, 139B a person, 20 or so tables, again cheap rent.

 

10,000B/month, you'll need about 25 customers a day to cover rent. Find somewhere much cheaper as selling at 89B base price just won't sell unless you're in tourist central.

[poanoi]

14 minutes ago, jenny2017 said:

For 49 baht? ?

i happily pay 49 baht for the bearnaise alone,

only once in 13 years here did i get to eat a nice bearnaise,

and the owner of that resturant changed chef asap so next time i went there,

sauce wasnt nice any more and i didnt return a 3rd time

 

knorr powder bearnaise would be an improvement over almost every sauce here

Edited July 9, 2018 by poanoi

[Fex Bluse]

I should add that target age matters quite alot. All older people begin to loose their taste and find it more difficult to distinguish qualities. So the horrific quality, chewy meat might be OK for many. 

 

As another poster above noted, 10,000 Baht rent for such a restaurant seems high. Will depend on all the other dozens of factors of your business plan. Generally, though, in Thailand, keeping costs as low as possible is preferable. Most Thais are less interested in higher quality than they are in lower costs.

[Andrew Dwyer]

I dont think you would get steak on the table for under 200 baht a serve, then you are in competition with sante fa, sizzler etc. Where are you buying a steak for 49 Baht ? 

I know a couple of these restaurants, one in Lat Yao ( Nakhon Sawan) and the other in Ayutthaya ( road to Wang Noi ), both are clean and the food is good.
Usually i go for a chicken steak with Black Pepper sauce ( phit tai dam ? ) and it is always very good for 59 baht !!

49 baht is the price to get the customer in the door, not sure what the 49 baht steak consists of but my 59 baht chicken steak with BP sauce is very good value and taste , comes with fries and a small salad.

[GSFGSF]

1 hour ago, Denim said:

Best advice ..... don't do it.

 

If you are doing it for a hobby or to keep yourself busy and don't mind about not making any profit ....then go ahead.

 

But if you are doing it with a mind to make money ...forget it.

 

If you are doing it where there are many foreigners it won't work unless you can offer alcohol and eye candy.

 

If you do it where you are relying on Thai customers , expect an ok first week while locals check it out then death.

 

I have seen scores of steakhouse go bust within 6 months.

 

If you absolutely must try selling food stick to what sells. Noodles , khao man by , khao moo deng , phat Thai , khao ka moo etc.

 

If you do just this in the right place at the right time and make it aroy dee you might do well.

 

But steak business is not known to be easy because this is Thailand and poor Thai people like what they are familiar with.

 

 

Sorry but it seems that you are talking about what you have no idea...

 

So many Thai eat these cheap steaks and restaurant are full EVERYDAY even in remote locations around Bangkok.

 

Poor Thai people can eat at MK, so of course they can pay 69 thb steaks.

 

Thank you anyway to have tried to be negative, but I am not your typical tourist, I have owned shops already and also done biz online for more than 10 years.

 

I do not care the profit that this shop will make, because it will be for a Thai, but I care about the profit that the next restaurants that I will open will make ?

 

 

 

 

[GSFGSF]

1 hour ago, poanoi said:

for me, it all about the sauce that goes with it,

i am so tired to death of the non existing sauces here.

most of all i want a nice bearnaise sauce

 

Thank you, but Thai know nothing about sauces, only a $hit Thai mayonnaise and ketchup.

But yes, I could add some sauce that nobody knows in this country ?

 

 

 

[GSFGSF]

1 hour ago, Fex Bluse said:

I agree with you, OP. Thais do eat steak for those prices, but, from a Westerner perspective, that meat is terrible quality. Thai beef (even Thai French) is the worst I've had in any country. And, Thais generally don't know how to cook it western tastes. 

 

To answer your questions about business plan, it would help to know alot more detail you are considering such as:

1. Location (province, urban vs rural?) 

 

2. Competition (other similar restaurants?) 

 

3. Management (will you manage or perhaps leave it to Thai lady) 

 

4. Target customer profile (farang/age, Thai/age) 

 

5. Property (established already or will build) 

 

It's not easy to really say much of anything useful without seeing a draft business plan. There are a few farangs who have been wildly successful in Thailand in Food & Beverage. The Wishbeer guys are a great example. A few years ago when they were putting their business plan together, they did some research on thr forums. You might be able to search and find the forum topics. 

 

Good luck 

 

Expensive or cheap chicken steak are exactly the same. Agree with you about beef and maybe pork.

 

1 - Around BKK or maybe Pattaya, but easier to find a location without cheap steak around BKK, they are everywhere in Pattaya.

2 - No competition where I will open, only Thai food.

3 - I manage and control everything, Thai listen, apply or leave, I am a control freak and the Thai around know me: ip cam on their head and hands 24 hours.

4 - Mostly Thai but of course foreigners also eat these cheap steak (chicken if the foreigner is not a complete idiot, because of course cheap beef is $hit and pork if a dirty piece that only Thai can enjoy).

5 - will rent a shop for 10000 thb / month

 

Nobody needs a strong business plan to open a small restaurant, only experience and a brain is enough.

 

 Thank you so much for your reply.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 9, 2018 by GSFGSF

[GSFGSF]

1 hour ago, jenny2017 said:

Do you think that all meats should be available ?

Fish also ?

Salad ?

What else ?

Common sense

  How many 49 baht dishes do you have to sell to pay for the rent without electricity and water? Only 204, that's easy???

Did love make you blind? . You're dreaming and I mean it. 

 

I was waiting this kind of reply, do not worry, I have owned more business that most people can dream about, and love is for people who buy a house for their wife. I make money and invest. Please understand that I am not your random guy trying to earn money.

 

 

[GSFGSF]

53 minutes ago, naboo said:

There are 3 of these places in my town. One appears to be a hobby operated out of the front room of the house, one is in a shack by the side of a busy road, tables and chairs on the street, rent about 3000B/month and the third is a buffet, 139B a person, 20 or so tables, again cheap rent.

 

10,000B/month, you'll need about 25 customers a day to cover rent. Find somewhere much cheaper as selling at 89B base price just won't sell unless you're in tourist central.

 

Sorry but it seems ridiculous to think that we will have less than 25 customers a day...

All steak steak restaurants that I know in Bangkok must have a least 100 customers daily, some 200 or more...

And no, someone who knows Thailand enough doesn't need to open a shop in a tourist area.

 

 

 

[GSFGSF]

40 minutes ago, Andrew Dwyer said:

I know a couple of these restaurants, one in Lat Yao ( Nakhon Sawan) and the other in Ayutthaya ( road to Wang Noi ), both are clean and the food is good.
Usually i go for a chicken steak with Black Pepper sauce ( phit tai dam ? ) and it is always very good for 59 baht !!

49 baht is the price to get the customer in the door, not sure what the 49 baht steak consists of but my 59 baht chicken steak with BP sauce is very good value and taste , comes with fries and a small salad.

 

Nice to find someone who knows what he is talking about. Thank you.

 

 

 

 

[Denim]

15 minutes ago, GSFGSF said:

 

 

Sorry but it seems that you are talking about what you have no idea...

 

So many Thai eat these cheap steaks and restaurant are full EVERYDAY even in remote locations around Bangkok.

 

Poor Thai people can eat at MK, so of course they can pay 69 thb steaks.

 

Thank you anyway to have tried to be negative, but I am not your typical tourist, I have owned shops already and also done biz online for more than 10 years.

 

I do not care the profit that this shop will make, because it will be for a Thai, but I care about the profit that the next restaurants that I will open will make ?

 

 

 

 

Not trying to be negative ,just realistic.

 

But if you really don't care about the profit then no problem. It will definitely prove an interesting experience.

[theguyfromanotherforum]

14 minutes ago, GSFGSF said:

 

I was waiting this kind of reply, do not worry, I have owned more business that most people can dream about, and love is for people who buy a house for their wife. I make money and invest. Please understand that I am not your random guy trying to earn money.

 

 

 

You sure sound like it.

[GSFGSF]

3 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

 

You sure sound like it.

"What a useless reply. No, I pity you."

This is what you posted in another thread, but as you can see, you are also able to post this kind of replies ❤️

 

 

Edited July 9, 2018 by GSFGSF

[theguyfromanotherforum]

10,000 baht a month rent. 49 baht steaks. Sure sounds like a winner.

 

And you are going to be paying the staff too?

 

You're bi-winning!

 

 

[Slip]

Where I live well outside BKK these places have been around for years, and as the OP says they are very popular.  There are a number of famous chains that migrated here from the big smoke, though they are thinner on the ground now.  T Bone for 100 baht.                           

[moontang]

like I tell all the people, who want to open a mex restaurant...do pork tacos..just like they do in mexico.  Do pork steak and fries...otherwise, you are just collecting taxes.  Sunrise pays huge taxes to recreate taco bell ...And both still suck....pork is plentiful.

[Slip]

13 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

10,000 baht a month rent. 49 baht steaks. Sure sounds like a winner.

 

And you are going to be paying the staff too?

 

You're bi-winning!

 

 

100 steaks a day? x 49b. That's just shy of 5000 baht a day.  30 of those and 10k pales into insignificance.  If the margins are there of course.

[BangkokSausage]

Why do all these bizzare threads start with posters who joined 2 hours ago

[GSFGSF]

31 minutes ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

10,000 baht a month rent. 49 baht steaks. Sure sounds like a winner.

 

And you are going to be paying the staff too?

 

You're bi-winning!

 

 

 

No staff. The only person working at the restaurant will do everything alone, she is used to manage a shop 12 hours a day and she will do the same. If she has profit it's all for her. If no profit, no salary. As easy as this when someone knows how to deal with Thai ?