Small sandwich shop

[geroreilly]

I'm looking for some advice.

I have been in BKK for 2 years on an expat contract doing IT work.

I want to set up a small sandwich shop in Sukh. that my GF will run. I have found a good location and want to go about setting it all up.

Its not going to be big at all - mostly take-away.  Site is 35sqm. What legal, tax, registration etc things do I have to do to get it up and running.  I have talked to Thais who run similar small cafes/restuarants and they dont do anything to register, pay  tax etc.  They just set it up and and pay rent.  Am I missing something?

Any advice at all would be appreciated.

[sevinnow]

Answer "TOT" This is Thailand.

Have the business in your G/F name and it is just like setting up any small business as a sole trader in any country.  You don't submit accounts for the 1st year because you haven't got any to submit!    If the business succeeds (big if) then she will go to an accountant and submit the usual tax returns.

Setting up a small business such as that in a Company name for yourself will cost twice as much as you will make in 1 year.

Keep it simple and Best of Luck!

Sev

[Sunbelt]

Best of luck Geroreilly!

Woke up one morning, a couple months ago, and decided to get in the sandwich industry as well. Our firm has been representing Subway franchisees and after a lot of research realize their is a need here for healthy fast food.

As a result, Subway will be coming to Bangkok. I just completed my training in Brisbane and will be the Managing Director for six locations. One location that will be opening in July is on Sukhumvit Between Soi 4 and Soi 6. Another Subway franchisee is opening in the Patpong area also July 1st. The other 4 locations will be in Phuket, Pattaya and tourist areas of Bangkok. The location at Nana will be open 24 hours.

It's about time for a good sandwich in Bangkok. In the States their are now more than 1,000 Subway restaurants than McDonalds!

[geroreilly]

Hey,

So that could mean that we are competitors!  I looked at the Subway franchise but decided against it.  I believe they tried it on Sukh before and it failed - could have been bad timing with the Asian Financial crisis.  

Is Subway also opening up on Soi 23?  At the new hotel?  Thats what I was told anyway?  Rent there was very expensive though.  My outlet is on Soi 12... very small though..... but definitely focussing on healthy alternatives....

interesting times indeed.....

[geroreilly]

Hey Sunbelt!

Can I ask how much rent you are paying per square meter for Sukh Soi 4 - 6?

I am being quoted 2,500 at the moment.  that seems expensive!?

[Sunbelt]

900 Baht per Sq.m. for Suk Soi 4 to 6

Suk 23 franchisee went with Silom instead. Maybe another one will go there. I don’t think so though.

Location is everything. 3 reasons why Subway did not succeed in "97" 1. Location ( two were in strictly Thai areas and the other on Suk 26 was average at best)2. Menus in English only 3. "97" crisis

The brand awareness is way more popular now and lets face the sandwiches are delicious!

We have one listing this morning, the rent is just 27,000 Baht for 32 Sq.m. and is steps away from there. The service business is generating 3.6 million gross. Labor is 60,000 Baht for six employees. Net profit is 2.4 million. For sale for 2.1 million Baht. Been in business 6 years.

[WilliamIV]

My Visit to SUBWAY was very dissappointing.

I only saw Processed cheese & "chicken" sausage.

I asked for Sliced Chicken Breast and saw circular

slices of processed sausage being picked up

I stopped the server and asked him to show me the Roast Chicken - this to me looked like chucks of processed meat.

From the Posts here I expected Healthy Food ...

IMO - Deli France & Au Bon Pain are a better choice

of Sandwich Bar.

W4

[Butterfly]

This is NOT healthy food but fast food disguised as "gourmet" food.

[mrentoul]

This is NOT healthy food but fast food disguised as "gourmet" food.

I think this illustrates well the perils of blatant product plugs on the messages part of this board, even if Sunbelt is the sponsor.

I think board users are grown-up enough to make up their own minds whether a Subway sandwich really is ''delicious'', as the post put it above.

For every Subway fan there may be a fan of Deli France & Au Bon Pain (and I can think of another place worth visiting: Landmark Bakery and Cafe, on Sukhumvit Rd).

I could go into great detail here about the ''delicious'' things I bought there last time I visited, but why bother? I'm not trying to sell anything.

[Sunbelt Asia]

"This is NOT healthy food but fast food disguised as "gourmet" food. "

http://www.subway.com/subwayr....Up.aspx

That link says it better than I could ever

[Sunbelt Asia]

"asked for Sliced Chicken Breast and saw circular

slices of processed sausage being picked up

I stopped the server and asked him to show me the Roast Chicken - this to me looked like chucks of processed meat."

Please stop by the store. I'll be glad to show you that’s it roasted. Our cost is 4 times more expensive than regular chicken. Believe me, you would not believe the quality checks Subway has a meat processor go through before they are approved.

As for your own taste buds, Thank God everyone is different. As for Subway, they must be doing something right. They have more restaurants than even McDonalds in the USA. Almost 20,000 worldwide!

[Roger13]

"asked for Sliced Chicken Breast and saw circular

slices of processed sausage being picked up

Do you think it an Accurate description

to call Slices of Processed sausage

as "Sliced Chicken Breast"?

Is this accepted by the Trade Descriptions Act in UK?

(Is Subway in UK?)

Roger

[Sunbelt Asia]

Yes Subway is in the United Kingdom. They have 159 Subway restaurants in their country. http://www.subway.co.uk

From the UK website comparing other restaurant chicken brands.

http://www.subway.co.uk/chicken.html

Slices of processed sausage? The Subway in Thailands food costs for Roasted Chicken is 51%+ so if thats processed sausage, I think my wife would be upset! LOL!

[WilliamIV]

Slices of processed sausage? The Subway in Thailands food costs for Roasted Chicken is 51%+ so if thats processed sausage, I think my wife would be upset! LOL!

It is what you are calling "Sliced Chicken Breast"

that is really Circular slices of Sausage -

probably full of Preservatives.

Not what I would describe as Healthy Food

W4

[Butterfly]

"This is NOT healthy food but fast food disguised as "gourmet" food. "

http://www.subway.com/subwayr....Up.aspx

That link says it better than I could ever

No offense, you could put all kind of stats from Subway, I will not believe them (try an independant source). I have tried their stuff, and I think they are the worst. The taste is of course a question of personal "taste" but when I see the number of fat people who eat american junk food, I can't help to think that this food is not healthy. It will just make you fat. Go into a Subway in the US and see how many "regulars" are fat.

Again, I understand you are trying to defend your business. This is just my personal opinion.

[Butterfly]

Eating junk food in the LOS is mind-numbing. Even though I also do it a few times, I can't help but feel guilty when I leave such places. We are in the country where they make the best food (Ok second best after Vietnam   ) and franchisers are opening Subways and the like ? what a disaster. This is a catastrophe for the local Thai population. Those restaurants should be banned under a special trading act. What is Toxin doing where he would be needed the most ? Ban all junk food restaurants, and that includes Subways and the "faux gourmet" chains !!!

[mrentoul]

Ban all junk food restaurants, and that includes Subways and the "faux gourmet" chains !!!

Ban them? I prefer freedom of choice, myself. Those fast foods places provide jobs for many Thais who otherwise might not have them.

Some of them even have good food.

[Sunbelt Asia]

Freedom of choice is correct. I enjoy eating a good sandwich. Its a matter of opinion, but many people did not have that choice of eating a good sandwich in Bangkok. Even books have been written that Bangkok had everything but good sandwichs were not available.

I just ate a Roasted Chicken Breast sandwich. If thats  sausage than I'm a tree. I thought the Chichen Breast was fantastic. Thank God I had that choice. Judging by the 20 or so comment cards at the store, people are VERY happy also, they have that choice.

As for heavy people eating there. Probably because of the weight loss program eating a balanced, reduced-calorie diet that included the sandwiches with 6 grams of fat or less.

http://www.subway.com/subwayroot/MenuNutri...redFriends.aspx

[stuccy]

Sunbelt Asia, i use to work at subway in the sate doing high school and college year for part time job, now im in bangkok, any change you wanna hire me for a job   / just thought i ask

[Guest IT Manager]

There is a fat old kiwi poof in Chiangmai makes an amazing sandwich next to the Thai Airlines Office on Prahpakklao Road.

Names Mike tell him Danny said to say hello, (say it long and deep) for a 5% discount.

Bon appetit

[Sunbelt Asia]

Stuccy,

Hi

If you are an Thai national...please go to the Nana store on Sukhumvit next to the Landmark and ask for Khun Naravadee. She'll be happy to talk with you. That store is hiring, as we are serving over 400 customers a day.  

Regards,

Greg

[stuccy]

If you are an Thai national...please go to the Nana store on Sukhumvit next to the Landmark and ask for Khun Naravadee. She'll be happy to talk with you. That store is hiring, as we are serving over 400 customers a day.

sorry im Asian American, im not a Thai national, can i still get a job  

[Sunbelt Asia]

We do though pay more than McDonalds at 23 baht per hour or Starbucks at 28 Baht. We pay 6,000- 6,500 for Sandwich Artists and 10,000 Baht for Assistant Managers.  Unfortunately as an American you must be paid 40,000 per month for a work permit… too rich for the business model. Sorry.

[stuccy]

i knew you would say that   , thank you for responding, i gotta go down there and buy me a sub sandwich, haven't eat that for a long time, let see if it taste like the state.

[pantarei]

Sunbelt Asia Posted: Aug. 30 2003,22:36  

As for Subway, they must be doing something right. They have more restaurants than even McDonalds in the USA. Almost 20,000 worldwide!  

Obviously, you do not realize how funny your comment is.  Your standard is Mc Donald’s – the franchise that made US$billions by selling crap to lard-as$es.  

If I am not mistaken, Subway was not doing well in the US until they resorted to false advertising.  Their commercial showing a geek who supposedly lost 100+lbs by eating “delicious” Subway sandwiches has appealed to millions of lard-asses who are on the lookout for a weight–loss silver bullet.  The commercial is an obvious lie.  The only effective way to lose weight, and not regain it, is exercise + a sensible diet (or drastic surgery).  One does not lose weight by stuffing one’s face with a soggy bread filled with pseudo-cheese and other processed crap.

For reasons I cannot fathom, people in many countries choose to eat "fast food".  It appears that overseas snobs believe that eating American franchise food will instantly turn them into cultivated cosmopolitans.

Lots of great ideas have originated in the US, fast food is not one of them.  I do not recall seeing a grossly overweight Thai during my first trip to LOS in the late 80s.  Last year I saw in LOS quite a few lard-a$s Thai kids in places “that must be doing something right”, such as DuncanDonuts, McD, Burger King, etc.

[chonabot]

At the end of the day it's a business , and there's a lot of worse ones around, morally speaking.

[TizMe]

Sandwich Artists

I just love the job title...

[stuccy]

as an American you must be paid 40,000 per month for a work permit

I didn't know it cost that much for work permit, well i never work in bangkok before, how about the main office any job there, i just need something to do

(Sandwich Artists) i like that word  

pantarei is right nobody can't beat McD, they make $billion not $million ok, $billion........

[JonnieB]

yeh, "sandwich artist."  that's rich Greg  :laugh:

kinda like the good ole "sanitation engineer," aka a janitor.

by the way, if i know any potential artists, could i just send the on down nana way for an interview??  one i know in particular has a couple years uni/accounting studies and a year and a half of AUA English under her belt.  maybe an assistant manager in training material  ::

[Sunbelt Asia]

Herman and Sherman Smith, of New Orleans, Louisiana, just lost a combined 215 pounds in seven months on a diet and exercise program that consisted mainly of Subway sandwiches. Herman lost 100 pounds while Sherman lost 115 pounds. Find out more about Herman and Sherman

http://subway.com/Publishing/PubRelations/.../pr081203-1.pdf

Sandwich artists is a very appropriate title. Check out the speed and customer relation skills at the store. We are very fortunate and lucky to have our staff. Part of the reason is management( I'm not involved :-) )The staff though is happy and proud. They don’t just serve food. They serve FRESH, HEALTHY FOOD!

Jonnie... Send her on down and see Khun Nui. Thanks.