火鍋店開店指南

Hotpot is one of the most easily replicated models in Chinese cuisine. With the continuous innovation of the catering industry, the hotpot industry has been expanding in recent years. In some cities, there are examples of five new hotpot restaurants opening on one street within half a year. Seeing that the hotpot industry is booming, this issue of Hotpot Factory has compiled a guide to opening a hotpot restaurant for everyone to refer to for those who are about to enter the catering industry.

1.開店前的心理準備

做好長期吃苦的準備。很多想開店的人只看到「現金流好、回報理想」的好處，卻忽略了這個行業艱辛的一面。

2. A Guide to Opening a Hot Pot Restaurant：Be prepared for marketing

Some 火鍋 entrepreneurs open hotpot restaurants with the idea that “I have many friends, and my friends and I eat out a lot every year. In fact, the catering industry is a real marketing industry. Relationships can only add icing on the cake, but not help in times of need. How to position your hotpot restaurant and how to market it based on the positioning and advantages are the issues you should think about most .

3.準備基礎設施

A Guide to Opening a Hot Pot Restaurant ：Fire safety and food hygiene in the catering industry are prerequisites for opening a restaurant . Firefighting work must not be sloppy, and you must be careful when using fire, electricity, and oil in the kitchen. Once an accident occurs, not only will you suffer economic losses, but you will also be held criminally liable.

If you do not pay attention to food hygiene and cause a mass incident of food safety, the company will also suffer a devastating disaster.

4.開店前的資金準備

In the bustling first-tier cities, the traditional catering industry must have certain scale advantages to gain a foothold in the market.

Especially in the hot field of 火鍋, the competition is becoming increasingly fierce, and the scale of single stores is also expanding, which makes the living space of small hot pot restaurants increasingly squeezed.

Therefore, in order to stand out in this market environment, it is necessary not only to provide high-quality dishes and services, but also to have sufficient scale and financial support.

For a hot pot restaurant with an area of 200-400 square meters and 15-35 tables, its start-up capital requirement is about 100,000 yuan or more .

Among them, rent is the largest expense, and at least 7 months of rent needs to be prepared, including half a year’s rent and a deposit equivalent to one month’s rent. In addition, decoration, facilities and equipment purchase, employee recruitment and training, and early advertising and publicity are also essential. These expenses added up to a considerable amount.

5. A Guide to Opening a Hot Pot Restaurant ：Store selection

選址是火鍋店成功的關鍵。一個好的店面可以讓火鍋店的成功率飆升 50% 以上。然而，選址過程並不容易。它需要大量的時間和精力。成熟的商圈早已被許多商家佔據，而新的商圈則需要時間來培育。

A、The conditions for choosing a location for a hot pot restaurant

理想的商業區通常具有一些明顯的特徵。首先，常住人口和流動人口的數量必須相當可觀，才能確保穩定的客流。其次，飲食業的密度也是一個重要指標，這意味著該地區對飲食有強大的需求。此外，充足的停車位也是不可或缺的條件。如果停車條件不理想，這樣的地點應該果斷放棄。

In addition to these hardware conditions, the quality of advertising space and door head image also directly affects the exposure and attractiveness of the store.

At the same time, the internal structure of the house is also crucial. Too many columns will bring great obstacles to decoration and layout, which in turn affects the effective operating area. In addition, the store’s floor height is also a factor that needs to be considered. Generally speaking, the floor height should be above 2.8 meters to ensure the comfort and utilization of the space.

B、When choosing a location for a hot pot restaurant, one should refer to peers

在選擇商圈時，不僅要考慮店面的硬件設施，還要深入分析周圍的客源。包括了解 2 公里範圍內的客源分佈、收入、消費習慣等。這些因素將直接影響店鋪的市場定位和經營策略。

After the intentional selection of the business district, the subsequent investigation work should not be underestimated. It takes at least one month to observe the flow of people and vehicles at noon and at night to assess the busyness of the area.

At the same time, it is also necessary to observe whether the surrounding buildings have air conditioning, the amount of domestic garbage, and the lighting at night. These details can reflect the living conditions and consumption levels of residents in the area.

C、More research is needed when choosing a site

During the investigation process, the analysis of competitors is also an indispensable part. It is necessary to understand the brand scale, decoration style, food quality, per capita consumption, management and service level of the surrounding catering companies.

By carefully observing the operating conditions of these catering companies at different times, you can better understand the market demand and competitive situation. In order to get a deeper understanding of the opponent, sometimes you need to visit their stores many times.

6.火鍋店的裝潢

Environment, this seemingly invisible existence, is always influencing our mood, and then changing the taste of food at a subtle level. Hot pot, a cooking method that brings together the essence of Chinese cuisine, is naturally impeccable in the pursuit of taste, but if the influence of the environment is ignored, its integrity and appeal may be greatly reduced.

In the past, those popular hot pot restaurants with an average price of less than US$ 40 per person, although the taste was mellow, often discounted the experience of diners due to the simplicity and dullness of the environment.

A、When decorating a hot pot restaurant, there should be reference points

裝修無疑是一個涉及深度的 「無底深潭」，但對於受歡迎的火鍋店而言，如何在有限的預算內打造獨特的亮點，卻是一門科學。環境的營造不僅是外觀的裝飾，更是文化的傳承和情感的投射。一家裝潢得體的火鍋店，往往能給顧客更多的情感寄托和文化體驗。

Walking into such a hot pot restaurant, you will feel a unique atmosphere. The design of the store is fashionable and warm, and the use of modern materials such as metal and glass makes the entire space look spacious and bright. The details reflect the ingenuity of the designer.

The stools may be carefully selected from IKEA supermarket, which are affordable but comfortable to sit on; or customized colorful sofas, creating a fashionable and casual hot pot bar atmosphere. This bright color and transparent space will undoubtedly brighten the mood of customers.

B、Points to note when decorating a hot pot restaurant

對於火鍋店經營者而言，在裝修過程中有一些小技巧需要注意。例如，在租用店面時，可與房東協商在裝修期間免租，這樣既可減輕經濟壓力，又可保證裝修進度不受租期限制。此外，火鍋店店員的服裝也是營造整體氛圍的重要因素。與裝修風格相協調的服裝，無疑會提升顧客的用餐體驗。

對於經營而言，裝潢要做到內外合一。營業區的氛圍和佈局，後廚的科學分佈也非常重要。合理的佈局可以為後期的經營解決人員效率、產品標準等問題。因此，一定要找有飲食經驗的設計師來規劃佈局。

7.員工招募與訓練

A Guide to Opening a Hot Pot Restaurant：The catering industry is a well-known labor-intensive field. Recruitment is particularly difficult. In addition, the uneven skills of employees make hot pot restaurants with an area of 200 to 400 square meters face considerable challenges in human resource allocation.

In order to ensure the smooth operation of daily operations, hot pot restaurants usually need to prepare more than 10 employees . However, due to time constraints, decoration and personnel recruitment and training must be carried out simultaneously, which undoubtedly increases the difficulty of management.

Positions for staff in hot pot restaurants

In the recruitment process, the first task is to select management personnel, including store managers, front office managers, supervisors, chefs, finance, warehouse management, procurement and other key positions.

Their selection cannot be hastily decided based on a resume or an interview. In order to ensure that the recruited personnel are both capable and dedicated, we need to conduct field visits to their past workplaces to fully understand their work performance and actual capabilities.

After all, some people may be good at speaking but lack practical operational skills, while some people, although not good at speaking, can silently dedicate themselves and prove their value with practical actions.

8.採購

首先，火鍋店正常營業後，各種廢棄物如污水、廢紙板、酒瓶、瓶蓋等，雖然看似微不足道，但實際上都是可以換錢的資源。通過合理的廢棄物回收和處理，火鍋店不僅可以減少對環境的污染，還可以獲得額外的經濟效益。

A、Purchase of a hot pot restaurant kitchen

但是，另一方面，這句話也警示我們，在廚房的每個環節中，如果有一點浪費，或者採購環節有一點疏忽，都有可能導致看似經營得很好的火鍋店老闆賺不到錢的現象。因此，採購作為飲食管理的重要環節，必須引起高度重視。

不同的原料有不同的品質，對產品的生產會有很大的影響。老闆不能單純依賴客戶或員工的意見來修改，必須做充分的研究分析，再逐步解決問題。

B、The owner of a hot pot restaurant should be familiar with the entire process

In the early stage of opening, it is very necessary for the boss to personally participate in procurement. There are four benefits to doing this: first, by personally understanding various products, the boss can more accurately grasp the market demand and product quality; second, by personally understanding the conditions of various markets, the boss can more flexibly adjust the procurement strategy and reduce costs;

third, by personally finding out the price, the boss can more effectively control costs and improve profitability; finally, by personally learning to identify the quality of products, the boss can more confidently respond to various market changes and maintain the competitiveness of the hot pot restaurant.

In recent years, due to the alarming increase in raw material prices, as operators, we must always pay attention to market conditions to find out price changes. At the same time, we must also care about the yield rate of raw materials.

For example, the quality of enoki mushrooms of the same price and weight will be different due to different manufacturers, which directly affects the number of servings that can be produced and served. In addition, the yield rate of the same product in different hot pot restaurants will also be different. Therefore, as operators, we must continue to learn and explore, reduce costs and improve profitability by increasing the yield rate. Only in this way can we be invincible in the fierce market competition.

9.火鍋定價

A Guide to Opening a Hot Pot Restaurant ：The catering industry, once known as a highly profitable industry, has now entered the era of micro-profits. With the changes in the market and the intensification of competition, this industry is experiencing unprecedented challenges. In the past year, the hot pot market in first-tier cities has felt this cold wave even more. The cost of hot pot dishes has soared by 30%, and the price of raw materials has also been rising.

In particular, the prices of dried chili and dried pepper, the main raw materials for hot pot base, have doubled and 30% respectively, and the price of cooking oil has continued to rise. However, in the face of such cost pressure, hot pot companies dare not raise prices easily, fearing that they will lose valuable customers, resulting in a significant reduction in gross profit.

A、Pricing should take costs into account

In addition to the increase in food costs, the rise in rent, employee wages, and water, electricity and gas prices have also brought considerable pressure to hot pot companies. As housing prices continue to rise, rents have also soared, which has further increased the operating costs of companies.

At the same time, the increase in wages of service industry employees has also caused the labor costs of companies to continue to rise. Coupled with the rise in water, electricity and gas prices, the profit margins of companies have been further compressed.

在這樣的背景下，菜肴的定價成了一個非常敏感的問題。如果價格過高，雖然大多數客人可能不會直接抱怨，但心中的不滿會悄悄滋生。一旦這種不滿情緒積累到一定程度，很多客人就會選擇不再光顧。因此，如何在保證菜品質量和口味的前提下，合理控制成本，制定有競爭力的價格，成為火鍋企業急需解決的問題。

B. The acceptance of the dishes needs to be taken into consideration

In order to solve this problem, some hot pot companies have begun to try new methods. They formed a dish evaluation team composed of people from all walks of life. The members of this team include taxi drivers, factory workers, housewives, company white-collar workers, private enterprise bosses, government officials and famous gourmets.

These members have full right to make suggestions on the portion and price of dishes, and their opinions and suggestions will directly affect the promotion and pricing of new dishes.

In this way, companies can more accurately grasp market demand and consumer psychology, so as to formulate a more reasonable dish pricing strategy. This not only helps to enhance the competitiveness of enterprises, but also helps to safeguard the interests of consumers and achieve a win-win situation.

10.成本控制與節能減耗

A Guide to Opening a Hot Pot Restaurant ：Dear friends, especially those who are planning to enter the hot pot industry and open a single store, I want to remind you that every step on the road to pursuing your dreams must be taken carefully. The operating cost of a hot pot restaurant is a link that needs to be closely watched. Rent, water, electricity and gas fees, employee wages, taxes, miscellaneous expenses, and advertising expenses are all not small expenses.

A、What are the operating costs of a hot pot restaurant

In the face of these expenses, we must learn to be thrifty and spend every penny on the right things. In terms of rent, site selection is the key. We must find a location that is both in line with the brand positioning and relatively economical.

In terms of water, electricity and gas fees, we must always pay attention to the possibility of energy saving and consumption reduction, such as setting the air conditioning temperature reasonably and turning off unnecessary lights and electrical equipment in time. In terms of employee wages, in addition to reasonable salary setting, we must also pay attention to employee training and management to improve work efficiency.

B、Marketing plans are also important operating costs

In terms of taxes and miscellaneous expenses, we must achieve reasonable tax avoidance, while optimizing various links such as procurement, transportation, transportation, and maintenance to reduce unnecessary waste.

In terms of advertising, we need to communicate deeply with senior food journalists to develop a creative and economical publicity plan, choose the right media and price, and ensure that every penny is used to the maximum effect.

請記住，開一家火鍋店不僅僅是為了賺錢，更重要的是建立一個讓顧客滿意、讓員工自豪、讓自己驕傲的品牌。因此，我們必須從每個細節做起，勤儉持家，才能在激烈的市場競爭中立下不敗之地。

11.火鍋餐廳廚房產品流道設計參考

In the world of hot pot, we can bring a brand new visual and taste feast to our guests by learning from the transparent concept of Western cuisine. The spacious open product display cabinet is like a charming stage, which makes the kitchen no longer hidden behind the scenes, but becomes the focus of attention.

Here, each hot pot ingredient is carefully presented like a work of art. Enoki mushrooms, lettuce, seafood and other ingredients are served on a plate with pictures and texts, as if telling their stories.

A、Design of the circulation route for a hot pot restaurant

Design of the circulation route for a hot pot restaurantWhen the outside waiters take out these delicious dishes according to the order, it not only saves the special runners, but also reduces the labor cost of the kitchen, achieving a double improvement in efficiency and quality.

The stainless steel sliding rod next to the display cabinet is cleverly designed, making it easy to pass the dishes, which not only reduces the labor intensity but also improves work efficiency.

B、Design of the circulation line for the hot pot kitchen

The connection between the various areas of the kitchen is also exquisite, with the operation area, cold storage, freezer, material display area, insulation area, dim sum steaming area, etc., forming an efficient and orderly production line.

The operating staff can flexibly adjust the food supply according to the sales situation to ensure that every dish is freshly baked to meet the taste buds of the guests.

The clever combination of the dishwashing area and the rough processing area makes the best use of the space, avoiding conflicts during peak working hours and ensuring the cleanliness and hygiene of the ingredients. In addition, the restaurant’s unique self-service area for sauces and beverages allows guests to freely choose according to their preferences, greatly enhancing the dining experience.

In such a dining environment, you can not only eat happily, but also feel the relaxed and free atmosphere, which is exactly the style that young people love today.

12.開幕

開業前的準備工作應從以下三方面著手：

After the decoration and training are successfully completed, the next step is the preliminary preparation for the opening. In order to ensure that everything goes smoothly, it is crucial to choose an auspicious day for opening, especially on weekends, which can attract a large number of people.

In order to create a strong opening atmosphere and attract more customers, inflatable arches, air columns, colored balls and congratulatory flower baskets will be carefully arranged outside the store.

A、The opening event of the hot pot restaurant

If conditions permit, we will even build a stage and invite professional singing and dancing teams to perform, bringing customers a visual and auditory feast.

It is necessary to remind you that since these arrangements may occupy public roads, we must go to the urban management department in advance to handle the procedures and register for filing to avoid any unnecessary trouble on the opening day. During the opening period, formulating preferential measures is also an important means to attract customers.

B、Marketing campaign for hot pot restaurants

Many hot pot restaurants will choose to implement a 6.8% discount at the opening, but we must realize that discounts are a double-edged sword. Although it can attract a large number of people in the short term, customers may quickly lose customers after the discount period.

Therefore, we can consider adopting the method of sending 50 yuan for every 100 yuan spent, which can not only bring customers a greater sense of discount, but also attract more repeat customers.

Even after the coupon giveaway is over, our store is still able to maintain a high popularity. In order to further expand the influence of the opening, we also need to prepare about 50,000 yuan for advertising in newspapers, television or radio and other media.

In the first few days of the opening, we will use advertising to let more people know about our store and attract them to come and taste it.

Through such a publicity strategy, we hope to attract a large number of customers at the beginning of the opening and lay a solid foundation for the future development of the store.

Summary:

A Guide to Opening a Hot Pot Restaurant ？Let’s take a look at our hot pot restaurant business plan！

If you have any questions about this detailed guide to opening a hot pot restaurant, please feel free to communicate with us. We are a hot pot base supplier from China. We also run our own hot pot restaurant in Chengdu. We have rich experience in hot pot products. You are welcome to communicate with us.A 火鍋供應商 來自中國。