Do you already have an artisan burger joint, or are you thinking about opening one?
It can be a very profitable business, but to get a good return you need efficient management. That covers everything from creating an attractive menu and providing great service to smart pricing and cost control.
If you're facing these challenges, keep reading this article to learn how to run a profitable artisan burger joint. Follow along!
Calculate your product prices in seconds
Access our free tool now!
Is an artisan burger joint a good business?
The global hamburger market is booming.
According to a study released by Data Intelo, in 2023 the sector reached a value of USD 600 billion. It is expected to reach USD 750 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.9% during the 2024 to 2032 period.
The study cites several factors that should drive the hamburger market forward in the coming years. Many of them relate to trends in consumer behavior, such as:
- Convenience: the search for quick, practical meals, especially in big cities, where more people have busy lifestyles.
- Indulgent foods: also known as “comfort food”, these are dishes that create feelings of well-being and comfort, working as a reward.
- Premiumization: a preference for “gourmet” products and meals, with an emphasis on ingredient quality and distinctive preparation. It is also tied to an exclusive dining experience.
In that sense, an artisan burger joint can stand out from the big fast-food chains and win over the most demanding customers. And there is no shortage of demand: a survey released by Hellmann’s in partnership with Kantar revealed that Brazilians eat 25,000 hamburgers a day.
Although the market is quite competitive, there is also plenty of room for innovation:
- on the menu, with a variety of burger types;
- in service, using self-service technologies and Artificial Intelligence;
- in the business model, with the rise of dark kitchens and delivery.
So the secret to succeeding with an artisan burger joint lies in effective management. Below, check out some tips for running a profitable business.
5 tips to increase your artisan burger joint's profits
To achieve good profitability at an artisan burger joint, it is not enough to build an attractive menu, have loyal customers, and sell a lot.
You also need effective management, with an efficient operation, cost control, and proper pricing to achieve a good Profit margin. Confira abaixo algumas dicas que vão ajudar você nessa missão:
1 – Set the right prices
A pricing is a complex process and a challenge at many food service businesses. That is because you have to consider production costs, the value customers perceive, and also the prices charged by the competition.
Cost-based pricing ensures that all your expenses, including ingredients, labor, and operating costs, are covered.
Value-based pricing, on the other hand, takes into account customers' willingness to pay for a higher-quality product and a distinctive experience.
Finally, watching the prices charged by direct and indirect competitors helps keep your business competitive in the market.
Balancing these three factors can maximize your profit margin.
2 – Automate inventory control
an controle de estoque system that runs efficiently is essential to the success of any food service business, and an artisan burger joint is no exception. That is because inventory accounts for a good share of operating costs.
Besides increasing losses and waste, idle inventory means idle cash, hurting your business's cash flow.
That is why it is important to have an inventory control system that records product intake and outflow in real time, automatically. This helps avoid waste and ensures you always have the ingredients you need without overstocking.
3 – Negotiate with suppliers
One of the advantages of efficient inventory control is that, as a result, you also get better predictability of demand and can fine-tune your purchasing management.
If you always buy supplies at the last minute, you end up paying more. Not to mention the risk that the ingredient is out of stock at your supplier and you have to swap it for a lower-quality one.
Good purchasing management makes it possible to build a relationship of trust with your suppliers. Dessa forma, você terá maior poder de barganha para negociar preços, formas de pagamento e prazos de entrega que sejam vantajosos para o seu negócio.
For example: buying in larger quantities to get discounts or setting up long-term contracts can help reduce ingredient costs and, therefore, increase your artisan burger joint's profit margin.
4 – Optimize your menu
Building a profitable menu is strategic for an artisan burger joint. The focus should be on highlighting high-margin products and creating combo options that raise the average ticket.
A engenharia de cardápio is the most recommended technique for optimizing your menu. It starts from an analysis of costs, sales, and customer preferences to identify the most popular and profitable items. That way, it helps determine which ones should be featured, which need improvement, and which can be dropped.
In addition, you can also put together special promotions to attract customers and include seasonal items to keep your menu interesting throughout the year.
5 – Reduce operating costs
Your artisan burger joint's profit margin will be higher if your operating costs are reduced. There are several strategies you can use for that.
We have already mentioned how important efficient inventory control is, along with negotiating better prices with your suppliers. That should bring down supply costs, but there are others that may be hurting your profit margin. For example:
- Card fees: a TEF system can be a good option for getting the most favorable rates. Pay close attention to the terms when signing up to avoid hidden fees.
- Taxes: setting up tax rules for your products can help reduce your tax burden.
- Team: keeping your team engaged and avoiding turnover helps bring down payroll costs.
It is also essential to invest in operational efficiency to ensure good productivity. On that front, technology is a great ally in cutting costs.
Self-service solutions, for example, help speed up service and let you reduce headcount. A KDS system, in turn, organizes production in the kitchen, putting an end to errors and waste.
These are just a few examples, but a restaurant system like EPOC can help your business in many ways. Learn a bit more below!
Increase your profits with EPOC
EPOC is a restaurant platform with several integrated solutions to ensure operational efficiency and hassle-free management: POS, ERP, Analytics, KDS, self-service, payments, and much more.
Beyond fast service, with EPOC you can automate processes – such as inventory control and order management -, track your results closely, and have full control of your business.
To find out how we can help your artisan burger joint, fale com nossos consultores and tell us more about your challenges and goals.
