Summer is the perfect season for starting a summer concession food stand business in NJ. From beaches to popular tourist attractions and sporting events, there are plenty of places to start a concession business. Where should you begin? A concession stand or food cart might seem like a relatively straightforward business idea. But there is a lot of work that goes into getting one off the ground. Today, we’re going to look at some of the basics for establishing and insuring your food stand. Remember to keep it compliant with all local laws to see the success you desire.
Getting a food concession stand off the ground
If you’re thinking about starting a concession stand, there are a few steps you need to consider. Know what to do before you can get out there and sell. To protect your consumers and your business, you must comply with certain business practices and legal requirements.
Settling on an idea
Whether you dream of operating an organic juice bar or a hamburger heaven, you need to decide on a business plan. Having a clear objective is essential to everything else your business does. Not only do you need a food item or theme to specialize in, but you’ll need a name and business plan to get your concession stand off of the ground. It is less complicated to open a concession stand than a full-service restaurant. However, there are still plenty of important considerations to make when preparing to open your stand.
Legal requirements
If you’ve ever heard stories about children running lemonade stands and being shut down by their local government, it’s because concession stand owners overlook the relevant legal requirements associated with running a stand of their own. Before you open your stand, you need to shore up some legal aspects to start and operate your business successfully. Obtain a business license, as well as an EIN (employer identification number) from the IRS and possibly incorporate as an LLC, depending on your local regulations. Additionally, you need various permits from the health department for handling food and possibly for certain factors associated with your food stand, such as using propane and keeping your food stand clean. Consult with an attorney to find out specifics.
Finding a venue
Next, must find a place to open your stand. To do this, think about the customers who will most benefit from the products that you have to offer. If you can locate your stand as close to where these people congregate, then you’ll have the best shot at running a successful stand. Make sure you have permission to set up in this local area.
Purchasing supplies
Of course, before you can open for business, you’ll need to obtain the necessary materials for doing so. You must build or convert your stand and cooking the food. Then you need things like the supplies for making your culinary delights, disposable plates and cutlery for customers, condiments and sauces, and a cash register, among other things. Expect to spend the most money on these business expenses.
Insurance needs of a food concession stand
Another consideration you need to think about when starting a food stand business is how you plan to insure your new venture. Many food stand operators overlook this important detail, but it’s something you certainly shouldn’t neglect.
Do you need insurance?
It’s easy to get lulled into a false sense of security and believe that nothing bad will ever happen to your business because you’re just too on top of things to let that happen. What if someone slips and falls due to an errant condiment package outside of your stand? What happens if you get a bad batch of seafood and make everyone sick with your signature shrimp tacos? While you don’t intend for these things to happen, they do. All too often they happen to startups who can’t afford to cover a lawsuit and lose their entire business over one.
Concession stand insurance
You don’t want to be one of those startups that get shut down by a lawsuit before you even have time to get off the ground. That’s why you need concession stand business insurance. A concession stand business insurance plan will protect you and your business assets if the unthinkable does happen. Someone gets hurt by something that you did, whether you intended to or not. Don’t leave the protection of your name and business up to chance. Do something to keep yourself safe, lest an accidental injury pops up and clean you out.
Insuring your concession stand business is easy, and the peace of mind that it brings is incalculable. Contact us today to learn more about a policy to protect your concession food stand business.
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