Workplace or campus canteen
Run a self-service lunch counter inside a factory, office, school or training campus with a steady crowd.
- A$10k-50k
- Full-time
- Out and about
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
A self-service counter serving hot and cold meals, sandwiches and drinks to the people who work or study on site, usually in a kitchen and dining space supplied by the site owner.
Your first three steps
- Approach local businesses, TAFEs, schools and industrial estates to ask who wants a canteen operator or has an empty kitchen
- Cost a simple weekly menu and price it against nearby cafes and lunch spots
- Contact your local council about food business registration and sign up for a food safety supervisor course
Who pays
Workers, students and staff on site paying at the counter, sometimes with a subsidy or minimum guarantee from the site owner.
How it makes money
Meal and drink sales at the till. Margin comes from buying in bulk, planning menus to cut waste and serving a steady crowd at set meal times.
Skills that help
- Cooking in volume
- Menu planning and costing
- Staff rostering and customer service
Watch out for
- Food business registration with your local council, plus a food safety supervisor in most states (check your state's rules)
- Public liability and product liability insurance, and workers compensation once you hire
- Lease or licence terms with the site owner, including fees, hours and what happens if numbers fall
- Early starts and thin margins: food waste and labour costs can eat profit quickly
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: workplace or campus canteen
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a workplace canteen?
Startup costs are typically estimated at around $10,000 to $50,000, depending on the kitchen equipment you need, what the site owner supplies and how much stock you buy up front.
How much can a workplace canteen earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $12,000 to $50,000, depending on how many people use the site and your pricing. Food waste and labour costs can reduce what you keep.
What registrations and rules apply to running a canteen in Australia?
Check food business registration with your local council and whether your state requires a food safety supervisor. Also check insurance, including public and product liability, and the lease or licence terms with the site owner, including fees and hours.
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