Small counter-service restaurant
Open a compact restaurant with a short menu built around one cuisine you cook well.
- $60k-250k
- Full-time
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
258,626 US businesses with employees in this field, +0.5% in a year
NAICS 722511 “Full-service restaurants”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
A small leased space where customers order at a counter and eat in or take out. You pick one cuisine, such as Afghan, Southern, Ethiopian or Alsatian, and keep the menu short so food cost and prep stay under control.
Your first three steps
- Test a short menu at pop-ups, farmers markets or friends' tastings, and work out the cost per plate
- Visit your county health department to ask about plan review and permit steps, then look at small second-generation restaurant spaces
- Write a simple budget covering build-out, equipment, rent, payroll and six months of operating cash, and talk to local lenders or a SCORE mentor
Who pays
Neighborhood residents, office workers at lunch, students, and takeout and delivery customers.
How it makes money
Customers pay per meal, drink or catering tray. Profit depends on keeping food and labor costs below sales and on repeat customers.
Skills that help
- Cooking consistently at volume
- Managing food costs and inventory
- Hiring and scheduling staff
- Friendly customer service
Watch out for
- Health department permit and plan review for the space, check your county's rules before signing a lease
- Local business license, zoning for restaurant use, and signage rules from your city
- Food manager certification requirements in your state or county
- If you serve alcohol, a state liquor license can be slow and costly, check your state's rules
- General liability, property and workers' compensation insurance once you hire
- Lease terms, personal guarantees and thin margins, so get the lease reviewed before signing
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: small counter-service restaurant
Researched with live web search for United States: 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 small counter-service restaurant?
Startup costs are typically around $60,000 to $250,000, depending on the space, kitchen equipment, fit-out and opening stock. These are estimates, so get lease terms and equipment quotes first, and have the lease reviewed before signing.
What licenses and permits does a small restaurant need?
Check with your local and state authorities: a health department permit and plan review before signing a lease; a business license, restaurant zoning and signage rules; food manager certification; a state liquor license if you serve alcohol; and insurance once you hire.
How much can a small counter-service restaurant make?
Monthly revenue is typically around $25,000 to $90,000, depending on location, menu pricing, opening hours and food costs. These are estimates, and margins can be thin. Estimates assume at least about 40 hours a week of your time.
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