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Restaurant type

Grill and burgers

Burgers, kebab, sausage and fries. The most common food place in Sweden, with high volume, a low check and hard competition on almost every street.

Grill bar with menu boards, kebab spits and a counter
  • 01

    Volume before margin

    The check is low, so the number of portions decides. A grill that sells 60 portions a day rarely breaks even.

  • 02

    Speed is the product

    The guest picks you over the neighbour because it is fast. Three minutes from order to hatch is the target.

  • 03

    Grease everywhere

    A griddle and a fryer mean grease in the air. Ventilation and duct cleaning become a big cost.

  • 04

    The hardest competition

    There is a grill in every block. You have to be better at something the guest notices in ten seconds.

Summary

A grill lives on volume and speed. Plan for an average check of 120 to 180 kronor and at least 80 to 150 portions a day to make it work. The kitchen is built around a griddle, a fryer and a refrigerated counter, and the ventilation costs more than in many other restaurants because the grease has to be taken out of the air.

The kitchen is built around three machines

A grill kitchen is simpler than many people think. A griddle, a fryer and a refrigerated counter cover large parts of the menu. Everything else is an extra.

Spend the money on a griddle that holds the heat when six burgers go on at the same time. A weak griddle gives grey burgers in the rush, and that is when the guests judge you.

  • Griddle in cast iron or chrome, at least 70 centimetres wide
  • Double fryer so that fries and breaded food never share oil
  • Refrigerated counter right under the work surface, otherwise the staff run all day
  • Kebab spit if you serve kebab. Count on both power supply and space behind the counter.
  • Holding cabinet for bread and prepared sides at high volume
Man working at the kebab spit in a small grill shop with a tiled wall

The ingredients the guest actually notices

At a grill there are three things the guest really tastes a difference in: the bread, the meat and the sauce. The rest is often about the same.

Good bread is the cheapest upgrade there is. The difference between a standard bun and a good bun is a krona or two per burger, and it shows straight away.

  • Fresh mince beats frozen on taste, but needs a better cold chain and more frequent deliveries
  • Your own sauce that nobody else has becomes your signature and costs almost nothing
  • Kebab meat comes in many qualities. Try several before you decide, the guests notice.
  • Halal certified meat is sold by most wholesalers. If you say halal, you have to be able to show the certificate.
Hands cutting thin slices of meat from a kebab spit

Grease, ventilation and fire risk

A grill kitchen puts more grease into the air than any other kitchen. It settles in the duct and becomes a fire risk if it is not removed.

Sign a duct cleaning contract in the first month and keep the reports. The insurance company asks for them if something happens.

  • Clean the extract duct at least four times a year if you fry every day
  • Change the grease filters in the hood every week and wash them
  • Keep a fire blanket within reach of the fryer, not in a cupboard far away
  • Change the frying oil on a schedule and filter it daily. Old oil shows in the taste before it shows in the log.
Cook rolling up a kebab wrap on the cutting board in a large kitchen

Numbers to plan with

Numbers to plan with

120 to 180 SEK
common average check with sides and a drink
3 minutes
is the target from order to finished burger
80 to 150
portions a day are needed to carry rent and staff
4 times a year
is how often the kitchen extract duct should be cleaned in a grill kitchen. Grease in the duct burns.

Common questions

How much does it cost to open a grill?

With an existing kitchen many land on 250,000 to 600,000 kronor. From an empty space it quickly passes one million, because ventilation is expensive in this type of kitchen.

Do I have to serve kebab to break even?

No, but kebab and burgers pull different guests and together they fill more hours. Many grills have both for that reason. Keep the menu short anyway, otherwise waste eats the profit.

What is a reasonable rent for a grill?

Aim below ten percent of turnover. Grills have a lower margin per check than a restaurant with table service, so the rent bites harder. A good location is still worth more here than in many other places.

Should I be on the food apps?

Grill food handles delivery well, so the apps work. But a fee of 15 to 35 percent is tough on a check of 150 kronor. Raise the price in the app and steer your regulars to your ordering page.

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