Corner Table Sandwich Shop

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Executive Summary

Corner Table Sandwich Shop is a neighborhood sandwich shop and deli in Ohio. We make sandwiches and wraps to order, serve soups, sides and drinks, and fill catering and box lunch orders for offices, schools and families. Our guests are people who want a good lunch, quickly, at a fair price.

The problem is simple. Lunch is a hurry for most people, and the choices nearby are often fast food or a long wait. We give guests a short menu, fresh bread and ingredients, a posted price and a line that moves.

Here is what our numbers show. We expect sales of $405,900 in Year 1, growing to $661,000 by Year 5 as we build a base of regular lunch guests and grow catering. We expect a profit of about $23,300 in Year 1, growing to about $36,400 by Year 5.

We need $160,000 in total. That covers $99,700 in startup costs (kitchen and cooler equipment, the build-out, opening food and supplies, the lease deposit, permits and insurance) and a cash cushion for the first months. I am putting in $35,000 of my own money, and I am asking for a $100,000 SBA loan plus $25,000 from an investor or partner.

I am Angela Carter, the owner. These numbers are estimates based on the assumptions listed at the end of this plan, not promises.

Company Description

Corner Table Sandwich Shop will be a limited liability company (LLC) in Ohio, owned by Angela Carter. An LLC is a business type that generally keeps your home and savings separate from the business's debts and lawsuits, although a lender may still ask for a personal guarantee. A business attorney or the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) can explain how it works in our state.

What we believe. Fresh food, honest portions and a clean kitchen. We label what is in every sandwich so guests with allergies can choose safely.

What we offer:
- Sandwiches and wraps. About a dozen sandwiches built on fresh bread, with meats sliced to order, a vegetarian choice and a daily special.
- Soups, sides and drinks. A soup of the day, salads, chips, cookies and fountain and bottled drinks.
- Catering and box lunches. Boxed lunches, sandwich platters and party trays for offices, schools, churches and families.
- Later, as we grow: breakfast sandwiches, a delivery partnership and a second location. The numbers in this plan do not include these.

The space. In Year 1 we will lease a storefront of about 1,400 square feet with a counter, a small dining area and a kitchen. We budget $42,000 a year ($3,500 a month) for rent and utilities, and the plan assumes this grows about 4% a year.

Licenses and insurance. Before I sign a lease I will call the local health department to learn what permits, plan review and inspections the shop needs. We will register the LLC with the state, get a business license and an EIN (the business tax number from the IRS, free at irs.gov), a food service license or permit, and a food protection manager certificate for at least one person on every shift where the state requires it. We will carry general liability insurance, property insurance, product liability coverage and workers' compensation once we hire. Ask your accountant how sales tax applies to prepared food in your state.

Where things stand today. This plan is my starting point. Before I sign a lease or buy equipment, I will count how many people pass the site on a weekday lunch hour, try the menu with at least 30 neighbors and coworkers, and visit at least 5 nearby offices and schools to ask about catering. If the numbers do not match this plan, I will change the plan before I spend money.

Problem & Opportunity

Lunch is a rush, and the choices near work and school are often not good enough.

1. Long lines and slow service. Many places make guests wait, and a lunch break is short.
2. Fast food or nothing. Some neighborhoods have few choices between fast food and a sit-down restaurant.
3. Unclear ingredients. Guests with allergies or special diets cannot always tell what is in a sandwich.
4. Hard to feed a group. Offices, teams and families often need a simple platter or a box lunch and struggle to find a reliable place that delivers on time.
5. Rising prices. People look for a filling lunch at a price that makes sense for every day.

How we will find out if people want this before we spend money. I will count how many people pass the location at lunch, talk with at least 30 neighbors and coworkers about what they eat and pay, and ask at least 5 nearby offices and schools about catering. Our Year 1 plan needs about 90 sandwiches a day over about 300 days, so I will test the menu at a pop-up or a farmers market first if I can.

Products & Services

What we sell. We have three groups of products, each priced simply.

1. Sandwiches and wraps. The plan assumes an average of about $10.50 per sandwich in Year 1, rising to about $11.70 by Year 5. Bread, meat, cheese, vegetables, sauces and packaging cost about $3.70 per sandwich in Year 1, rising to about $4.10. We expect about 27,000 sandwiches and wraps in Year 1, growing to about 37,000 a year by Year 5.
2. Soups, sides and drinks. The plan assumes about $4.20 per item in Year 1, rising to about $4.60, with ingredients and packaging costing about $1.25 per item. We expect about 24,000 items in Year 1, growing to about 33,500.
3. Catering and box lunches. The plan assumes an average order of about $180 in Year 1, rising to about $200, with food, packaging and delivery supplies costing about $68 per order. We expect about 120 catering orders in Year 1, growing to about 370.

Our prices. The menu has one clear price for each sandwich and a combo with a side and a drink. The average ticket in the plan is a blend of sandwiches alone and combos.

How it works for a guest:
1. The guest orders at the counter, online or by phone.
2. We build the sandwich while the guest watches, and we ask about allergies before we start.
3. Soup and sides are served from the kitchen. Drinks are self-serve or bottled.
4. Catering orders are placed at least one day ahead, confirmed in writing, and delivered or picked up at the agreed time.

Gross margin, explained. "Gross margin" is the share of each sale left after paying for ingredients and packaging. Our plan shows about 66% in Year 1. That money pays the team, rent, utilities, insurance and other bills. Team pay is counted separately, under payroll.

Market Analysis

Who will use us:
- Workers from nearby offices, clinics, shops and warehouses on their lunch break.
- Students, teachers and staff from nearby schools and colleges.
- Families and neighbors who want a quick dinner or weekend lunch.
- Offices, teams and community groups who order platters and box lunches.

Where we will work. Guests within about a five-minute drive or a ten-minute walk, plus catering within about 20 minutes. Foot traffic, visibility and parking matter a great deal.

How we sized the plan. Our Year 1 plan needs about 90 sandwiches a day over about 300 days, plus soups, sides and drinks and about 120 catering orders. For a shop open on weekdays and Saturday, that is a moderate lunch crowd and not a large one. I will check the real numbers by counting traffic and talking to nearby employers before spending money.

Season. Back to school, the holidays and spring are busy, while summer can be slower near schools. The numbers show a yearly average, and we plan ahead with catering outreach and gift cards.

We are careful on purpose. The plan assumes one shop with a short menu and a small team, so quality stays high.

Competitive Landscape

Other choices guests have:
1. Fast food restaurants. Quick and familiar, but ingredients and portions may be less fresh.
2. Chain sandwich shops. They have name recognition and many locations, but less local flavor.
3. Grocery store delis and convenience stores. Convenient, but the choices are limited.
4. Local restaurants and food trucks. Good food, but longer waits and higher prices for some.
5. Packing lunch at home, which costs less but takes time.

How we will win guests: fresh bread and ingredients, a short menu done well, a fast line, clear allergen labels, fair prices and reliable catering. These are promises we have to keep, and any competitor could make them too, so we will measure ourselves on them every week.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How guests will find us.
- A strong location with a visible sign, a window menu and a daily special on a board.
- A free Google business listing with photos and reviews, and a simple website with the menu, online ordering and a catering form.
- Catering outreach. Visit nearby offices, schools, churches and clinics with a free sample tray and a printed menu.
- A loyalty punch card or app, with a free sandwich after a set number of visits.
- Local partnerships with employers, school clubs and community groups, and a grand opening week with a special price.

Marketing budget. About $6,000 a year in Year 1 (about $500 a month), growing about 6% a year. The sign, menu design and website are paid for from startup costs ($5,200).

Operations Plan

How the business runs day to day.

The space and layout. A front counter with a refrigerated sandwich line, a small dining area, a kitchen with a slicer, grill, panini presses and a hood, a walk-up cooler and freezer, and a back door for deliveries.

A normal day:
1. Early prep. Bread arrives or is baked locally, meats and vegetables are sliced and portioned, and soups are made.
2. Lunch rush. Two people work the sandwich line, one takes orders and payments, and one stocks and cleans.
3. Afternoon. Catering is prepared and delivered, the kitchen is cleaned, and tomorrow's food is ordered.
4. Closing. Equipment is cleaned, food is labeled and stored, temperatures are logged and the register is counted.

Food safety. We follow the state food code and the health department's rules. We keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot, check and log temperatures, label and date prepared foods, wash hands often, and keep raw and ready-to-eat foods apart. Every shift has a trained food protection manager where the state requires it. We never sell food that is past its date.

Allergies. We list the major food allergens on the menu and on catering orders, and we tell guests clearly that our kitchen handles many ingredients so cross-contact is possible.

Equipment. About $52,000 to start: a slicer, grill, panini presses and cookware, a refrigerated prep line, a reach-in cooler and freezer, and a point-of-sale system. We set aside about $6,000 a year after that to replace and add equipment as we grow.

Running costs in Year 1: rent and utilities about $42,000, card fees and software about $7,200, marketing about $6,000, insurance about $4,200, repairs and cleaning supplies about $3,600, and accounting, licenses and permits about $4,200. That is $67,200 in all.

Payment. Most guests pay by card or phone at the counter. Catering customers are invoiced and the plan assumes some pay within a few weeks, so we keep a cushion of cash to cover the wait.

Management & Organization

Who runs the business. Angela Carter, owner and manager. As owner I will manage the shop day to day, order food, schedule the team, handle the money and lead catering sales. I plan to pay myself $42,000 a year in salary.

The team. Pay figures include payroll taxes and workers' compensation insurance.
- Lead cook: one in every year, at about $34,000 a year.
- Counter and prep team: an average of 3 people in Year 1, 4 in Year 2, 5 in Year 3 and 5 in Year 4 and 6 in Year 5, mixing full-time and part-time, at about $24,000 a year each on average.
- Assistant manager: one starting in Year 4, at about $34,000 a year.
- Catering coordinator (part-time): one starting in Year 3, at about $24,000 a year.

We hire people who are friendly, reliable and clean, train everyone on the same written steps and food safety rules, and pay on time. We check ages and work rules for any young workers and follow the law on hours.

People who will help us: a bookkeeper or tax preparer, an insurance agent who understands restaurants, a business attorney for a one-time review of the lease, and a free mentor from SCORE or the Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

Milestones Narrative

Our goals and when we plan to reach them.
- Before opening (6 to 8 months ahead): call the health department about permits and plan review, count traffic at the site, test the menu with at least 30 people and ask at least 5 offices or schools about catering, register the LLC and get an EIN, open a business bank account, get insurance and equipment quotes, find a space, have an attorney review the lease, and hire and train the opening team. Sign the lease only after the permit answers and the traffic counts are in hand.
- Year 1: open with the owner, a lead cook and about 90 sandwiches a day, $405,900 in sales and a profit of about $23,300.
- Year 2: add counter staff and grow lunch crowds, with about 31,000 sandwiches a year, $490,050 in sales and a profit of about $44,300.
- Year 3: add a catering coordinator, with about 270 catering orders, $555,150 in sales and a profit of about $36,200.
- Year 4: add an assistant manager so the owner can focus on growth, with about 35,500 sandwiches, $611,100 in sales and a profit of about $34,000.
- Year 5: grow to about 37,000 sandwiches a year and about 370 catering orders, $661,000 in sales and a profit of about $36,400.
Growth depends on building a regular lunch crowd and winning catering customers, so treat the later years as goals, not promises.

What we check every week: sandwiches sold, average ticket, food cost, labor cost, catering orders, health inspection results, reviews and cash in the bank.

Funding Request

How much we need and how we will use it. Total we are raising: $160,000.

How we got that number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds up three things:
- Startup costs of $99,700, listed item by item in the Startup Costs section: $21,000 for slicer, grill, panini presses, prep tables and cookware, $19,000 for refrigerated prep line, reach-in cooler and freezer, $12,000 for point-of-sale system, menu boards and small equipment, $6,500 for opening food, paper and packaging, $22,000 for counter, flooring, sinks, hood and paint, $7,000 for lease deposit and first month of rent, $1,900 for health permit, business license and food manager course, $2,600 for legal and accounting setup, $5,200 for sign, menu design, website and photos, and $2,500 for first insurance payment.
- A cash cushion of about $53,800: about 3 months of running costs. Our cash stays above zero in every year of the plan, but lenders still want a cushion in the bank for slow weeks and surprises. They call this "working capital."
- Together that comes to about $153,500, rounded up to the nearest $500: $153,500.
We are raising $6,500 more than that, $160,000 in all, to leave extra room for loan payments in the first years and for the slow weeks near school breaks.

Where the money comes from:
- My own money: $35,000.
- Amount requested as a loan: $100,000.
- From an investor or partner: $25,000.

Kind of funding we are looking for. An SBA 7(a) small loan through a local bank or community lender, plus investor or partner money. Investor or partner money is not paid back with interest, but the person gets a share of the business. A family member, a friend, a local investor or a business partner could fill this part. Put any agreement in writing.

How we will pay it back. We expect a profit of about $23,300 in Year 1, growing to about $36,400 by Year 5. With this funding, the business has money in the bank at the end of every year of the plan, and the lowest year-end balance is about $132,200, at the end of Year 1. The loan is planned at 12.75% interest over 10 years, so payments of about $1,478 a month (about $17,741 a year) are already included in our cash flow. We chose 12.75% as a cautious planning rate. Ask the lender for the real rate, which may be lower or higher.

What we are offering the lender: our equipment as collateral (something the lender can claim if the loan is not repaid) and my personal guarantee (my promise to repay from my own money if the business cannot).

A smaller first step, if needed. If we cannot raise the full amount right away, we can start smaller and grow into this plan:
- Phase 1: start with catering and box lunches from a licensed commissary or shared kitchen (check the local rules), taking a few orders a week from nearby offices. Startup can be roughly $8,000 to $12,000 for supplies, insurance, permits and a simple website. Get your own quotes.
- Phase 2: once catering is steady and you have more orders than the shared kitchen can fill, lease a small storefront and follow this plan.
To plan the smaller start, make a copy of this plan (use Duplicate) and lower the numbers to match.

All numbers in this plan are estimates. We will update them as real results come in.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach before you send this plan:

- Your resume (one page is fine) and any licenses or training certificates.
- A personal financial statement (a list of what you own and what you owe; lenders usually provide a form).
- Business registration papers and your EIN (your business tax number from the IRS, free at irs.gov).
- Proof of insurance, or a quote.
- The menu, recipes with costs and a sample catering order form.
- The health department's written answers on permits and inspections.
- A letter or quote for the space, and the lease once you have it.
- Quotes for the kitchen and cooler equipment.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers (change them in the Financials section to match your own):
- Sandwiches and Wraps: about $10.50 per item in Year 1, rising to $11.70; about $3.70 per item in direct costs, rising to $4.10; about 27,000 items in Year 1, growing to 37,000.
- Soups, Sides and Drinks: about $4.20 per item in Year 1, rising to $4.60; about $1.25 per item in direct costs, rising to $1.45; about 24,000 items in Year 1, growing to 33,500.
- Catering and Box Lunch Orders: about $180 per order in Year 1, rising to $200; about $68 per order in direct costs, rising to $76; about 120 orders in Year 1, growing to 370.
- Pay: Owner / Manager $42,000 (1/1/1/1/1); Lead Cook $34,000 (1/1/1/1/1); Counter and Prep Team (average) $24,000 (3/4/5/5/6); Assistant Manager $34,000 (0/0/0/1/1); Catering Coordinator (part-time) $24,000 (0/0/1/1/1). The numbers in parentheses are how many people we plan to have in Years 1 through 5. Pay figures are yearly and include payroll taxes and workers' compensation.
- Other yearly costs in Year 1: rent & utilities $42,000, card fees & software $7,200, marketing $6,000, business insurance $4,200, repairs & cleaning supplies $3,600, and accounting, licenses & permits $4,200. These grow between 4% and 12% a year as the business grows.
- Most guests pay at the counter, but catering customers are invoiced. At the end of Year 1 about $8,118 (2% of Year 1 sales) is owed to us by catering customers or still on its way from card processors.
- Tax rate: 21%.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate. Replace them with your own quotes and research.

Startup Costs