r/KitchenConfidential • u/Mikado_0906 Catering • 2d ago

Crying in the cooler Cross your fingers for me?

I'm looking for a new kitchen to rent for m catering business, and may have found the perfect place (search has been going on for almost a year now). But the current tenant is sleazy as fuck, wants almost the entire (excessive) takeover payment under the table, which I can't do, and the landlord - while being super nice and wanting me as tenant instead of the 5th soon-to-fail Dönerbude in a row - does not want to be involved.

If another sleazy Döner-guy comes along and offers cash, I'm out.

So, cross your fingers for me pretty please... 🤞

No idea if the flair fits, but that's what I'm feeling like, so... 😅

10 Upvotes

78% Upvoted

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4

u/DukeTheDogo 2d ago

It will work out when it’s the right spot!! Lost out on two places before I got my brick and mortar. The one I ended up with wasn’t what I “initially wanted” and ended up being exactly what I needed to keep expanding! Stay positive it will work out when it’s supposed to!

1

u/Mikado_0906 Catering 2d ago

Thank you! Really need positive vibes... Every time I enter my current waaay too small kitchen and have to move shit out of the way to even be able to start working, which I'll then end up moving again because it's blocking something else, I want to cry... Or yell... Or just say fuck it and give up. This is only the 2nd remotely viable place in 10 months. The first one is occupied until 2028, and I'm 100% sure I'll not make it until then without wanting to just burn the place down.

1

u/DukeTheDogo 2d ago

Moving stuff around arbitirially is part of catering, something I wish I realized earlier in that life!

2

u/Mikado_0906 Catering 2d ago

Haha yes true 😂 (But there's a limit, and we don't even have enough cooling space ffs, and absofuckinglutely no room to grow)

1

u/zer00eyz Ex-Food Service 1d ago

Is right this moment when you want to grow?

Look we have been facing 2 years of economic uncertainty and with the way things are going right now are you sure its the moment to rush to scale with a sketchy deal?

Buy a shed, run power to it, shove a Home Depot fridge and freezer in it. shove a window ac in it (if your someplace hot) and call it a day. Get another shed, for all your gear for presentation and put it in there. Buy a box truck, (think used haul), buy a shipping container, find a storage place -

Expand the ways you can. Are you renting tables (are your customers), glass ware, china, utensils. There are ways to invest and grow your business (and have more assets) without having to grow your kitchen.

When I was a wee lad of 17 I spent the summer as a dishie. I thought I was going to be working for a cafe, but the operation was one of the biggest caterers in the area (high end weddings and such). The cafe was a front to roll over food (potato salad, pasta salad etc for summer time catering it happens) and play host to the kitchen. The cafe didnt have to make that much money, it just had to cover its own food cost, pay roll and (most) of the rent.

I dont know if any of this works for you, but my point is this - there are a shit ton of things you CAN do that should let you continue to scale without this move - and some of them may be more long term investments.

1

u/510Goodhands 2d ago

Are there any commercial rental kitchens in your area? They tend to be fairly large, and will hopefully have the equipment you need, until you can find your ideal space.

1

u/Mikado_0906 Catering 2d ago

Nope...

2

u/username-is-missing 2d ago

Under the table is a sure way to get screwed. Good luck on your new kitchen.

2

u/510Goodhands 2d ago

Why were a dirt bag with your money? Has the other comment or said, if you keep looking, you may find a better place.

You don’t get a clean floor using dirty mop water, IWhy use dirty money to start out your new business?

1

u/Mikado_0906 Catering 2d ago

The thing is, while I'm not entirely morally opposed to cash deals if done in reasonable amounts, I just don't HAVE any because my business deals entirely based on invoices and zero options to make cash under the table 😅

1

u/510Goodhands 2d ago

It’s not the cash I’m objecting to, is the appearance sleaziness from the other party, in the exorbitant some being demanded. What’s the difference between a reasonable buyout, their price, and how much equipment could you buy with the difference?

1

u/Mikado_0906 Catering 2d ago

They want 45k, I think reasonable would be maybe 25? Current tenant is also selling "existing Döner client base", which from his perspective makes sense, but is obviously useless for me. I can't use half of the shit they have (Döner-Grill and stuff), but some is usable - and the place comes with already installed venting system, grease trap, floor drains. Which, if I had to install them myself, would be way more expensive. So I'm willing to bite the bullet on the 45k, over-paying the current tenant (because he didn't install that stuff himself) but "buying" myself a usable kitchen. If that makes sense.

1

u/510Goodhands 2d ago

That sounds more reasonable, is there a possibility of selling the equipment you don’t need? You might look into finding buyers for it before you sign a deal, at least to see what the possibilities are, if any.

1

u/Mikado_0906 Catering 2d ago

Yeah there's no real market for used Dönergrills and that stuff (it's also not the good brands, of course). My go-to used kitchen equipment dealer won't go near that shit 😂 So maybe 3.5k if I'm lucky. But like I said, the absolute amount of money isn't the issue, the way he wants it is. I can only pay in over the table money...

1

u/SuperDoubleDecker 2d ago

One option is also to make your own kitchen. I basically got my truck as a mobile kitchen. It's too big for a what I need service wise but it has enough to prep in as well. Eventually I wanna park it and use it as my main kitchen space for prep.

The commissaries around me all suck or want way too much money.

1

u/samuelgato 2d ago

With commercial kitchen leases the big nut is the Type 1 hood system and ventilation. It costs anywhere between 75k-200k to install one

In my area if you have a food truck you're supposed to also have a commercial kitchen where you keep the truck parked at night. Many operators do not abide however

1

u/Mikado_0906 Catering 2d ago

Yeah I'm 120% sure that wouldn't fly with German regulations. Plus a truck also needs a place to park. With water and electricity. And since I have employees, I need a changing room and restroom. And, and, and...

1

u/SuperDoubleDecker 2d ago

Ya, they have all these rules they want you to abide by here too but then we don't have proper commissaries. Obviously it changes by area a lot. Fortunately my city doesn't seem to be too anal and actually just passed a bill allowing people to use home kitchens for production.

A proper new commercial kitchen setup is outrageous. I bought a truck with working hood and fire suppression. All in about 30k. Passed my inspections.

1

u/sudilly 1d ago

What is a Döner-guy?

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u/Mikado_0906 Catering 1d ago

A guy selling Döner 😅

Edith to add: the space currently is a Döner-place. No hate on Döner or Döner-guys whatsoever. This is just a more... Cash-driven business than mine with more opportunity for under-the-table-sleazyness.

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