How to Start a Deli

Delicatessen, better known as delis, were brought to the US during the 1800's by German Jews. Traditional delis sell Kosher sandwiches and snacks such as knishes, but these days many small grocery stores which also offer a variety of ready-to-eat food items may call themselves delis. All delis offer extremely casual, if not friendly, quick service.

Learn how to start your own Deli and whether it is the right fit for you.

Ready to form your LLC? Check out the Top LLC Formation Services.

Start a deli by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Deli
  2. Form your Deli into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Deli for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Deli
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Deli
  7. Get Deli Insurance
  8. Define your Deli Brand
  9. Create your Deli Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your deli. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Deli Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state's business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability.

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Want some help naming your deli?

Business Name Generator

What are the costs involved in opening a deli?

Starting a deli is not cheap, but it is still possible to open a moderately sized deli in a smaller city for less than $50,000.

The location and equipment - The largest chunk of the initial start-up capital is for securing a lease and fitting out the deli. The best locations for a deli is any place where there are lots of hungry people at lunchtime during the week. Successful delis are often near office buildings, hospitals, and schools where there are lots of people who need a quick, inexpensive meal. Not all locations allow businesses to cook food, so you need to make sure to choose a location where it is possible. Food prep and merchandising equipment is not cheap. Owners on a tight budget may want to consider leasing equipment on a monthly basis.

Permitting and insurance - Any time when food is prepared on-site, owners will have to deal with permits and inspections. This usually means additional headaches and expenses. In addition, food service businesses often need extensive business liability insurance to protect them from litigation.

Marketing and promotions -  Competition for customers in the deli business is fierce. New delis need to have the funds to run aggressive marketing and advertising campaigns.

What are the ongoing expenses for a deli?

Delis have many ongoing expenses including labor, stock, rent, and utilities.

Who is the target market?

Delis appeal to all ethnic and social-economic groups. The ideal customer is anyone looking for a fast, filling meal within walking distance of the location. Many delis now cater to vegetarians and those customers who want healthier eating options by providing a wide range of selections.

How does a deli make money?

Delis make money by selling prepared food and quickly serving food. In addition, some delis make money selling a limited amount of groceries.

How much can you charge customers?

Competition for dining dollar is fierce, so prices for deli items are usually low. Most delis run at 30% food cost. That means that if it costs $3.00 for the ingredients which go into making a dish, that item needs to be $10 on the menu. Some of the dishes with higher ingredient cost have slimmer margins in order to keep menu prices affordable. Specialty groceries typically have a markup of between 10-15%.

How much profit can a deli make?

Most delis can expect to earn a profit of around 10% of revenue.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Delis can earn more money by adding food-related businesses like a bakery or bake-at-home options.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your deli is sued.

Form Your LLC

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services. You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

  • Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
  • Build your company's credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

Federal Business Licensing Requirements

There are federal regulations regarding what can and cannot be added to, sold as, and processed with food. Attached is a resource from the Food and Drug Administration detailing the process of starting a food business: How to Start a Food Business

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a deli business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

Certificate of Occupancy

A deli business is generally run out of a storefront. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO).  A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.

  • If you plan to lease a location:
    • It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
    • Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a deli business.
    • After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
  • If you plan to purchase or build a location:
    • You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
    • Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your deli business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.

Food Regulations

When selling food, you will need licensing from a local health department; all establishments serving food are required to pass a health inspection. Tips for faring well on a health inspections

Liquor Licensing

Businesses involved in the sale of alcoholic beverages are required to obtain a liquor license from the appropriate state or local agency. A comprehensive list of laws by state (including necessary licenses, zoning laws, etc), curated by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, is included here.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

FInd out what types of insurance your Deli needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Deli.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners, we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended: Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a deli

Use what is special about your deli as the main way to drive in new business. Since most deli customers live or work within walking distance of the deli's location, spend your marketing time and money extremely locally.

How to keep customers coming back

Deli's make most of their sales from returning customers. That is why fresh, quality products priced fairly and served quickly is the best way to become successful. There is so much competition for the lunch crowd that delis can't afford to disappoint their customers even once.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

Owning a deli is often more of a lifestyle than just operating a business. Depending on the size of the business, owners can find themselves working 12 or more hours a day, five or more days a week. People considering opening a deli should not only have a background in the restaurant business but more importantly, a passion for the industry. Since owning a deli can take up so much time, it essential the owner's family is supportive of the business from the beginning.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a deli?

Operating a deli is like running two businesses at the same time. Deli owners need to run and manage a retail store plus a restaurant. This means owners spend their working day ordering and preparing food, stocking shelves, cleaning, serving customers, and working the register. Many deli owners also handle their own bookkeeping duties

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful deli?

A background in cooking in a commercial setting can help. Deli owners often prepare much of the food themselves or at the very least are required to train new employees. Since delis prepare food, most municipalities require someone at the location to hold a food handling certificate. Deli owners who have a certificate may be able to save money on payroll.

Deli owners also need to know how to run a profitable retail business. This includes experience with ordering, pricing, and bookkeeping.

What is the growth potential for a deli?

Delis are a multi-billion dollar business in the US and the popularity of quick, ready-to-eat meals shows no signs of declining. There is great growth potential for delis which offer healthy food options and choices for customers with food allergies.

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Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a deli?

A deli which focuses on offering an authentic specialty is usually more successful than one which tries to offer a little bit of everything. Try to position your new deli as the leader of a particular niche in the market. You may want to serve a particular cuisine, such as Latin American, Jewish, or Italian food, or create a gourmet or health-conscience deli. A specialty will help your deli stand out from the one down the street and make promoting your brand easier.

How and when to build a team

There is always something more you can be doing when you run a deli. That is the reason deli owners should begin building a quality team from the first day. Many smaller delis employ family members at first to save on labor costs, but almost every deli eventually needs at least a few employees. Providing training to employees which allows them to serve your customers better by becoming more knowledgeable is essential.

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