How to Start a Sushi Restaurant

Start a sushi restaurant by following these 10 steps:

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

We have put together this simple guide to starting your sushi restaurant. 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:

• What will you name your business?
• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?
• How much can you charge customers?

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 Sushi Restaurant 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.

What are the costs involved in opening a sushi restaurant?

The start-up costs can vary depending on whether you are leasing or purchasing land. If you are leasing land, a median assumption of cost for starting your restaurant is $280,000. The largest parts of this are $140,000 to construct a building, $75,000 for kitchen and bar equipment, and $20,000 for the technology to process orders and payments. It may cost $20,000 or more to provide the relevant furniture you need. Other assorted costs include about $10,000 for your initial food and drink supply and about $12,000 on relevant insurance, licenses, and permits. The first month of utilities will be about $3,000.

What are the ongoing expenses for a sushi restaurant?

Your exact ongoing expenses will vary based on factors such as restaurant location, size, and amount of staff. For instance, you may be paying a $10,000 a month lease, $2,500 a month in utilities, $8,000 a month in food and beverages, and $10,000 a month for the salary of a small staff.

Who is the target market?

It's a bit obvious, but your best customers will be those who love sushi. These are the customers who will best appreciate the diversity of your menu and the care with which you create the sushi. Additionally, these customers will typically be your best word-of-mouth advertisement.

How does a sushi restaurant make money?

A sushi restaurant makes money by charging customers for the act of preparing and serving sushi. Your restaurant may also make money by selling other dishes and/or selling alcohol.

How much can you charge customers?

While the exact prices may vary, a normal roll of sushi costs an average of $6.50, whereas specialty rolls are an average of $12.60. If your restaurant charges alcohol, those prices will vary based on alcohol type, alcohol amount, and alcohol brand.

How much profit can a sushi restaurant make?

The average profit of a restaurant is a little over $82,000. With that being said, your own profit may be much greater if you offer unique dishes and experiences that your community cannot find anywhere else.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Don't be afraid to enhance your menu with more dishes, seasonal variations, and signature foods to bring in more customers. Try to throw special parties throughout the year that correspond to national and community events. Finally, try to enhance the services you offer: being willing to offer the sushi equivalent of “curbside to go” for call-in orders will help you get many more customers.

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 sushi restaurant is sued.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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 sushi restaurant business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Certificate of Occupancy

A sushi business is generally run out of a restaurant. 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 sushi restaurant 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 sushi restaurant 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.

Is this Business Right For You?

Obviously, this business is perfect for those who love sushi. It is also a good fit for anyone who has had restaurant management experience or other related restaurant experience that may help you in serving customers and otherwise running the shop.

What happens during a typical day at a sushi restaurant?

Despite its focus on sushi, the daily activities of this business are similar to those of any restaurant. Any given day is spent receiving and preparing food and drinks, coordinating employees, serving customers, and then cleaning the restaurant at the end of the night. You may use downtime you have to manage money and to advertise your business, especially on social media.

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

Like any restaurant, a sushi business is built on its workers. It will help build your business if you are able to recruit managers, servers, and chefs that have experience in the service and sushi industries. Your own previous successes as a manager can help your restaurant succeed quickly, and a knowledge of Japan and Japanese culture can help you make your restaurant feel more “authentic” for your customers.

What is the growth potential for a sushi restaurant?

The growth potential for this business is modest. As an industry, the sushi restaurant revenue grew only 1.2% between 2010 and 2014. However, American consumption of sushi grew 28% in that time, showing an increased public appetite for your restaurant's speciality.