How to Start a Fast Food Business in Cameroon

The fast food business has become the new norm among many university graduates, school dropouts and just anyone who has good tasks when it comes towards cooking.

The fast food business in Cameroon has been replacing the traditional restaurant system of cooking and serving the general public during the day, as the fast food business turns out to booming more at night hours.

If you live in major towns and cities in Cameroon, you would have observed that the fast food business is now winning. Every busy street outlet has one or two fast food points of delivery.

But what is fast food? Let’s just define it so that if you have heard of the term but know little about what it stands for. Fast food is that food that is prepared and sold in many snack bars, restaurants, roadside or any busy outlet. It’s that meal that can be easily prepared and packaged for it to be taken home and consumed.

In this article, you would learn the step-by-step guide on how to start a fast food business in Cameroon.

Cost of starting a fast food business in Cameroon

Operating a restaurant can be very costly in Cameroon especially since the restaurant business is affected by season, location, electricity bills, taxes and labour costs.

Fast food businesses are less costly to operate in Cameroon. You can start a fast food business in Cameroon with a small sum of 30,000XAF to 100,000XAF depending on the type of fast food business you want to operate.

This cost is limited to the raw materials you will need to buy and the bills and rent you would likely incur.

What type of fast food business can I start in Cameroon?

Well, there are many types of fast food businesses you can run in Cameroon, depending on your skills and capital at hand.

1. Irish and egg business
2. Dodo and Egg Business
3. Pancake business
4. Fried Rice and chicken business
5. Kwacoco Bible and sauce
6. Roasted Fish business
7. Puff puff and beans business
8. Pepper Soup goat meat
9. Rice and beans

In which town can I Operate a fast food business in Cameroon

You can run a fast food business in any town or city in Cameroon. As long as what you have to offer is what people are looking for then you are good to go. Even in local communities and villages, you can operate a fast food business.



However, by experience, some towns are just favourable to running a fast food business in Cameroon. These include towns with universities, towns with motor parks, towns with hospitals, banks, construction companies etc.

However, the towns and cities listed below will provide you with one of the most and best places to start a fast food business in Cameroon.

1. Buea
2. Limbe
3. Kumba
4. Douala
5. Bamenda
6. Dschang
7. Yaoundé
8. Maroua
9. Melong
10. Mamfe
11. Bafoussam
12. Ngaoundere
13. Edea
14. Ebolowa
15. Kribi

Related: Best cities to start a business in Cameroon

Steps on how to start a fast food business in Cameroon

Now that you have gotten an overview of what type of fast food businesses operate in Cameroon, what town is best for running a fast food business and how much it costs to run a fast food business, let us now examine the step-by-step guide you must follow before you start a fast food business in your community.

a). Conduct a research

The first ultimate step you must take towards starting a fast food business in Cameroon is to conduct market research about the various fast food business operating in that town.

List all the booming fast food businesses you see running in your community, identify which ones are highly profitable, which are mostly demanded by the population and most importantly which are less costly to operate.

b). Choose your niche

The next step to take is to choose your niche. Make up your mind on which type of fast food business you want to embark into. Choose a fast food business you are much verse in one that you have good expertise in.

Don’t start a rice and chicken business simply because you see many people are into rice and chicken. Select the niche you can well provide to your customers with good taste.

c). Choose a good and strategic location

The third step to take is to choose a strategic location where you want to operate your fast food business.



Will it be in a restaurant, snack bar or at the front door of your house or maybe checkpoint or roadside street? Make a wise decision on where your business will be operated.

d). Analyze your competitors

The fourth step you must never miss when starting a fast food business in Cameroon is to analyze your competitors.

Analyze your competitor very well, find out what they do that makes people from them, what prices they offer their products, what locations they operate, what time y operate and what time they usually close.

Also, evaluate what difficulties are your competitors facing and how you intend to solve these issues with your new business.

All these questions are vitals and make sure to properly analyze them and find a solution before you start your own fast food business in Cameroon.

Read: How to start a Successful Laundry Services in Cameroon 

e). Develop a business plan/model

If you have successfully done all the steps listed above (a, b, c and d) then you are in a good position to develop a business plan for your fast food business.

A business plan here is simply a detailed plan on how you will operate the fast food business, what you will see, where you will buy raw materials, what materials you will need and where you will see and at what price you will see.

Improve your fast food business with these additional steps.

i). Developed a menu

If you are offering more than one type of food, then it’s good you come out with a menu display for your fast food. A menu here is simply what you are selling and how much it cost. It will be a great deal for you and your customers.

ii). Design a signboard and ads

Have a small signboard placed in front of your business. Yes, it’s not a restaurant but it is displayed. It can be an eye-catching point for potential customers who are passing by.

iii). Choose an affordable price

Let your food price be moderate and affordable for everyone to afford. The major mistake most restaurants do is to sell at high prices. Keep your price moderate so that both the rich and the poor can afford to buy your food. However, do not sell at a price that would result in the collapse of the business.

iv). Be friendly to your regular customers

Always treat your regular customers well. Make them feel they are part of the business.

v) Market your business online

Yes, market your fast food business online on WhatsApp groups and Facebook pages. This would always help customers to talk about you when they think of a particular meal that they like.

Read: How to Make Money On WhatsApp in Cameroon

vi) Mode of payments

The world is changing and the traditional cash system is dying. Learn to accept another form of payment such as mobile money. Don’t lose potential customers’ smiling because they don’t hold cash.

vii) Get a permit or license to operate

By law in Cameroon, every small business must be licensed and registered.  So you should get a permit to enable run your fast food business. This would save you from embarrassment and seizure of property by council workers and authorities.

Final Remarks

In this article, you have learned the essential steps to take before you start a fast food business in Cameroon. You also learn what type of fast food is highly demanded and sold in Cameroon and what cities and towns are favourable to operating fast food business in Cameroon.

Besides the above-listed fast food business ideas, which other fast food businesses do you know are profitable and which other location in Cameroon is best for running fast food business? Drop your suggestions and experiences in the comment section below.

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