Live in Malaysia - rent shop

Dears,
I am from Egypt, I have my job at restaurant as an operation  and marketing manager since 2006.
I have been visited Malaysia last month I admired there with the country specific the langkawi island.. Which made me think to open an Egyptian restaurant.. I have been noticed that arabice restaurants offers an expensive prices which prevent a lot to taste the food and go have eating there cause the average of price sometime.
So my idea to offers good quality with  good price with logic profit not high.
I am thinking to find the suitable space for the business.

Hi Mohamed,

Welcome on board  :)

Have you done some research yet about what will be your expenses ? What will be your cost of sales (direct and indirect )?

To have an idea about professional space prices, you can browse through the Professional spaces in Malaysia section of the website and even drop your own "looking for" advert.

Also, go through the Setting up a business in Malaysia article, you will have some relevant infos.

All the best
Bhavna

Hi your first problem is a work permit. Running a "cheap" restaurant is simply impossible legally. Secondly 90% of cost of doing business is under the table in Malaysia.

Thirdly if you are successful your landlood will double or triple your rent. Seen it happen so often. Or they throw you out so their friend can start a copycat restaurant to "steal" your success.

Fourthly too many restaurants in Malaysia. I see so many go bust. One near me just did after 3 months. Many around me barely survive.

Basically a hard way to make money that is 10 times harder for a foreigner!

Agree with what Nemodot says but admire your concept of affordable Egyptian food.... but to make money with a restaurant in Malaysia you have to be either good, cheap and always full... or ... up market, high priced, well publicised and well protected/connected.
In Langkawi you would have noticed that at Telaga there are at least 2 Arab style places and a few more around the island, especially as there are a now a lot of Arab tourists in Langkawi and Penang.
Best of luck though... let us know the name/location when you open.

Thank you very much I appreciated all posts related to my project. Yes you are right.
Of course you will know when opening.. And many thanks for your wishing.
Regards

Nemodot wrote:

Or they throw you out so their friend can start a copycat restaurant to steal your success.


True, true and true again.