How to start a sandwich shop

So you’re wondering how to start a sandwich shop? Whether you’ve mastered the cheese and pickle or you’re an egg mayo pro, starting a business can be daunting. 

To turn your sandwich skills into a business, you first need the recipe for success. From crafting the perfect menu to finding the ideal location, there’s a lot to think about. But, if Carmy in The Bear can do it, why can’t you?! 

If you’re ready for a slice of the action then keep reading for our expert tips and tricks for opening a sandwich shop in 2025.

Should you start a sandwich shop now? 

We all know that opening a new business in 2025 isn’t without its challenges.

As more brick-and-mortar businesses struggle and customers look to online alternatives, is now really the right time to open a sandwich shop?

Well, the stats suggest it is. In fact, the timing might just be perfect. Studies show that bakeries and sandwich shops were some of the best performing fast food outlets last year, seeing a 4.7% increase in footfall. Tasty stuff!

It also helps that sandwich shops traditionally have smaller inventories and fewer overheads, plus you can find a perfect balance between serving in-person customers and partnering with third party providers such as Deliveroo to fulfill remote orders too!

And believe it or not, sandwiches are on trend right now. According to this article in The Guardian, supersized sandwiches are the food of the moment, so if you can come up with gourmet or alternative menu ideas, you might have queues out the door. 

The industry is competitive though and you’ll be up against well-known chains such as Greggs, Pret and Gails, all of whom saw business growth last year.

How to start a sandwich shop: step-by-step

These eight simple steps will take you from sandwich starter to panini pro in no time!

1. Write a business plan

Just like with any business, you’ll need to write a business plan for your sandwich shop.

A business plan is a strategic document that provides an overview of your business including operations, goals, strategies and profit predictions. 

Within your business plan, you’ll need to think carefully about your target market and the location of your business as well as any existing competitors.

You’ll also need to decide on your niche. Sandwich shops are not a new idea, so you’ll need to determine exactly what will stand yours out from the rest, be it exciting menu items, special ingredients or cool concepts.

The good news is you’re not alone when it comes to writing your business plan. We’ve put together this handy business plan template to help you. 

2. Secure funding

Once you’ve formulated your business plan, you’ll need to determine exactly how you’ll fund your business. 

Starting a sandwich shop will come with an array of overheads from rent and utilities to supplies, ingredients and equipment. 

The best option is to add up all of your costs and determine a realistic budget for your first year of business.

Then you’ll need to explore possible funding options such as savings, business loans, business grants and investors.

3. Find a location

It’s all about location, location, location when it comes to starting your sandwich shop.

You need to be sure that the location you choose has a high foodie footfall who are after a great sandwich. Perhaps you fancy serving a student population looking for revision fuel or maybe office workers out on lunch?

Wherever you choose, make sure you consider not just footfall from your target audience but rent prices, accessibility and nearby competition too.

After all, there’s no point opening a new sandwich shop on a street that already has three in operation, or down a road that people can’t access, no matter how cheap the rent might be!

4. Sort legislations

For any new business there are various legislations and legal hoops you’ll need to jump through, but for those operating in the food industry, the regulations are even tighter.

Firstly you’ll need to register your company name and business with HMRC and with your local council. 

Once you’ve registered with your local council as a food business you can expect to receive an inspection from an Environmental Health Officer at some point in the future. Always ensure you are operating to the highest food health and safety standards and be prepared for an inspection at any time.

The good news is you don’t need any specific training or qualifications to open a sandwich shop but you will need to register for all of the relevant licences, such as food hygiene and waste disposal. 

We recommend checking out the Food Standards Agency (FSA) website to ensure you are fully compliant. 

5. Develop your menu

Now it’s the fun part, it’s time to put your taste buds to the test and develop your menu. 

Think back to your business plan, what is your chosen niche and what did you decide your sandwich shop will offer?

This will help you to develop your menu, as will your budget and access to certain ingredients and suppliers.

Your menu should be diverse and unique, appealing to your target customers. Consider including popular or trending sandwich types, such as gourmet grilled cheese or supersized sandwiches.

Offering unique or on-trend options can help your menu stand out and attract a broader audience. 

Don’t forget dietary needs too (vegan, gluten-free etc.) and consider starting small with fewer items to help manage costs.

6. Source ingredients & equipment

Once you have a clear idea of what sandwiches your shop is going to sell you can begin to purchase your equipment and source your ingredients.

Your equipment will be one of your biggest initial outlays, as you will need to purchase large items such as fridges, freezers, preparation tables, ovens etc. 

Think carefully about what equipment you will actually need, it’s easy to get carried away once you start shopping but you don’t want to buy items that end up collecting dust!

You’ll also need to begin sourcing your ingredients. There are various ways you can shop for your food items, you can head to the local supermarket (although this will get pricey and be labour-intensive), contact local suppliers to set up a partnership or purchase via a wholesaler.

It’s not just the food prep equipment you’ll need either, you’ll need to purchase all of the equipment you need to actually run a business such as a card machine, till, phone and set up a POS system in order to process payments and log transactions. 

7. Hire and train staff

When setting up your sandwich shop you’ll need to determine whether or not you need to hire staff.

Some business owners decide to fly solo when getting started, while others feel the level of demand requires at least one member of staff on either a part-time or full-time basis.

If you do decide to hire staff you will want to focus on recruiting reliable and trained staff who have experience working with the public and in a food environment.

Any staff you hire will need to be fully trained in their role and in food hygiene standards.

8. Create an online presence

Even if you decide to operate solely offline, it doesn’t hurt to have some sort of online presence too.

Setting up a simple website optimised for local search engine optimisation (SEO) terms and creating social media accounts for your shop are both great ways to target local customers online. 

You can use your social media accounts to spread the word about your sandwich shop, showcase new items on the menu and share customer reviews.

Your website should include all of the details a customer needs to know about your sandwich shop, such as your location, menu and contact details and if you wish to set it up, the ability to take online orders.

If you want to offer online orders but don’t have the resources to fulfill them yourself, consider partnering with a third-party delivery service such as Just Eat, Uber Eats or Deliveroo. 

What do you need to set up a sandwich shop?

When it comes to equipment and systems, what you need to start your sandwich will depend on your business model. 

There are however some things that you can be pretty much guaranteed to need such as:

• Ingredients: will you source your ingredients locally? Don’t forget to buy in bulk to save money.
• Food storage: you’ll need a quality and safety-assured food storage system such as a fridge, freezer, store room and airtight containers.
• Food preparation equipment: what does each of your menu items require to be made? Think about everything from knives to a toaster.
• Food packaging: how will you package up your sandwiches? You’ll need things such as containers, napkins and bags.
• Seating: will you offer a dine-in option or will you be takeaway only?
• Payment systems: you’ll need a system to take payments, a card machine and a till. 
• Miscellaneous: a phone to take orders, stationery to write down orders, signage and cleaning equipment should all go on your list too!

How much can you expect to pay?

How much it costs to start a sandwich shop will depend on your location, size and business model but some of the things you’ll need to budget for include:

• Rent
• Equipment
• Ingredients
• Staff salaries
• Insurance
• Licensing
• Utilities e.g. electricity and water
• Marketing
• Payment systems
• Third-party delivery platforms

Final thoughts

Opening a sandwich shop is no easy task, but with all the right ingredients like a solid business plan and a niche menu, you can turn your sandwich dreams into a thriving business.

With every step you tick off from this list, you’ll be closer to serving up your sandwiches and building a loyal customer base.