How much does it cost to open a restaurant in Sweden?
How do you calculate the cost of opening a restaurant in Sweden?
Add premises work, equipment, deposits and pre-opening payments, then calculate the cash needed during the launch period. Use supplier quotes and a monthly cash-flow budget, including a lower-sales scenario.
No single opening cost usefully describes both taking over an equipped restaurant and converting an empty unit. The important questions are what the premises already support, what you must pay for and how long your funds need to last before sales sustain operations.
Prepare two documents: a list of payments required before opening and a cash-flow budget for the first months of trading.
Assess the premises before fixing the budget
Check ventilation, electrical capacity, drainage, grease separation, accessibility and other requirements relevant to your concept. Use qualified specialists for the assessment. Record which works are the landlord’s responsibility and which you must fund.
Used kitchen equipment may reduce the purchase payment, but installation, condition, servicing and energy use also matter. Include furniture, crockery, glassware, small equipment, signs and connectivity. For a takeover, check exactly what is included: the inventory list must match the contract.
A hypothetical SEK 900,000 opening budget
This worked example assumes a smaller restaurant taking over existing premises. Amounts are assumed cash payments, including VAT where charged. They are neither quotations nor industry averages.
| Item | Assumed amount |
|---|---|
| Premises deposit | SEK 90,000 |
| Adaptation and installation | SEK 180,000 |
| Kitchen and small equipment | SEK 220,000 |
| Furniture, crockery and interior | SEK 90,000 |
| Initial stock and launch activity | SEK 40,000 |
| Rent, staff and other pre-opening payments | SEK 80,000 |
| Allowance for unexpected opening expenses | SEK 50,000 |
| Cash remaining on opening day | SEK 150,000 |
| Total capital required in this example | SEK 900,000 |
A deposit ties up cash but is not automatically an expense in the income statement. Equipment may need to be recorded as an asset and depreciated. VAT affects the timing of payments and refunds. Agree the accounting treatment with your accountant.
The SEK 150,000 left at opening does not tell you how many months the restaurant can survive. That depends on the cash coming in and going out next.
Put each payment in the right month
Include customer receipts, supplier invoices, wages, taxes, rent, interest and loan repayments when the cash is expected to move. Verksamt distinguishes profit from cash flow: a profitable business can still lack the money to pay bills when due.
Test a one-month opening delay and lower sales than planned. Recalculate the full cash flow: additional rent and wages do not disappear because revenue arrives later. Secure funding before committing to the payments.
Obtain actual fees and contract terms
Contact the municipality about food-business registration and the permissions your operation needs. Registration and inspections are handled by the relevant control authority; see the Swedish Food Agency’s guidance. Use your municipality’s current fees in the budget.
For the POS setup, include registers, hardware, selected modules, card processing and any messaging charges. Compare initial payments, recurring costs and contract commitments separately. Vendion’s pricing page explains the current setup. A complete opening budget helps you prioritise while retaining control of cash after launch.
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