Restaurant Consulting FAQs: Costs, Timelines and Licensing in India
The questions restaurateurs ask us most often, answered plainly. Table & Fork is a restaurant consultancy based in Delhi NCR, Pune and Bengaluru, helping food and beverage entrepreneurs launch and grow successful venues.
What does a restaurant consultant do?
A restaurant consultant takes a venue from idea to opening and beyond: testing whether the concept works commercially, designing the menu and the kitchen around it, specifying equipment and suppliers, handling licensing and compliance, recruiting and training the team, and supporting operations once the doors are open.
Which cities does Table & Fork work in?
Table & Fork works across Delhi NCR, including New Delhi, Gurugram, Noida and Faridabad, as well as Pune and Bengaluru. We take on projects elsewhere in India case by case, and have delivered more than 100 projects for over 50 brands across full-service restaurants, QSRs, breweries and cafes.
How long does it take to open a restaurant in Delhi NCR?
A full-service restaurant typically takes six to nine months from signed concept to opening day: four to six weeks on concept and feasibility, eight to twelve weeks on design and kitchen build, four to six weeks on licensing, and three to four weeks on menu trials, recruitment and training. A QSR or cloud kitchen usually opens in three to four months.
How much does a restaurant consultant cost in India?
Fees depend on scope rather than covers. A concept and feasibility study is priced as a fixed piece of work; a full launch covering menu, kitchen design, sourcing, recruitment and training is quoted stage by stage against what you actually need. Tell us the format, the city and your target opening date and we will scope it precisely.
What licences do I need to open a restaurant in India?
Most venues need an FSSAI food licence, a local health and trade licence, a fire NOC, GST registration and a shop and establishment registration. Serving alcohol adds a state liquor licence and excise permissions. Requirements vary by state and municipality, so we confirm the exact list for your site early in the project.
What is the difference between a QSR and a brewery project?
A QSR is built for speed and repeatability: a short menu, a tight kitchen footprint, heavy process standardisation and low dependence on individual staff skill. A brewery is capital-heavy and technical, involving brewing equipment, excise licensing, tank scheduling and a beverage-led menu, and typically takes about twice as long to reach opening.
Do you work with cloud kitchens and cafes?
Yes. Alongside full-service restaurants we work on cloud kitchens, cafes, QSRs, bars and breweries. Smaller formats need the same discipline as large ones, but the emphasis shifts towards menu engineering for delivery, packaging that travels well, tight inventory control and a kitchen laid out for throughput rather than display.
What happens after the restaurant opens?
We stay on for a year of post-launch support. That covers recipe and costing revisions once you see real sales mix, retraining as staff turn over, inventory and hygiene systems, service standards and complaint handling, and menu adjustments based on what your guests actually order rather than what was planned.
Still have a question? Call +91 84848 64043 or email restaurantconsultant@tableandfork.com. Delhi NCR | Pune | Bengaluru.